A traditional cottage with a steep and narrow staircase, a low beam bulkhead over the bottom of the stairs and very little space at the top of the stairs – this was the beginning of our specialist stairlift journey, as every other supplier contacted said a stairlift would not be feasible.
Using the Flow 2 – the Flow X’s predecessor – we pushed the technical limits of its capabilities to the maximum to design & install a stairlift that worked. The steep climb, tight turns and finely-tuned start & finish angles, were overcome thanks to the patented ASL technology – as was the low bulkhead with some clever rail-height design in conjunction with the manufacturer.
With a beautiful feature double-spiral staircase covering all three floors of this home, the customer was hoping there would be a solution that did not involve having to move to a different house – they found us online, looking for a supplier that “can fit a stairlift where others say they can’t”.
With our expert understanding of the Flow X’s auto-swivelling and levelling (ASL) technology, stairlifts on spiral stairs and multi-floor stairlifts have both become a staple specialist solution for us. Despite the particularly steep climb on this spiral staircase, overcome by the bespoke rail design, we immediately knew we could offer a solution to keep the user in their home.
The ‘big name’ stairlift suppliers said they could not fit a stairlift on these stairs because of the doors either side at the bottom, as well as the door and open space at the top. Our expert surveyor knew that using the Platinum Ultimate specialist stairlift to its full capability would provide a solution.
The first-step start leaves the bottom of the stairs clear, with a park point for the stairlift a few steps up. The bespoke rail design at the top safely takes the stairlift user onto the top landing, without obstructing the door. An added bonus was the angled travel, allowing the handrails to stay in place for other stair users in the home.
On a first glance at this grand double staircase that meets in the middle when you get to the top, following a continuous curve, you may not even notice that the right-hand staircase has a stairlift installed.
The Flow X rail is colour-matched to the wooden stair material and expertly designed & fitted to follow the smooth curve of the banister. When not in use, the stairlift chair tucks away around the corner at the top or bottom of the grand staircase – minimising any aesthetic impact in this luxury property.
A straight stairlift was not an option on this staircase, as it would obstruct the front door directly at the bottom-right or the open space on the bottom-left. Other suppliers quoting for a curved stairlift configuration on the left-hand side were only offering expensive high-end models, due to the rail protrusion of the wraparound required at the bottom – as well as not wanting to fix into the tiled ground floor.
Thanks to our stairlift surveyor’s thorough knowledge of the Platinum Curve’s twin rail system, we were able to design a specialist solution at a more affordable cost, avoiding all obstacles at the bottom of the stairs with a tight 180-degree bend rail start. The Ergo seat pad was also used to account for the user’s restricted mobility in their knees, allowing them to sit comfortably throughout their journey. Additionally, our expert stairlift installers are fully trained on fixing into all kinds of tile or stone floor material.
Having spoken to each ‘big name’ in the stairlift industry and explained the narrow width of the stairs – 630mm at its narrowest point – along with the number of turns required, Mr & Mrs Smith had repeatedly been told a stairlift would not be possible in their home. Fortunately, they did some online searching for a stairlift company who could “fit a stairlift on a narrow staircase”, which is where we came in.
With our industry-leading technical digital survey skills, and thorough understanding of the Flow X’s ASL technology – the only stairlift that can automatically rotate the seat to different angles throughout travel – we were delighted to provide a solution for this lovely couple, to keep them in their home.
You can hear from Mr & Mrs Smith themselves, including how they still marvel at the Flow X stairlift and how it clears every tight part of their staircase, in this video made in partnership with the manufacturer Access BDD (a TK Elevator company who are a Which? Recommended Provider).
Due to the narrow width and tight turns on this staircase, along with the lack of space at the bottom of the stairs, other suppliers said a stairlift was not possible – but we knew a specialist stairlift solution would be possible.
The patented ASL technology of the Flow X allows the seat to auto-swivel throughout the journey, with specific angles required to negotiate the tight turns. With our technical surveyor’s specialist rail-start design at the bottom of the stairs, the stairlift can be parked out of the way and folded to allow enough space in the narrow walkway area downstairs.
Only an industry-leading specialist stairlift would be suitable to install in a listed castle-style property such as this, especially on a spiral-style staircase within a turret. Top of the range home with a top of the range stairlift.
Using the Flow X, we were able to keep the bespoke rail as low and close to the internal wall as possible, keeping the wider side of the stairs clear for other stair users – and the top & bottom areas clear when the stairlift is neatly folded away.
This listed building actually has a very wide staircase, but with various different stair-users requiring access throughout the property it was important to have as sleek & compact a stairlift as possible.
The bespoke design of the Flow X allowed us to keep the stairlift chair tucked around the corner at the top, whilst the rail sits low yet close to the banister – allowing plenty of room for other stair users. To top it off, the white rail and red seat upholstery is perfectly in keeping with the existing colour scheme on this feature staircase.
Although the staircase in this home was not particularly narrow, the user’s mobility limited their ability to bend their knees and pull their feet back. Other stairlift suppliers could only offer curved stairlift solutions with angled travel that were not within the customer’s budget, and would require alteration work to the doors at the top and bottom of the stairs.
Knowing the ability of the Platinum Ergo Straight’s ergonomic space-saving seat design, combined with the Ergo Plus seat pad to gain more clearance and allow the user to sit comfortably, we were able to supply our specialist straight stairlift solution with a powered hinge at the bottom of the rail to accommodate for doorway at the bottom of the stairs.
With multiple floors to cover and some tight turns required without too much stairlift rail protrusion, this staircase gave us the opportunity to combine various aspects of our specialist stairlift expertise to prove a solution.
Using the auto-swivelling and levelling (ASL) technology of the Flow X, we were able to achieve a low and close bespoke rail design to minimise intrusion into the staircase and onto the landing areas. With stopping points on the bottom, middle and top floors providing full access to the home, the stairlift parks neatly aware from the stair access points.
