Home Elevator FAQ
- How much does an elevator cost?
There are a number of determining factors that play into the cost of an elevator. The most important three are travel distance, the number of stops involved, and drive mechanism. For a two stop elevator, assume the price will be somewhere around $20,000, and then add another $3,000 for each additional stop.
- Are there any additional features I can add to the elevator for safety?
All elevators are required by code to have set safety features. Door locks prevent access to the shaft if the car is not present at that level, floating gates prevent the elevator from moving if an object extends outside of the cab, a landline telephone allows the rider to call for help, and emergency kill switches cut power to the entire system if the lift ever travels above the top landing. No matter which elevator you choose, it will come with a number of regulated safety features to always ensure safe travel.
However, there are additional options which can be implemented that give extra peace of mind. For instance, there is Emergency Battery Lowering, which supplies backup power in the event of electrical failure. There are also keyed call buttons which prevent anyone from calling or using the elevator unless they have a manufacturer's key to unlock the switch. And you can also change to an accordion gate which will completely seal the interior of the cab so no body parts or objects can extend outward during travel.
- How much space do I need?
RCM Elevators, Inc. only installs custom manufactured elevators, and this allows the home to dictate the location of the elevator, as opposed to the elevator imposing itself upon the home. We can manufacture elevators as small as 28" x 28", which require a 38" x 32" opening. Residential elevators can also be as large as 36" x 60", which require a 46" x 64" opening. Since all of our cabs are custom built, we can cater to the above sizes and anything in between. We will also work with you to find a spot which works best in your existing home, or where it would make the most sense in new home construction.
- What drive system is best?
This is probably the most complex question when it comes to residential elevators, and that's because each drive system has its inherent merits and drawbacks. Let's break down each.
- Cable and Drum: The cable and drum is the oldest technology in residential elevators, but it is still used for a reason. It has a proven track record of reliability, and has also implemented new technology to improve ride quality which has once again brought it back into popularity. Another added bonus of the cable/drum is that it's the least expensive of all drive systems available. The only drawback for the cable and drum is that if the unit is placed in the attic, the noise can reverberate through the entire house, and if it is placed in the basement, it requires additional floor space outside of the shaft.
- Hydraulic: The hydraulic elevator gained prominence as a response to the poor ride quality associated with earlier versions of the cable/drum elevator. The drive system uses a submerged pump which forces oil into a hydraulic jack to raise and lower the car. The oil travels through a series of valves which allows installers to fine tune the ride quality to ensure a smoothness that cannot be matched by any other system. Also, no matter where the tank and motor are placed, the noise level is minimal. The other great feature of a hydraulic elevator is that the tank and controller can be placed on a platform in the lower level of a house located in flood prone areas. The only drawback is that it is slightly more expensive than the cable/drum and also requires its own machine room. Some homeowners may also have concerns with 25-30 gallons of hydraulic oil being contained in the house, but the system itself is closed, and so there should never be a cause for an oil leak.
- Machine Room Less: The MRL is the newest technology available for residential elevators. It was designed as a solution to the previous two machines requiring extra space outside of the elevator shaft. Its biggest draws are that it requires no additional space outside of the shaft, and the system runs on a digitally programmable controller. Because of its modern design, it is widely hailed as the elevator of the future. However, the drawback to the MRL is that it is more expensive than either the hydraulic or cable/drum, and it tends to be louder when riding in the elevator. Because the motor is actually housed at the top of the shaft, the vibration caused during travel reverberates throughout causing a noisier journey than its machine roomed counterparts.
