Stairlifts can be fitted to almost any stairs. However, standard designs are intended for straight flights of stairs and a reasonably wide staircase. Very narrow stairs or stairs that require the stairlift to follow a curved path may require a special design that’s more expensive to install.

Straight Stairlifts Are The Simplest To Install

Straight stairlifts are the easiest to install. These lifts attach to the stairs themselves rather than to the wall. This means they’re easy to fit and easy to remove should the lift no longer be required. It also means that no redecorating is required once the lift is removed. Straight stairlifts are also easy to resell because they can be fitted to other staircases quite easily.

To install a straight stairlift, the stairway must be wide enough to safely accommodate it. This means when the user of the lift is seated in the lift’s chair, there should be at least 30 inches of space between the user’s knee and the opposite wall. If the stairway is narrower than that, a folding lift or a perch lift may be a better option.

Lifts for Spiral Staircases Cost More To Fit

Stairlifts for flights of stairs that have a 90-degree or 180-degree turn in them are slightly more expensive than straight stairlifts. These stairlifts are usually fitted as two separate units, with two lifts. The user is expected to transition from one chair to the next on the landing.

It’s possible to purchase spiral stairlifts, or stairlifts that curve around the corner, allowing the rider to stay seated and ride all the way to the top. However, these stairlifts must be custom-made to fit the height of the stairs and are more costly to fit as a result. The track must be carefully bent to fit the stairwell, and installing this kind of track is a job that should be left to qualified technicians. 

If a spiral stairlift is no longer needed, it can be removed. However, the resale value is limited because the lift is custom-made for a staircase of a specific size and shape and can’t be easily altered.