Question
Answer
1. How do I know which type of stairlift I need?
The type of stairlift you need depends very much on the shape and size of your staircase, with a choice between straight stairlifts and curved stairlifts.
Straight stairlifts are for stairs that go straight up and have no bends or turns.
Curved stairlifts are for stairs with bends, turns, half-landings, and corners.
If your stairs, hallway, or landing are narrow, you may benefit from a compact stairlift.
If you don’t know which type of stairlift you need, you can arrange for a FREE home assessment.
2. Can stairlifts go around corners?
Yes. You can have a bespoke curved track made to go around any corners on your stairs.
3. What is the difference between a curved stairlift and a straight stairlift?
A straight stairlift is fitted to a straight track, allowing you to move smoothly up and down your stairs in a single direction.
A curved stairlift fitted to a curved track, designed to follow the curves and bends of your staircase. This type of track is custom made to your home, and because of this they are usually a little more expensive than a straight stairlift.
4. How much does a stairlift cost?
tairlifts can vary in price depending on the style, make, and model. A 2018 Which? magazine survey revealed the average cost of a UK stairlift to be £3,369. At Oakland Stairlifts, we price our stairlifts competitively and offer a price promise to beat any like for like written quotation and our new stairlifts start at just £1,575.00 and our reconditioned stairlifts start from as little as £895.00
5. Why are curved stairlifts more expensive than straight stairlifts?
Curved stairlifts are typically more expensive than straight stairlifts as they need a handmade curved track. The extra cost is down to the extra materials, time, and expertise that goes into creating a bespoke track.
6. Should I rent or buy a stairlift?
If you only need a stairlift for a short period of time, you may wish to consider renting a stairlift. Stairlift rental allows to pay an affordable monthly fee until you no longer require your stairlift. Stairlift hire is ideal for temporary installation to help with hospital discharge, when you are expected to make a full recovery in a few weeks, or for providing for guests with reduced mobility when they stay at your home.
If you’re going to need a stairlift for more than a few weeks or months, we would suggest buying a stairlift. Our competitively priced stairlifts, allow you to own a stairlift and our finance terms allow you to spread payments interest free.
7. Are reconditioned stairlifts inferior quality to new stairlifts?
Reconditioned stairlifts are used stairlifts that have been restored and fully serviced ready for resale. Even though they’ve been pre-loved, they meet our high quality and safety standards. Reconditioned stairlifts provide a reliable and smooth ride equal to a brand new stairlift, and are often a cheaper alternative to new stairlifts.
8. How long will it take from placing an order to having the actual stairlift fitted?
Oakland Stairlifts offer next day fitting, with many stairlift orders fulfilled and installed within 24 hours from making the call. Depending on stairlift availability and location, we have even installed stairlifts on the same day. Most stairlifts from Oakland Stairlifts are typically fitted with just a few days.
9. How long do you take to send out a stairlift surveyor?
We can often offer a same day home assessment visit from a surveyor. If a surveyor is unavailable in your area when you call we can arrange for a next day visit instead. If you have a specific date in mind, we can arrange an appointment to suit you.
10. Will you send a stairlift surveyor or a pushy sales person?
As an independent family business, it’s extremely important to us that you or members of your family feel free to decide about your stairlift purchase in your own time. Our team of engineers are highly trained and experienced, providing impartial advice with no hard-sell or gimmicks. Take a look at our no pressure promise and feel confident in our no-obligation free home survey and quote.
11. How long does a stairlift installation take?
Our average time for installing a standard straight stairlift is just under two hours. Our bespoke or curved stairlift installations take around half a day to fit.
After your stairlift is installed our engineers will provide you with a demonstration to show you how to use it. We’ll also tidy up after ourselves and take away any waste packaging.
12. How do I know if my staircase is wide enough for a stairlift?
Oakland Stairlifts have a handy stairlift measuring guide to help you measure up your stairs. Alternatively the best way to check the dimensions of your home is to arrange a free site survey by one of our fully trained surveyors.
