How much to install a stair lift for a disabled persono

johndaman66

Hi all,

could somebody please provide me with a ballpark figure of how much it would be to buy and install a stair lift for a disabled person. It would be a straight run from bottom to top, i.e. no turn in the stair case part way up. Don't know the exact length of the run but it is a pretty modern end of terrace house that would be similar to your average run of the mill semi detached etc. Guessing the length would not have a massive impact anyway...more so the device you sit on is the costly part?

Reason I ask is I am looking at possibly buying a house in particular and my mother is almost bound to a wheelchair and walking aid. So if she was ever staying or visiting such a device would be needed as there are no downstairs bedrooms...thanks in advance for all constructive input.

893bet

There is a grant that covers most of the cost if you qualify?

johndaman66

893bet wrote: »

There is a grant that covers most of the cost if you qualify?

Thanks for your reply 893bet. I thought there may have being some kind of grant alright. Thing is though the house would not be my mothers actual official residence but she may be visiting me or staying from time to time. If she was only visiting that would be ok as there is a downstairs toilet.

Anyway my mother was recently cut from her pension completely as my fathers savings somewhat exceeded that allowed for means tested pension and what savings are there are not massive and were earmarked for much needed improvements to their own house. Our scumbag government may end up fixing the our broken banks which arguably should not have being nationalised in the first place but at the cost of putting many of our citizens into poverty.

Anyway sorry for the rant and it is a story for another forum but my point is I dont expect too much as long as this current shower of scum are in government. On the freak chance I might qualify for it under the circumstances how would I go about applying. The community welfare officer I'm guessing?

RainyDay

johndaman66 wrote: »

Reason I ask is I am looking at possibly buying a house in particular and my mother is almost bound to a wheelchair and walking aid.

Many wheelchair users really dislike the 'wheelchair bound' terminology. It creates an environment of victims, with no control over their environment.

Try 'wheelchair user' instead.

johndaman66 wrote: »

Our scumbag government may end up fixing the our broken banks which arguably should not have being nationalised in the first place but at the cost of putting many of our citizens into poverty.

Anyway sorry for the rant and it is a story for another forum but my point is I dont expect too much as long as this current shower of scum are in government.

I'm not sure what political point you are making, but if you expect anything significantly different from the next Government, you'll be sadly disappointed. All the main political parties understand the realities of our current financial situation. They understand that given that we need to borrow huge amounts from banks to keep our schools and hospitals open for business, it wouldn't be a great idea to pi$$ off those banks. The shinners might talk about a different approach, but if you look at their track record in power over the border, you'll see how they are going to act down here.

johndaman66 wrote: »

Anyway my mother was recently cut from her pension completely as my fathers savings somewhat exceeded that allowed for means tested pension and what savings are there are not massive and were earmarked for much needed improvements to their own house.

Sorry to hear of the difficult situation. You'll understand I'm sure that financial thresholds are there for a good reason. Check out the 'dependent person allowance' that your father might be able to get as part of his own pension, if your mother has no independent income.

johndaman66 wrote: »

I thought there may have being some kind of grant alright. Thing is though the house would not be my mothers actual official residence but she may be visiting me or staying from time to time. If she was only visiting that would be ok as there is a downstairs toilet.

...
On the freak chance I might qualify for it under the circumstances how would I go about applying. The community welfare officer I'm guessing?

You won't qualify for the Housing Adaptation Grant for your mother to visit. There is a long queue of people waiting for grants for adaptations to their own home. Contact your local authority if you want more information, but it will almost certainly be a waste of time.

johndaman66 wrote: »

Hi all,

could somebody please provide me with a ballpark figure of how much it would be to buy and install a stair lift for a disabled person. It would be a straight run from bottom to top, i.e. no turn in the stair case part way up. Don't know the exact length of the run but it is a pretty modern end of terrace house that would be similar to your average run of the mill semi detached etc. Guessing the length would not have a massive impact anyway...more so the device you sit on is the costly part?

I don't know current costs. I've heard figures of a few grand quoted for other cases.

Check out options for a second-hand device. Local disability groups or older persons groups might be able to help, or your local authority access officer. Wicklow Co Co had a good scheme for recycling 2/hand stair lifts at one stage.

893bet

I know someone who paid 6900 plus vat recently for one. There was a double turn on the stairs. Fairly complicated install aswell as it was an old house.

Their grant covered a lot of it I understand. Not sure how as they would be fairly wealthy in my eyes.

johndaman66

RainyDay wrote: »

Many wheelchair users really dislike the 'wheelchair bound' terminology. It creates an environment of victims, with no control over their environment.

Try 'wheelchair user' instead.

Wasn't my intention to upset anyone and apologies if I did. To be honest I genuinely don't think the phrase wheelchair bound would phase me at all if I was a wheelchair user, it is what it is whatever way you look at it. I know if I mentioned it to my mother she would tell me it was the very least of her worries and I do often hear her using the expression wheelchair bound, in fact thats where i most likely picked it up myself. Anyway your point is duly noted.

RainyDay wrote: »

I'm not sure what political point you are making, but if you expect anything significantly different from the next Government, you'll be sadly disappointed. All the main political parties understand the realities of our current financial situation. They understand that given that we need to borrow huge amounts from banks to keep our schools and hospitals open for business, it wouldn't be a great idea to pi$$ off those banks. The shinners might talk about a different approach, but if you look at their track record in power over the border, you'll see how they are going to act down here.

I have learned not to expect too much RainyDay and I know the same would follow through irrespective of the government in power. Point I was making moreso is that this current administration is particularly oppressive to its people. not entirely sure why the government should be worried about pi$$ing off banks when they are owned by and in existence because of the government, well us mere mortals on the ground, many of whom suffered greatly financially in doing so. I agree with you on SF also. Their economic mandate is flawed and would not work either. Aside form that I do not sit in the SF camp anyway.

RainyDay wrote: »

Sorry to hear of the difficult situation. You'll understand I'm sure that financial thresholds are there for a good reason. Check out the 'dependent person allowance' that your father might be able to get as part of his own pension, if your mother has no independent income.

Thanks. I do appreciate that the financial thresholds are there for good reason but maybe you should consider that they are set wrong...well not even that...they were marginal and they lost everything. As I mentioned much of the savings they had accumulated were earmarked for essential repairs and maintenance of their own house. If you came around and had a look and knew the whole story I'm guessing you might appreciate where I'm coming from. believe me we have looked into every avenue with a view to getting my mother back some income but to no avail. I agree the system is there for a reason but I would suggest that the system that is there is a flawed one. I do appreciate your concern and input though.

RainyDay wrote: »

You won't qualify for the Housing Adaptation Grant for your mother to visit. There is a long queue of people waiting for grants for adaptations to their own home. Contact your local authority if you want more information, but it will almost certainly be a waste of time.

Thats what I was guessing and I appreciate there are more worthy cases out there who need them in their own houses first a opposed to an offsprings or relations house. That may well be a deal breaker and mean I may look only at houses with downstairs bedrooms....well depending on the cost of fitting a stair lift.

If anyone could give me a ballpark figure I would appreciate.

johndaman66

893bet wrote: »

I know someone who paid 6900 plus vat recently for one. There was a double turn on the stairs. Fairly complicated install aswell as it was an old house.

Their grant covered a lot of it I understand. Not sure how as they would be fairly wealthy in my eyes.

Ouch, a bit more costly than I reckoned but if there was a double turn in the stairs I would imagine that would bump up the cost significantly. Thanks 893bet