From the North Shore to Cape Cod and the Islands, coastal homes share a few features that make a home elevator especially useful, and a few that need planning.
Raised houses and reverse floor plans
Many newer coastal homes are raised above flood level, with parking and storage underneath, and some put the main living space on the top floor to catch the view. Both arrangements mean a lot of stairs before you reach the kitchen. An elevator that starts at ground level solves that for every member of the family and every bag of groceries.
Keeping the view
Our Visi and Vision elevators have clear walls, so they do not block light or sightlines the way a solid shaft would. They stand on the finished floor and need little construction, which suits a house where the layout has been designed around the water.
Salt air
Salt speeds up corrosion. Tell us how close the house is to the water so that we can recommend suitable finishes, and plan on regular service to keep moving parts clean and protected.
Seasonal homes
If the house is closed for part of the year, ask us how to leave the elevator when you shut the house and what to check when you reopen it.
A dumbwaiter for the carrying
If people can manage the stairs but the loads are the problem, a dumbwaiter from the garage level to the kitchen is a smaller project that saves many trips.
Building or renovating
The least costly time to add an elevator is while the house is being built or remodeled. If you are not ready, ask your architect to stack a closet on each floor, sized for an elevator, so it can be added later.
Nationwide Lifts of Massachusetts is based in Wilmington, MA, with a second office in Raymond, NH. Call (978) 218-7161 or request a free quote.