Your guide to stairlift installations.

A specialist measures your staircase, counts steps, photographs landings and obstructions, and asks about the user's mobility needs, weight, and which way they're more comfortable dismounting. The assessment usually takes 30–60 minutes and is free for most U.S. providers.

You receive a written quote within 1–3 business days listing rail length, weight capacity, swivel type, and warranty. Compare two or three quotes before signing. Ask about trade-in value if you're upgrading an old lift; many companies offer $200–$500 toward a new unit.

Straight stairlifts ship from regional warehouses in 3–7 days. Curved-rail lifts take 3–6 weeks while a custom rail is fabricated to fit your staircase's exact angles, landings, and turns. Your installer schedules a half-day window once the unit arrives.

A two-technician crew arrives, lays floor protection, anchors the rail to your stair treads (not the wall), installs the carriage, programs the controls, and tests every safety feature with weight onboard. Total install time is 2–4 hours for a straight rail, 4–6 hours for a curved rail.

The technician walks the primary user through controls, seatbelt, swivel, and emergency stop. You'll receive a 2–5 year warranty on parts plus a service contract option for annual safety inspections ($150–$300/year). Most reputable companies guarantee a 24-hour response window for service calls.