What Size Should My Lift Be?

When you’re planning the installation of a lift in a building, you need to consider the size of the lift. Who will be using it? How large does it need to be? These are the questions you’ll have to answer in order to see what exactly you need to install.

Who Will Use the Lift?

If this is a lift in your home, you may want a fairly small space that will take up minimal room in the house. It could be for someone who has impaired mobility, in which case, you need to consider the size of any equipment they need.

In lifts where you intend to use a wheelchair, the standard size is 1100mm by 1400mm. It’s possible to make this smaller in a home lift, particularly if you know exactly what the size of the wheelchair is. You just need enough space for the chair. However, if the person needs someone else to go with them, you should plan to add a little space for the attendant.

Can You Have a Very Small Lift?

Sometimes, space is extremely limited, but everyone in the home is still able to stand. If this is the case, you can easily make the lift just large enough to fit one person who is upright. This allows you to add a lift to a stairwell or other narrow space.

This is only recommended for residential use. There are more regulations when it comes to commercial buildings, so you’ll need to have more space allotted for the lift or lifts there.

Other Dimensions to Consider

The actual size of the lift cabin isn’t the only thing to consider when looking at dimensions. You should also look at the headroom that is required. Every lift has its own headroom requirement. This measurement is between the finished floor level from the top landing to the first obstacle, which is usually the ceiling. You may need to make some adjustments for the lift to properly fit.



The pit is another part of the lift shaft, which will usually be somewhere between 55-100mm of space below the lift when it is at the lowest landing. Again, this depends on the actual lift, since each manufacturer has different dimensions.

Lifts can be quite useful to have in both residential and commercial buildings. It makes life easier for anyone who has issues with the stairs and will prevent them from struggling. However, it’s important you have the right size lift for the task at hand.

Are you ready to learn more about putting in a lift? Contact ADL Lift Services and we’ll happily answer all your questions.