As much as we’d all prefer to believe otherwise, a decent stairlift typically costs many thousand dollars. So, how are there some web storefronts managing to offer such a “bargain”? Do these too-good-to-be-true costs end up to being bait for stairlift scams?

To start with, the lifts they sell are typically DIY models, that in itself is less than ideal. With decades in the business we’ve come to the conclusion that expecting even the most savvy client to self-install such a complicated device is irresponsible. Saying the installation is “easy” and may be done “with a wrench and screwdriver” is even more irresponsible. The actual fact is that putting in a stairlift includes, cutting track, running power wires, setting screws into step treads, internal switch adjustment, power checking with a volt/ohm meter, and lots of different convoluted tasks – any of which might make the entire procedure dangerous if done improperly.

If “professional” installation is obtainable at all by these dubious on-line vendors, it winds up being done by an area handyman who has never put in a stairlift before. That is as dangerous as self-installation from a safety standpoint of view. In addition, a local handyman whose primary business isn’t accessibility is unlikely to keep replacement parts for you.