Vertical Platform Lifts

What a vertical platform lift does

A vertical platform lift — a VPL, sometimes called a porch lift or wheelchair lift — carries a wheelchair or scooter and its rider straight up a short vertical rise. It is the answer when someone cannot manage steps at all and a ramp is not practical: a porch, a deck, a raised entry, a split-level landing, or a garage floor that sits below the house.

The rider stays seated in their own chair and rolls straight on and off the platform, so there is no transfer.

When a lift beats a ramp

Ramps are excellent at low rises, but the maths turns against them quickly. Built at the 1:12 slope the ADA handbook calls for, every inch of rise needs a foot of ramp. A 24-inch porch means 24 feet of ramp before you add landings and turns; a 60-inch rise means 60 feet. Most yards run out of room, and long ramps take real effort to push up.

A vertical platform lift covers the same rise in a footprint not much bigger than the platform itself. If your rise is low and you have the space, a wheelchair ramp may still be the simpler and cheaper answer — we will say so if it is.

Where these get installed

• Outdoors. Porches, decks, raised entries and docks. An outdoor wheelchair lift uses sealed, weather-rated components built for sun, rain and Kansas winters.
• Garages. Bridging the step down from the house into the garage, or from the garage floor up to the entry door.
• Indoors. Split-level landings and short interior rises where a full elevator is more than the job needs.
• Enclosed. Where the lift needs a shaft or extra weather protection, an enclosed wheelchair lift puts the platform inside a hoistway.

How the models above differ

Four things usually decide which lift suits a site:

• Travel height. The single biggest factor. Short-rise units handle a porch; hoistway configurations go considerably higher. The SHC Bridger, for example, lifts up to 60 inches, while its hoistway configuration reaches 14 feet.
• Weight capacity. Chair plus rider plus anything carried. Several models here are rated to 600 lb.
• Indoor, outdoor or enclosed. Outdoor units use sealed, weather-rated components and often a canopy.
• Power. Some run on a standard household circuit, some need a dedicated one, and some are battery-driven so they keep working in an outage. We confirm what your model needs at the assessment.

Vertical platform lift questions

Do I need a concrete pad?

Most outdoor installations sit on a level concrete pad. An existing patio, walkway or slab is often good enough — we check it during the free in-home assessment and tell you before anything is ordered whether you need concrete work first.

Will it work in Kansas weather?

Outdoor-rated units are built for it, with sealed components and weather-resistant finishes, and a canopy is available on several models to keep sun and rain off the rider and the controls.

Do I need a permit?

It depends on your city and on the type of installation, and it varies across the states we serve. We will tell you what your particular job needs when we assess it, rather than after.

Is a vertical platform lift the same as an inclined platform lift?

No. A vertical lift travels straight up. An inclined platform lift runs on a rail along an existing staircase, following the stairs. If your obstacle is a flight of stairs rather than a step up, the inclined lift is usually the right tool.

What does a vertical platform lift cost?

It depends on the travel height, whether it is indoor, outdoor or enclosed, the capacity you need, and whether the site needs concrete or electrical work first. We do not quote these sight unseen — you get a firm price after the free in-home assessment, with no obligation.

Vertical platform lifts in the Wichita area

Home Accessibility Solutions is family-owned and based in Wichita, Kansas. Our own crew assesses the site, installs the lift, and services it afterwards, across the Wichita metro and south-central Kansas. Call (316) 361-6220 to book a free in-home assessment.