Taking things to the next level: Installing a home elevator

When we go into town and visit multi-story buildings such as offices, banks, hotels, or department stores, we take for granted that there will be an elevator to carry us between floors. All those buildings have stairs as well, but unless we are just looking for some exercise we will take advantage of the convenience, or sometimes necessity, of simply pressing a button to get us where we need to go. When we get back home, however, we also take for granted that movement between floors will be done by the stairs that are a part of every house with more than one level. That assumption is now being challenged in new and exciting ways. With more affordable and smaller-scale options, many people are beginning to consider installing an elevator in their home. They can certainly be an aid to convenience; after all, with lots of guests it’s easy to put their luggage onto the elevator rather than haul it up and down the stairs! More often than not, though, the primary reason for adding home elevators is to accommodate aging in place considerations.

Aging homeowners can find stairs increasingly more of a physical challenge; adults who plan on having their parents move in with them must take those same issues into account. Older couples often want to stay in their home, not just for sentimental reasons but because in today’s housing market inventory and affordability can be significant obstacles to moving. To continue their quality of life, and to stay in their home, more and more folks are turning to renovations that include installing home elevators.

From a remodeling standpoint there are a few important considerations. For example, how will the elevator fit within the preexisting aesthetic of the home? While large stainless steel doors are neither desirable nor necessary, the elevator shaft as well as elevator doors need to be designed and built in such a way that matches the architecture of the house. Even the inside of the elevator can be customized to fit with the rest of the interior décor. Along with neutral impact on aesthetics there are several other positive factors to installing a home elevator: it can assure that any of you or your family’s future needs are met in terms of aging in place, progressive physical challenges, or ongoing illness. Home elevators can also be a major selling point, increasing the resale value of your house well beyond the initial investment of installment.

Perhaps the most practical consideration is the footprint and location of the elevator. It needs to work structurally and functionally with the walls and support structure of the home. Should the shaft be added onto the exterior and tie in, or will it fit within the existing home’s footprint? Not only will it need to span multiple floors, but the space requirements for the associated machinery must also be considered. The space and structural parameters of your existing home may determine what type of elevator works best. Once the look, type, and location of the elevator has been determined it will be time to plan for the timing of ordering, preparing for and installing the elevator into your house.

There are generally three options that are common in the home elevator market, each with different aspects of size, affordability, capability, and customiza- tion.

• Hydraulic drive – utilizes a ram or piston to raise and lower the car by filling or releasing fluid into an airtight cylinder. Hydraulic drives are quiet, smooth, and have significant lifting capacity. However, they tend to be more expensive and require a separate machine room at the lowest level the shaft will service.

See Design, page 46

Lake Lanier Marinas Information

BALD RIDGE MARINA

Hours: Office, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F, marina: 24/7 access.

Info: 770-887-5309 • baldridgemarina.com

Location: 1850 Bald Ridge Marina Rd., Cumming

Types of slips available: Covered & uncovered.

Types of fuel: 90 Non-ethanol; diesel

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $4.79; $4.29 diesel (Dock open 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun.-Thurs.; 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri./Sat.)

On-site eatery: Smokey Q BBQ

GAINESVILLE MARINA

Hours: Office, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., daily

Info:770-536-2171 • gainesvillemarina.com

Location: 2145 Dawsonville Hwy., Gainesville

Types of slips available: 600 slips, dry stack covered up to 25', wet covered & uncovered up to 80'.

Types of fuel: 90 recreational, non-ethanol

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $5.59 (Dock open 8 a.m.-6 p.m., 7 days a week.)

On-site eatery: Skogies

HABERSHAM MARINA

Hours: Office/Store, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., M-F.; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. S-S

Info: 770-887-5432 • habershammarina.com

Location: 2200 Habersham Marina Rd., Cumming

Types of slips available: 600 slips for dry storage up to 28’

Types of fuel: 90 Recreational fuel, non-ethanol

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $4.79 (Dock open 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon.Fri.; 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat.; 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun.)

HARBOR LANDING

Hours: Office/Dock, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., daily

Info: 470 323-3465 • margaritavilleatlanierislands.com

Location: 7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy., Buford

Types of slips: Houseboats only. 18x60, 22x80

Types of fuel: Diesel, non ethanol

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $5.99 non-ethanol (Gas is not sold after 4:30 due to volume return of boats.)

On-site eatery: Various restaurants.

Holiday Marina

Hours: Office/Store/Dock, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., M-F; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. S-S.

Info:770-945-7201 • holidaylakelanier.com

Location: 6900 Holiday Rd., Buford

Types of slips available: 22-100' Uncovered including 80, 90, and 100' Breakwater Slips; 26-85' Covered Slips totaling 1,238 slips

Types of fuel: Premium, unleaded & diesel, non-ethanol

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23): $6.49 premium; $5.99 unleaded; $5.49 diesel (5 percent discount with Suntex advantage membership) On-site eatery: The Twisted Oar

LAZY DAYS (at Holiday on Lake Lanier)

Hours: Office/Dock, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., M-F.; 8 a.m.-6 p.m., S-S.

Info: 770-945-1991• lazydaysonlakelanier.com

Location: 6700 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford

Types of slips available: Wet slips from 50-125 foot covered & 100 foot open slips; 554 covered dry stack spaces up to 36 feet

Types of fuel: 90 Non-ethanol marine fuel treated w/ ValvTect; diesel Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $6 regular

PORT OF INDECISION MARINA

Hours: Office/Dock, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., daily

Info: 470 323-3465 • margaritavilleatlanierislands.com

Location: 7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy., Buford

Types of slips available: 14x32, 14x36, (254 units, up to 40’), cov. Types of fuel: non ethanol.

Price of fuel: (as of 7/21/23) $5.49 non-ethanol

On-site eatery: Various restaurants.

PORT ROYALE MARINA

Hours: Office/Leasing, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 7 days a week; Service, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., M-F.; 9 a.m.-2 p.m., S. Closed Sundays.

Info:770-887-5715 • bestinboating.com/port_royale

Location: 8800 Port Royale Dr., Gainesville

Types of slips available: Uncovered, 20' to 80'; covered, 24' to 106' totaling 815 slips & dry stack storage (521) for up to 39'.