ᐅ Cost/Planning for a Future Elevator Installation in New Construction

Hello.
We are currently in the planning phase of our house. We would like to be able to install a shaftless lift later on if needed in old age. I have read that when building a new house, planning for the future installation of such a lift is recommended because it significantly reduces the cost later. I asked a construction company about the approximate costs for preparing a future lift installation. They quoted around 4200 euros. That seems a bit high to me. Of course, additional space needs to be planned, but the costs should already be included in the base price per square meter. Also, according to the builder, the ceiling on the upper floor would be prepared so that less work is required when later installing the lift, as the part of the ceiling for the lift shaft would not need to be completely torn out. Are there other aspects the builder needs to address when considering such a lift that could justify a price of over 4000 euros? Or do you think this is just an overpriced estimate from the builder?
I appreciate any opinions.

We have also taken this issue into account. However, installing a lift or similar was not an option for us. We also decided against adding an extra room on the ground floor. Initially, we considered having the office on the ground floor, which could later be used as a bedroom. However, this would have made the ground floor overall too large or the living/dining area too small. Therefore, we left it as it is and, if necessary, would simply partition off part of the living room and install a separate door. But it’s also important not to be overly pessimistic. For example, my grandparents (93 and 95 years old) can still manage stairs reasonably well.

Of course, the question remains whether it would still be possible or desirable to live in this house at all if you can no longer use the stairs.

infors schrieb:
to install an elevator without a shaft later on. [...] Likewise, according to the builder, the ceiling on the upper floor would be prepared in such a way that less work is required to remove the section of the ceiling for the elevator installation later on.

I’m not quite following: an elevator without a shaft—so which kind of lift would then go through the ceiling?

Maintenance work and regular safety inspections (similar to TÜV checks) for a passenger elevator are not covered by long-term care insurance. For wheelchair users, a cabin-style lift may be more suitable; for those with mobility issues due to frailty, a stairlift is generally more appropriate.

The question is whether someone who is frail really wants to navigate every corner of their entire house. Usually, outfitting the ground floor as the sole living area in old age is sufficient. Being able to shower independently there is often perceived as a greater quality of life than having to climb up to, for example, a home library in the attic.

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Hello.
Thank you for your feedback.
There are vertical platform lifts or lightweight lifts that do not require a shaft. I believe posting links is not allowed in the forum. You can easily find information on Google that no shaft is needed. These lifts have their own framework for moving upward.
My main question is whether the cost of 4200 euros charged by the builder for planning the future installation of such a lift is reasonable.
Does anyone have experience with this?

infors schrieb:
There are vertical platform lifts or lightweight lifts that do not require a shaft.[...] These lifts have something like their own frame to move up and down.

It may be true that no shaft is structurally necessary (where counterweights and other moving parts run). However, as a substitute for the masonry enclosure, there will still need to be a different fall protection around the ceiling opening, which the metalworker will charge more for than a bricklayer. In that respect, not needing a shaft is not necessarily an advantage.

infors schrieb:
My question here is only whether the cost of €4200 charged by the contractor for considering the later installation of such a lift is reasonable.
Does anyone have experience with this?

For a simple ceiling opening, that would be (too) much money, but a removable ceiling panel (which, as long as it is in place, is as load-bearing as its surroundings) is not trivial.

I just fear that the contractor himself won’t have much experience (in the sense of having done it many times and learned a lot from it). This is not a common request.

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

What would be the drawbacks of choosing the more affordable option of a stairlift in advanced age?