Home Elevator Installation & Repair in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin

Improve Value and Peace of Mind

We’ve extensively researched demographic trends, residential real estate transactions, and emerging lifestyle needs. There are a number of compelling reasons to add a residential elevator when building a new home or renovating an existing home.

Elevating the Quality of Life

Homeowners are living longer in their homes. According to the National Association of Realtors, overall home buyers in 2015 expect to live in their home for 14 years on average, while 23% say they are never moving. Buyers 65+ years of age expect to live there even longer, on average 20 years, now purchasing their homes with the intention of ‘aging in place’ near families and friends and in their local community. As such, it should be no surprise to hear last year alone over 94,000 homeowners found a residential elevator essential to install in their new homes.

Regardless of age, when remaining in a home for an extended period, people often find themselves caring for parents and family with reduced mobility. Either for yourself or a loved one, an elevator in the home ensures convenient, safe multi-story access, oftentimes being the difference between staying in your home or moving to another residence. Residential elevators in the home provide you with that added peace of mind.

Design options for residential elevators are endless. Residential elevators can be designed as a unique architectural centerpiece, a focal point of your home, or made nearly indistinguishable by matching seamlessly to your home’s décor. Once more, the space requirements are minimal, taking up as little as 2% of livable space in an average 3,000-square-foot home, and less than 1% in larger luxury homes.

Rising Expectations

Demographic, home ownership, and lifestyle trends will make residential elevators increasingly common and highly sought after in years to come. It’s widely known America’s population is aging with the US census reporting 1-in-8 people 65 years of age or older. Twice as many people are 45 to 64 years of age, over one-quarter of the total US population.

The influence of these age groups as home buyers cannot be overstated. Over 75% of people aged 65 or older own their homes. Once more, the 45 to 65 age group makes 60% of all existing home purchases annually. The influence of these age groups will only increase as will the value of home elevators for long-term multi-level convenience and peace of mind.

Increasing Value for Money

Home elevators cost about $20-25,000, more than custom elevators. Those planning new construction oftentimes consider a single-story residence only to learn of the incremental costs for foundation and roofing and, further, the loss of open outdoor space. Equipped with an elevator, a multi-story home can be lower cost, more eco-friendly, and space efficient than a single-story home.

As the average age of home buyers increases and as buyers do so with the intention of aging in place, a key differentiator among homes will be the ease of long-term living. A residential elevator, should you choose to sell your home, will attract more interest from the most affluent buyers, therefore reducing marketing times and generating higher, more competitive bids for your home.

Home Elevator Models to Meet Design and Budget

Not all elevators are created equal. At DME Elevators & Lifts we have diligently screened a wide array of residential elevator manufacturers and models, carefully selecting manufacturers who provide the most versatile design options and functionality, time-tested reliability, and overall best value.

The right home elevator depends upon a number of factors ranging from design preference to unique functional requirements of your home. The choice of elevator involves selecting an appropriate elevator car style, associated finishes, configuration, and drive systems. As a high-level summary, key elements of an elevator include the following:

Elevator Car: Wood, glass, and mirrored panels available. Wood includes flat veneer, Shaker, recessed and raised panels with multiple species and finishes

Fixtures Car: Operating panel (C.O.P.), recessed telephone cabinet, hall calls, and handrails, come in stainless steel, brass, bronze, nickel, and other metals with an assortment of finishes such as polished, brushed, oil rubbed, and specialty finishes

Doors & Gates: Options include accordion gates, sliding doors, and scissor gates, available in many configurations, colors, and finishes

Configuration: Cabs come standard with a single opening with options for two opposing doors and 90-degree openings to meet the needs of all homes

Drives: Featuring multiple drive systems including hydraulic and inline gear each having unique benefits and best applications

Our home elevators share a number of features and functionality:

• Car size up to 15 sq feet as standard, larger available
• Height up to 8 feet, taller available
• Up to 50 feet of travel with up to six stops
• The speed at 40 feet per minute with 950 lbs load capacity
• Choice of gates and automatic opener
• A wide array of wood species and finishes
• Range of metallic fixtures and finishes
• Emergency backup capabilities

Featured Home Elevator Model
Symmetry Residential Elevator

We carry models from the most trusted residential elevator manufacturers including Symmetry, Waupaca, and Wessex. Our most versatile residential elevator, however, is from Symmetry Elevators which is also our featured model.

The Symmetry Residential Elevator provides the widest array of design and custom upgrade options and is supported by time-tested drive systems both hydraulic and gear drive.

The possibilities are virtually endless with the models offered here at DME.  We’re entirely confident in meeting your design and functional needs.   To receive a more comprehensive overview of our residential elevator models or simply to ask questions, please contact us directly or provide us with some information and we’ll contact you.

