Elevators have long been a sign of opulence rather than what they truly are… utility and practicality.
When you’re building the custom home of your dreams you want to build for the long term, make it livable for you and your family into the future, an elevator can be a critical component for future proofing your investment.
Why would I put in an elevator?
Sometimes, a building lot constrains the option of putting all of the square footage on the main floor of a bungalow and you need to go up. Obviously, as we age, a bungalow with less stairs is the ideal, but if that’s not an option due to the constraints of your property, an elevator can be a great addition. The elevator will allow you to move yourself and “things” between floors easily, as if you didn’t have the stairset from the main to second floor allowing your home to be usable well into the future.
If you can build a bungalow but you still want to be able to use the basement regularly even if mobility becomes challenging, then an elevator is the way to go. It will allow you to easy access while maintaining a discreet profile and not having to rely on intrusive stair lifts or other options.
When should I put in an elevator?
The best answer is now, while you’re working through designing your new home, include it. Even if you don’t put it in today, having it planned as part of the building will allow you to more easily integrate it later on. If you choose to have an elevator be made part of your design but don’t want to install it, the hoist way can easily be made into a hallway closet on each floor until the time is right.
Of course, the sooner you put it in, the longer the cost is amortized over and the utility gained can be enjoyed over a greater period of time, they just make lugging stuff up and down so much easier. If you opt to put it in in the future, there will be a bit more work involved in deconstructing the closets in the hoistway and prepping everything for installation.
What does an elevator cost?
Honestly, they’re surprisingly affordable, a nice three stop (basement, main, second) elevator will run +- $ 30,000.00 installed and go up from there. When you consider potentially renting a stair lift in the future and not having the same utility then, or over time, it’s almost a no brainer when compared to the total cost of your new home.
Is an elevator right for my custom home?
Maybe… probably, you just need to weigh the pros and cons and at least consider it as an option. When you’re building your dream home you don’t want to leave any stones unturned, and this is one that can have big benefits for your lifestyle now, and tomorrow.
