As so many homeowners seek to enhance and improve their home so that it best suits their lifestyle and indeed life stage, many of them are including home improvements that ‘future proof’ their residence. It is understandable, after all of the searching, stress and expense that go into finding and securing their ideal home that more and more of today’s homeowners are looking at ways to ensure they do not need to move house.
Of course, any savvy homeowner will still be keen to ensure that the enhancements made to their home serve only to improve its value over time too. It may surprise some to learn that one of the most popular future-proofing adaptions people are choosing to make is to install a home lift. It seems this is thanks to the recent improvement in the offerings available from the leading suppliers of domestic lifts in the UK and beyond.
Far from being cumbersome and unsightly, associated with the mobility aids of old, today’s domestic lifts not only look stylish and provide a useful addition to the home at any stage of life, they are recognised for their ability to add value to a property. Thus, more and more customers of one of the leading firms in the UK, Stiltz Home Lifts (stiltz.co.uk) are motivated by a desire for their chosen lift and for how it can enhance their day to day life, rather than a need that is linked to their health or mobility right now. Plus, installing a well-chosen home lift means that families can benefit from all the features now, making everyday life easier, be that with children, grandchildren or weekend visitors.
Stephanie McMahon, head of research at Strutt & Parker estate agency, was quoted as saying she had 117 UK properties on its books which include reference to a ‘lift’. McMahon believes some homeowners are looking at adding a domestic lift to their house as a way of ‘future proofing’ their home.
She said: “Futureproofing a property with adjustments such as a personal domestic lift may allow individuals to stay in their homes for longer and add value in the longer term. In our latest Housing Futures survey, 7% of respondents wanted their new home to be accessible for the disabled and 5% said they would like a home lift.”
People who have chosen their forever-home, want it to be just that, a home to stay in forever, and to grow old in. Many people do not see themselves downsizing or living in a bungalow when their mobility starts to decrease. By upgrading their home with a stylish home lift now, homeowners are ensuring that there is not the need for a house move in the future. That in turn means they will not be forced to leave the home where they have raised their family, will not need to leave their community and their neighbours, or even their family doctor.
Customers can select their home lifts from a broad range of options, perhaps a compact lift with a minimal footprint, larger lifts which can carry a wheelchair or up to three people, highly elegant lifts with stunning lights and transparent panels, and lifts which can be customized to suit the customer’s taste. The leading domestic lift companies in the UK provide cleverly designed compact lifts which plug into a standard power socket and can be installed almost anywhere that suits the layout of the house. The lifts themselves are sleek, contemporary and complement any style of décor; making them ideal for future-proofing the home.
To sum up, it is clear that a home lift will offer greater convenience and safety for many and in making the home easily accessible, this in turn is likely to increase its resale value through attracting more potential buyers. Today’s buyers will be seeking elegant homes that ensure optimum convenience and are free from accessibility issues, so homeowners who have chosen to install a lift can benefit from this convenience themselves, plus a higher resale value should the home eventually be sold.