The possibility of design is limited only by imagination. In our experience, homeowners and architects choose either to make the elevator an architectural centerpiece, fusing edgy design with leading-edge technology, or to seamlessly match the elevator to the home’s décor, even inconspicuous. Whatever your preference, designing a home elevator to reflect your sense of style will ensure it remains a pleasure for many years to come.

The process of designing your residential elevator can be simple and rewarding. To facilitate the process DME operates three Design Centers, giving you the opportunity to see and feel the materials and finishes to be featured in your elevator. We have elevator advisors on staff who would be delighted to walk through these options towards customizing an elevator for you.

As a reference guide, we also provide an overview below of key design options available to the homeowner. These are by no means exhaustive, rather these give you a sense of breadth and depth of options. Given our extensive experience, we can also share with you additional options which we highlight in Custom Upgrades.

Home Elevator Car Panels

Typically elevator design begins with the selection of panels including one or a combination of wood, glass, and mirrors. With a wide variety of species and finishes available, typical panel styles include flat veneer, Shaker, recessed, and raised. Completed car examples are shown below:

Wood Species and Finishes

A wide variety of wood species can be selected, again to highlight your sense of style, complemented with a finish. A few options include, but are not limited to, Oak, White Oak, Birch, Maple, Adler, Cherry, Walnut, Hickory, and Mahogany. Several species and stain options are highlighted below.

Home Elevator Fixtures

Car operating panel (C.O.P.), recessed telephone cabinet, hall calls, and handrails, come in stainless steel, brass, bronze, nickel, and other metals with an assortment of finishes such as polished, brushed, oil rubbed, and specialty finishes. Below are operating panels, telephone covers and hall calls in a sample of metallic finishes.

Lighting

Typical optional lighting is recessed LED lights with a metal finish. As with wood panels, please note, that we can incorporate virtually any lighting preference in your elevator car. Below are examples of recessed LED light options.

Lights are often configured in wood panel ceilings with two or four lights as displayed below.

Doors & Gates

Options highlighted below include accordion gates, scissor gates, and sliding doors, examples of which are provided below. There are, however, dozens of styles available in addition to custom colors and finishes.

There’s a wide variety of accordion gates available ranging from natural hardwood to vinyl laminate and acrylic panels. All hardwood and vinyl laminates are laminated to a 1/4” medium-density fiberboard core. Natural hardwood is sealed with a protective clear lacquer or can be left unfinished.  Below are hardwood, laminate, acrylic, and aluminum options, plus connector and hinge colors.

Power Gate Operator

The power gate operator offers the convenience of opening and closing the accordion gate automatically. As an added feature the outer door can be fitted with a power opener such that both the accordion and door open simultaneously and without effort.

Home Elevator Design Options Summary

Use these examples as a starting point. As you can see here and in Custom Upgrades, the strong design will make a difference in your home. Once more, simply call us to discuss or set an appointment to visit our Design Center for a walk-through with our experienced advisors.

Custom Home Elevator Design

Your home is unique. You’ve spent tremendous time and energy designing your home to fit your style and demanding standards. When you require something special, DME can deliver with very unique elevator options. We have access to virtually every wood species, in every finish, complemented with fixtures in all shapes, sizes, types of metals, and metallic finishes with a number of lighting options.

Our gallery includes a number of custom-finished elevators incorporating high-end features such as rare wood finishes, two-speed stainless steel sliding doors, and unique panel designs. Metallic finishes are limited only by market availability. Further, we can equip your elevator car with a number of high-end digital products including but not limited to security identification devices and televisions. We have the experience to make your residential elevator truly an expression of you – one of a kind.

Doors & Gates

Homeowners oftentimes want a high-end finished look from the outside. There are a number of custom options available. Two-speed sliding doors give your elevator a modern industrial look. If the natural feel of wood is your preference, possibly with glass or metal accents, a side slide roller gate gives you a high-end look over accordion gates.

Two Stage Stainless Steel Doors

The side slide roller gate wraps automatically behind the side interior panel, either left or right side, out of view. This provides added space to enter and exit while opening an entirely new series of luxurious options for your elevator.

Custom Cars & Interiors

We’re limited only by the imagination. Elevators need not be four-sided symmetrical rectangles. Rather elevators can be built in very different shapes. On the right, we feature a recent installation whereby the homeowner envisioned a six-sided space with custom wood and mirrored panels. This is one of a kind.

Combining materials such as wood, glass, and metal interior panels can be done tastefully for a warm appearance connecting with the outdoors, particularly where the glass opens to a designed landscape.

For some homeowners, however, there is no substitute for deep rich finished panels accented with polished brass and light-colored floors.

Custom Fixtures

The availability of metallic finishes is incredible. The hall calls displayed here give you a sense of what can be done. Further, these may be constructed with any material and cut into unique patterns to match and complement your home. Tell us what you’d like and we’ll have it designed to spec.

As promised the possibility are limitless. To best experience, we suggest visiting one of our Design Centers. Simply contact us to make an appointment. We’re happy to review options with you.