13. How much space does a stairlift take?
The space a stairlift takes up depends upon the make and model of the stairlift and also the layout of your home. Stairlifts vary in shape and size, and depending on the type of stairlift you choose you will need clearance space at the top and bottom of your stairs to accommodate the rail and allow for the user to get on and off the stairlift easily. Compact stairlifts take up less room than a stairlifts with standard dimensions.
14. Do stairlifts have weight restrictions?
Modern standard stairlifts have an approximate maximum weight limit of around 18-19 stone (114kg-120kg).
Speak to our team if you require a stairlift that can hold more, as some models can carry up to 25 stone (158kg).
15. Can other people still use the stairs once the stairlift is fitted?
Yes. Contemporary stairlifts have features designed to make them as compact as possible, so they don’t cause an obstruction on the stairs. Most modern stairlifts come with a folding seat, folding armrests, and a folding footrest, so they can be stored neatly away when not in use.
16. How is a stairlift operated?
Stairlifts are battery powered. An energy efficient stairlift battery makes stairlift use more reliable in the event of a power cut. The battery powers a small motor connected to gears so the stairlift can move up and down the stairs. To move up and down the stairlift is operated by easy to use armrest controls and a remote control.
17. Do stairlifts come with remote controls?
Yes. Most modern stairlifts come with two easy to use remote controls as standard. Each remote control unit features a basic push button switch design. This allows the user to direct the stairlift up and down the staircase easily. If you’re sharing a stairlift, remote controls can be used to call the stairlift from the top or bottom of the stairs once the other person has finished using the stairlift.
18. How easy is it to use a stairlift swivel seat?
The swivel seat is designed to make getting on and off your stairlift easier and safer.
A swivel seat rotates 90° to face your landing or hallway once you have finished your stairlift ride. This movement allows you to stand up from your stairlift without the need to shuffle or twist yourself around.
Swivel seats can be operated manually or can be automated.
19. How long does a stairlift take to get upstairs?
Stairlifts move quite slowly at around 0.15 meters per second (0.34 mph) or less, so an average straight staircase journey can take around 30-60 seconds to complete. A low speed stairlift is designed to provide you with the safest and most comfortable journey as possible.
20. What happens if something gets in the way of the stairlift?
Our stairlifts come with sensors, that slow and stop the stairlift automatically if an obstacle is detected on the stairs.
21. What happens if I'm on the stairlift and there’s a power cut?
Your stairlift comes with a battery backup as standard, so if there is a power cut you should have enough battery power to make a couple of emergency trips until the power comes back on or you make other arrangements.
22. Do stairlifts use a lot of electricity?
Stairlifts from Oakland Stairlifts are battery operated for safety and only require mains electricity to recharge the battery after use so they do not use a lot of electricity. On average, a standard stairlift uses a minimal amount of electricity equivalent to a small television on standby.
23. Are stairlifts safe?
Stairlifts from Oakland Stairlifts are very safe when used correctly by an individual who meets necessary physical, cognitive and health requirements. Stairlifts are manufactured and tested in line with strict safety standards, and lifts from Oakland Stairlifts are installed by fully qualified and experienced engineers.
24. What warranty do you offer on your stairlifts?
Oakland Stairlifts provide a FREE 12 month or 24 month warranty cover as standard for all new stairlifts and 12 months on reconditioned stairlifts. We also offer a range of extended warranties for when your original warranty expires, see our Oakland Care+ Plans for further details.
25. Do you offer extended warranties once the standard warranty expires?
Yes, Oakland Stairlifts do offer an extended warranty on stairlifts bought from us. You’ll have the option to buy an extended warranty at the initial installation time or after your original warranty is up.
Without the extended cover, if you have a break down or need a repair or servicing after your standard warranty cover has expired, we will still attend your call out but you will be billed at the standard rate for call-out, parts, and labour.
For peace of mind see our Oakland Care+ plans for more details.
