Home elevator space planner
A home lift needs enough travel, pit depth and headroom at the top floor. Pick a lift type, enter your stops, floor-to-floor height, ceiling height and the pit you can dig, and see whether the published minimums of a typical model fit, before you ask a home lift company for a site survey.
How we calculated this
Total travel is the number of stops minus one, times your floor-to-floor height. The tool compares it, your stops, your pit and your top-floor height with the published minimums of one typical model for each lift type.
Hoistway elevator: Savaria Eclipse specifications (savaria.com, accessed 2026-10-29): minimum pit 8 in (203 mm) recommended, as shallow as 6 in (152 mm) may be possible, 10 in for the HD model; minimum overhead 96 in (2,438 mm); maximum travel 50 ft (15.24 m), 60 ft where code permits; up to 5 stops, 6 where code permits. Savaria says these measurements vary with the options you select.
Pneumatic vacuum elevator: PVE30 and PVE52 installation requirements, 2024 (vacuumelevators.com, accessed 2026-10-29): no pit; minimum height 107 in (2.70 m) at the upper floor for the standard model and 97 in (2.47 m) for the split-unit model; 92 in (2.34 m) at the ground floor. PVE product pages: up to 50 ft (15 m) total rise, two to five stops.
Shaft-enclosed home lift: Aritco HomeLift specifications (aritco.com, accessed 2026-10-29): 37 mm pit or installed on the floor with a ramp; minimum top height 2,225 mm; travel 568 to 15,000 mm in Europe and up to 18,000 mm outside Europe; 2 to 6 floors.
The tool does not check the footprint, door positions, the electrical supply, fire rating of the hoistway, or local code limits. In the US, ASME A17.1 section 5.3 sets rules for private residence elevators, and your state or city may add more. A dealer's site survey and drawings decide whether a lift fits.
Method checked on 2026-10-29.
A planning check, not a design. Minimums change with the model and options, and local codes may add rules. A dealer's site survey and drawings decide whether a lift fits your home.
Questions
- Can I install a home elevator without a pit?
- Some types need no pit. Pneumatic vacuum elevators such as the PVE30 and PVE52 rest on the existing floor, and the Aritco HomeLift can stand on the floor with a ramp. A hoistway elevator such as the Savaria Eclipse needs a pit of about 8 in, or 6 in in some cases.
- How much headroom does a home elevator need at the top floor?
- It depends on the model. The published minimums used here are 96 in for the Savaria Eclipse, 107 in for a standard PVE pneumatic elevator and 2,225 mm (about 87.6 in) for the Aritco HomeLift. Options such as a taller cab can need more.
- How many floors can a home elevator serve?
- The models used here serve up to 5 stops (Savaria Eclipse, 6 where code permits; PVE) or 2 to 6 floors (Aritco HomeLift), with up to about 50 ft of travel. Ask the dealer for the limits of the model you want.
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