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Stairlift - Why consider an alternative?

People who have difficulty climbing stairs at home can find many solutions to this problem. The purchase of a stairlift has been one of the most common solutions to date. In this article, we will therefore look at why a stairlift is not always the best solution. And what you need to consider when buying a suitable stairlift.

Contents

What is a stairlift?

A stairlift is a device that transports the user between two or more floors in your home. It consists of a rail specially designed for your staircase and a seat. The seat moves slowly along the staircase, usually at a speed of around 7 cm per second.

There are stairlifts for straight stairs and stairlifts for curved stairs. There is also the option of buying a used stairlift if the cost of a new stairlift is too high.

Stairlift information video

How much space does a stairlift need?

Stairlifts require a comparatively large amount of space, which means that they restrict the width of the staircase for others.

The rail system of a stairlift normally takes up around 18 cm from the wall. In addition, the seat unit takes up around 40 cm when not in use. As stairs often do not have enough space to park a stairlift at the same time and to provide a safe escape route, the seat unit must be parked both at the top and bottom of the stairs.

Example of the dimensions of a stairlift

  • Total height 98 cm
  • Seat height 44 cm
  • Total depth (from wall) 57 cm
  • Total depth (folded) 31 cm
  • Footrest width 31 cm
  • Total width 60.5 cm
  • Seat depth 60.5 cm
  • Stairlifts can be installed in most cases. However, there are some technical building regulations that must be adhered to.

Escape route and technical building regulations (DIN 18065)

Introduced technical building regulations are technical rules that have been introduced by the supreme building supervisory authorities of the individual federal states by public announcement. Only those technical rules are introduced as technical building regulations that are essential for fulfilling the requirements of building regulations law.

To DIN 18065

Application to stairs in residential buildings of building classes 1 and 2 and in apartments is excluded from the introduction.

Building authority requirements for the installation of stair lifts in stairwells of necessary staircases in existing buildings:

The function of the necessary staircase as part of the first escape route and the traffic safety of the stairs must not be restricted by the retrofitting of a stairlift in the stairwell. The retrofitting of a stairlift is permitted if the following criteria are met:

  1. The staircase only provides access to apartments and/or comparable uses.
  2. The guide rail must not fall significantly below the minimum flight width of the stairs of 100 cm; a lower restriction of the clearance profile of a maximum width of 20 cm and a maximum height of 50 cm is acceptable, provided that the stair flight line or the walking area is not altered. It must be possible to use a handrail for its intended purpose.
  3. If a stairlift runs over several floors, there must be a sufficiently large waiting area on at least each floor so that there is a waiting area for people passing by when the stairlift is in operation. This is not necessary if a residual flight width of 60 cm is ensured next to the lift being used.
  4. When not in use, the lift must be in a parking position that does not restrict the flight of stairs. In an emergency, it must be possible to push the stairlift into the park position by hand.
  5. The seat of the stairlift must be folded up during empty travel to and from the parking position. There must be a residual width of 60 cm between the folded-up seat and the stairs.
  6. Protection against misuse of the stairlift.
  7. Stairlift must be made of non-combustible materials.

If a staircase is required in an existing building, the usable minimum width may be reduced by a maximum of 10 cm by retrofitting a second handrail.

This exception only applies to stairs with a minimum tread width of 100 cm in accordance with DIN 18065.

(Source: https://nullbarriere.de/mvv-te...)

What does a stairlift cost?

The price of a stairlift is usually in the range of 2,500 - 12,500 euros. The price of a stairlift depends on whether you have a straight staircase or a curved staircase. There are also price differences between indoor and outdoor stairlifts. Of course, stairlift prices also vary depending on the stairlift model.

You are welcome to talk to a personal advisor about the options in a no-obligation consultation. A consultation should always be free of charge and without obligation and remember that you can apply for financial assistance for the stairlift. The stairlift consultants and stairlift providers will be happy to help you with this. Another option for financing is to rent the stairlift.

Passivated

Although technical challenges are often a reason why a stairlift cannot be installed, there is another and equally important reason why other solutions should be considered first.

