Know what's inside, before you buy.
Most people never see inside a lift. You should. Here is a plain-English tour of a hydraulic home lift: the parts, what each one does, and the questions worth asking any supplier, including us.
Ten parts, one calm ride.
Tap a number to see what it does. The drawing is a simple sketch of a three-floor lift, not a working drawing.
The car
Four things a lift does, in plain words.
Going up
The motor turns the pump, oil flows into the cylinder, the ram rises and the ropes lift the car. The valve eases the speed up gently, so it feels like a glide, not a jerk.
Stopping at a floor
As the car nears your floor the lift slows, the valve closes softly and the car settles in line with the landing. The doors can then open.
Coming down
Going down needs no pump. The valve lets oil flow back to the tank under the weight of the car, and it controls how quickly. That keeps the descent smooth.
When the power goes
An emergency light stays on in the cabin, and a hydraulic lift comes with an emergency lowering system, so the car comes down to a floor and the doors can be opened.
We check the numbers before we make anything.
Every lift goes through engineering checks before it is made. Here are four of them, in everyday language.
Two questions we hear most.
Is a hydraulic lift right for my home?
For homes up to G+4 (five stops), very often yes. A hydraulic lift rides smoothly, does not need a heavy machine on the roof, and suits most house plans. It does need a pit and a small space for the power unit. If your building is better suited to another type of lift, we will say so.
How is hydraulic different from electric?
In general, an electric (traction) lift pulls the car with a motor and counterweight, and is often chosen for taller buildings and higher speeds. A hydraulic lift pushes the car up with oil, and suits homes and low-rise buildings up to G+4. Traction, MRL and belt-drive lifts, which we also supply, suit taller buildings. Each has strengths. Your floors, your budget and your building decide the best fit.
See how we check our work.
A good lift is one part design, one part careful build. Read how every lift passes through our checkpoints, or start shaping your own.
This page describes hydraulic home lifts in general. The lift we supply, its features and its safety devices are set out in your quote and drawings, and may vary by model and site.