Through-floor lifts
A through-floor lift is a compact home lift that travels through an opening in the floor between two storeys. It runs on its own rails or tower, so it usually needs no shaft or pit.
Updated Oct 21, 2026
How it fits in a home
- Downstairs: a corner of a room, a hallway or a large cupboard.
- Upstairs: the same spot above, often in a bedroom or landing; a trap closes the opening when the lift is down.
- Power: many models use a normal socket; some need a dedicated circuit.
Seated, standing or wheelchair
- Compact cars for one or two standing people (about 1.05 × 0.81 m floor cut-out for the Stiltz Duo).
- Larger cars for a wheelchair user, sometimes with a helper.
Typical prices in United Kingdom
GBP
| What | Price range | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Home lift | £15,000 – £33,000excl. VAT Through-floor lifts without a shaft from £15,000 (Checkatrade) or £17,000 excluding VAT (Stiltz); hydraulic £23,000–28,000, traction £28,000–33,000, vacuum from £28,000. | Through-floor lifts without a shaft from £15,000 (Checkatrade) or £17,000 excluding VAT (Stiltz); hydraulic £23,000–28,000, traction £28,000–33,000, vacuum from £28,000. |
| Building work for a home lift | from £2,500 Typical building work for a through-floor lift: the floor opening, a power supply and making good. | Typical building work for a through-floor lift: the floor opening, a power supply and making good. |
Disabled people pay no VAT on a stairlift, its installation and repairs (GOV.UK).
Sources: Checkatrade (2024-05), checked Oct 21, 2026 · Stiltz (UK), checked Oct 21, 2026
Questions for the installer
- Building work: who does the floor opening and making good, and at what cost.
- Ceiling height needed upstairs.
- Service plan and response time for breakdowns.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the hole for a through-floor lift?
About the car's size; the Stiltz Duo's floor cut-out is 41¼ × 31⅞ in (about 1,048 × 810 mm) according to its US specification.
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