In recent years, there has been a great deal of activity in the area of "everyday rehabilitation". Everyday rehabilitation is about mastering everyday activities at home, as surveys show that most people want to continue living in their own four walls. This is also by far the most socio-economic solution.

Keeping the body moving has a huge impact both physically and mentally. Among other things, physical activity contributes to the following:

  • Greater opportunity to remain independent and look after yourself
  • Fewer falls and fractures
  • Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
  • Lower risk of colon and breast cancer
  • Better memory and other cognitive functions
  • Exercise is the body's most important medicine and has been proven to help prevent dementia, cardiovascular disease, strokes and heart attacks.

A stairlift, on the other hand, helps to passivate the person affected

Experience shows that people who install a stairlift at home - and then stop walking up the stairs - lose the ability to climb stairs after a very short time. Older people and people with disabilities in particular lose muscle mass when they stop climbing stairs at home and no longer move around much. For this reason, we have developed the TOPRO Step stair assistant.

TOPRO Step is a stair climber that keeps you safe when climbing stairs

TOPRO Step was developed by former NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) students and launched on the Norwegian market in 2015. The reason why we wanted to develop TOPRO Step was that many people have difficulty going up and down the stairs. Reasons for this include diseases such as Parkinson's, stroke and MS. But there are many people who have an increased risk of falling for a variety of reasons.

One of the first things we saw in the 2012 development were statistics from Statistics Norway. The figures show that there are around 50 deaths due to falling down stairs and around 30,000 injuries in Norway every year.

A fall on the stairs can have serious consequences, such as hip fractures or a fractured neck of femur. There are around 9,000 hip fractures every year in Norway alone, and the statistics unfortunately show that the prognosis is poor for those affected.

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TOPRO Step Senior4

How do you motivate yourself to exercise more and protect yourself at the same time?

Since the market launch of the TOPRO Step in 2015, over 1000 products have been installed in Europe to date.

TOPRO Step is certified and tested by the German TÜV and is approved for users weighing up to 120 kg.

The stairclimber can be installed on both straight and curved stairs. Here you will find information on possible subsidies.

TOPRO Step costs

As with stairlifts, the price of a TOPRO Step depends on various factors. As TOPRO Step is a module-based system, it does not have to be completely customized to your staircase. The course of the stairs, the number of curves, the length of the required rail system, the desired equipment and the conditions on site, such as wall material or depth differences in the wall, are factors that influence the TOPRO Step price.

Do you have any questions about subsidies and grants for the TOPRO Step?

More information on grants

TOPRO Step information video

Why choose TOPRO Step?

Installation in 3 steps

To carry out an on-site inspection and receive a quote, make an appointment with us. Once you have accepted the quote, we will carry out the installation, which usually only takes a few hours. .

TÜV tested and certified

TOPRO Step is TÜV-tested and certified and meets all functional and safety requirements.

Adaptable to your staircase

TOPRO Step is designed so that it can be easily adapted to your staircase. It can be installed on straight stairs, curved stairs and stairs with a landing.

Fits perfectly in any home

Ask your health insurance company about the possibility of cost coverage or possible subsidies. Please note that these options are country-specific and individual.

Up to 5 years warranty

TOPRO Step means TOPRO quality. When you buy a TOPRO Step, you receive a guarantee of up to 5 years.

Over 2,000 satisfied users

We measure success by satisfied customers, which is our top priority. We already have over 4,000 satisfied users throughout Europe.

Choose your TOPRO Step

Configure your TOPRO Step - in just a few steps!

Do you have any questions?

Talk to us

Would you like a free and personal consultation? Get in touch with our TOPRO Step experts and book a free, no-obligation appointment directly at your home.

Request a callback

We are happy to advise you

TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 - 16:00 o'clock.

We are happy to advise you

TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 - 16:00 o'clock.

Request a callback

Do you have any questions or would you like to test the TOPRO Step stair climber?

Get in touch with us

Get in touch with us

We have compiled all frequently asked questions on the FAQ page

Read the FAQs

Read the FAQs

Would you like to find out more about the financing options for the TOPRO Step?

more about the financing options

more about the financing options

TOPRO Step

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