Subdivisions across Michigan are filled with tri-levels and quad-levels built in the 1960s and 1970s. They pack a lot of house onto a small lot by staggering the floors half a story apart. The cost is a short flight of stairs between every part of the home. For a wheelchair user, that needs a plan.
Understand the levels
- Entry level. Living room, kitchen and dining room, a step or two above the ground.
- Upper level. Bedrooms and the main bathroom, half a flight up.
- Lower level. Family room, often with a bathroom and the garage entry, half a flight down.
- Basement, in a quad-level, another half flight below.
Step 1, getting in
The garage usually opens onto the lower level with little or no step. That makes it the natural accessible entrance. A short platform lift covers any steps that remain.
Step 2, choosing a home base
If the lower level has a bathroom and room for a bed, it can serve as a complete living space with the least equipment.
Step 3, connecting levels
- Inclined platform lift. Rides the short flight on a rail and folds against the wall. One may be needed for each flight.
- Vertical platform lift. Where two levels meet at an open area, a short-rise lift can bridge them.
- Home elevator. Placed at the point where the levels overlap, it can serve several of them with doors on different sides.
For family members who walk
A stair lift on each short flight is an economical option.
Also check
- Doorway widths
- The bathroom layout on the chosen level
- Flooring transitions
Get a plan for your house
See our wheelchair lifts and home elevators. Call Nationwide Lifts of Michigan on (810) 346-1037 or request a site visit.