Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about these small home elevators, or whatever them city folks call ’em. You know, them things that go up and down in your house? Yeah, them. Used to be only rich folks had ‘em, but now, even us regular people can think about gettin’ one.
See, I ain’t gettin’ any younger, and my knees, well, they ain’t what they used to be. Stairs? Don’t even get me started. Climbin’ them things is like climbin’ a dang mountain these days. Makes my whole body ache somethin’ fierce. So, I hear about these little elevators for homes, and I think, “Well, now, that might just be the ticket.”
What are these small home elevators anyway? They’re like little rooms that go up and down, takin’ you with ‘em. No more huffin’ and puffin’ on them stairs. You just step in, push a button, and poof – you’re upstairs, or downstairs, wherever you wanna go. Some folks call ‘em home lifts or residential elevators, fancy names for the same thing, I reckon.
Now, I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout them big ol’ elevators you see in them tall buildings downtown. These are smaller, made for houses. They don’t take up too much space, which is good, ‘cause my house ain’t exactly a mansion, you know? They say they can fit ‘em in even if your house ain’t brand new. They call that “retrofit” or somethin’. Sounds complicated, but I guess them fellas who install ‘em know what they’re doin’.
Why would you want one? Well, like I said, stairs ain’t easy for some of us. Maybe you got a bad back, or bad knees, or maybe you just plain tired of climbin’. And it ain’t just for old folks, neither. I hear some folks who have trouble walkin’ use ‘em too. Makes gettin’ around the house a whole lot easier, that’s for sure.
- Easy to use: Just push a button, and off you go.
- Safe: They got safety features, so you don’t gotta worry about fallin’ or nothin’.
- Saves space: They don’t need a big ol’ shaft like them big elevators.
- Convenient: No more lugging groceries or laundry up them stairs.
Now, let’s talk about money. These things ain’t cheap, that’s for sure. I heard they can cost a pretty penny, sometimes more than thirty thousand dollars! And that’s just for the elevator itself, not countin’ the installin’. They gotta make a space for it, you know, cut a hole in your floor and stuff. That takes time and money. And then the bigger it is, and fancier it is, the more it costs you, I reckon.
But you know what? Sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. If it means I can stay in my own home and not have to move to some one-story place, well, it might just be worth it. I mean, this house is where I raised my kids, where my husband and I spent our lives. It’s more than just a house, it’s home. And bein’ able to move around in it without pain, well, that’s priceless.
And they even have ones that just carry stuff! Like for bringing groceries up from the basement, or dirty clothes down to the washin’ machine. They call ‘em dumbwaiters. They ain’t for people, just stuff. Kinda handy, I guess, if you got a lot of stuff to move around. But I figure if I’m gonna spend money, I’d rather get the elevator for myself.
They gotta be safe too. I hear they gotta follow some rules, like the door gotta be wide enough for a wheelchair, and the inside gotta be big enough to turn around in. That makes sense, I guess. You don’t want to get stuck in there, that’s for sure. And they got all these safety features, they say, so it won’t just drop on you.
So, yeah, small home elevators. They’re a big investment, but they might just be the thing that helps folks stay in their homes longer. And that, to me, is worth a whole lot. If you’re thinkin’ about gettin’ one, do your homework, talk to some folks who know about these things, and make sure it’s the right choice for you. It ain’t for everyone, but for some of us, it might just be a lifesaver.
Tags: small home elevators, home lifts, residential elevators, accessibility, mobility, home improvement, aging in place, dumbwaiters, elevator cost, home safety
