The stairway is way too small for a lift. [QUOTE] - In one house I have seen with a chair lift on the stairs, the chair took more than half the space of the stairs, but it worked. If you wanted to walk the stairs, it was definitely single file.
I have all important things happening on the first floor, but I try to go upstairs and to the basement every day. Upstairs, above the laundry room, with trapdoor access and ship's ladder stairs, is my husband's office. He put it there so that he would have to use the stairs every day or so. (I have a tenant in the rest of the upstairs.) I love that little room. It is my bonus room with a twin bed that can convert to a king, and a closet for out of season storage.
We are both 80, but very active. We square dance twice a week, shovel our own snow, and mow our own big lawn with a push mower. But when we built a new garage twelve years ago, we made it with handicap access to the house. Instead of a step there, we put a ramp in the breezeway.
Who knows what the future will bring, but if things are handy now, you may be able to stay in your house much longer. Don't think you can change this when it is needed. At that point, things can get pretty hectic. Better to be prepared. And if the house needs to be sold, having all things needed on the first floor is a good selling point.
Last edited by maviskw; 04-24-2014 at 05:24 AM.