A Stiltz home lift may be the better option if you want to remain in your current home and access between floors is the main difficulty. Moving to a suitable bungalow may make more sense if the property also presents problems with its layout, location or ongoing upkeep.
Neither choice is automatically cheaper or more practical. The decision depends on what needs to change, what each option would cost and how you want to live in the years ahead.
At DHG Services, we help homeowners assess mobility equipment and installation requirements. Comparing a home lift with moving starts by looking at the whole home, rather than treating the staircase as the only consideration.
Establish What Is Making Your Current Home Difficult
Begin with the activities that have become demanding.
You might find stairs tiring while remaining comfortable with the rest of the house. Alternatively, you may also struggle with the bathroom, entrance steps, narrow doorways or garden maintenance.
Write down those difficulties and consider which ones a lift would address. Reaching the first floor more easily will not necessarily make an upstairs bathroom suitable or remove obstacles between rooms.
If you need help assessing your requirements, the NHS explains how to request a home adaptation assessment through your local council. An occupational therapist can consider everyday tasks and possible changes. See the NHS home adaptations guidance.
That assessment can help you compare staying and moving against the same practical needs.
When a Stiltz Home Lift May Be the Better Choice
A home lift is worth investigating when the property otherwise works well for you.
You may have accessible living areas, a manageable garden and family or friends nearby. If the main barrier is reaching upstairs rooms, a suitable lift could help you continue using the home.
Stiltz offers compact Duo models and larger Trio models designed to accommodate a wheelchair. The correct choice depends on the user, available space and proposed route. The Stiltz home lift range explains these differences.
A survey must establish whether the equipment can be positioned usefully on both floors. It should also assess how you approach the lift, operate it and reach the rooms beyond.
Remaining at home becomes a stronger option when the installation resolves the main difficulty without creating significant new compromises.
When Moving to a Bungalow May Be Better
Moving deserves serious consideration when the current property has several limitations that would remain after installing a lift.
You may want less space to maintain, a smaller garden or a location closer to relatives and everyday services. A different property could address those priorities alongside access between rooms.
However, assess the actual bungalow rather than assuming that its description guarantees accessibility.
Check entrance steps, thresholds, door widths, bathroom arrangements and the route from parking to the front door. Some properties also have changes in floor level or bedrooms within a converted roof space.
Consider the work needed before the bungalow would suit you. Moving may offer a better overall arrangement, but that conclusion should follow a careful viewing and assessment.
Compare the Two Options Against Your Priorities
The following questions can help structure the decision.
| Consideration | Installing a Stiltz home lift | Moving to a bungalow |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Can improve travel between the levels it serves | May place essential rooms on one level |
| Other adaptations | Existing bathroom, doorway or entrance issues may remain | The new property may also need alterations |
| Location | Keeps your current neighbours, services and support network | Offers an opportunity to choose a different location |
| Disruption | Requires preparation, fitting and making good | Involves selling, buying, packing and settling in |
| Continuing responsibilities | Includes lift maintenance alongside property upkeep | Includes upkeep of the replacement property |
| Space | Changes the use of space around the lift | May involve downsizing or a different room arrangement |
Use these points to identify what matters most to your household. A preference for staying close to family may carry more weight than gaining a larger bathroom, while another person may prioritise reducing maintenance.
Check Whether the Lift Fits Your Daily Routine
The proposed installation should be assessed around ordinary use.
Consider where you would enter downstairs, where you would arrive upstairs and how conveniently you could reach the bedroom and bathroom. Check whether nearby doors or furniture would need to move.
If you use a wheelchair, the actual chair dimensions and combined load must be checked against the selected model. Establish whether you would need to reverse out and whether the landing provides enough manoeuvring space.
Ask for a demonstration where possible. Trying the controls and entrance can help you judge the equipment more accurately than photographs alone.
Also discuss what happens when another household member needs to use the lift from a different floor.
Compare Complete Costs, Not Headline Prices
For the adaptation option, obtain a written quotation covering the lift and associated work.
Ask about preparation, electrical provision, installation, testing and making good. Include any additional adaptations needed elsewhere in the house, such as bathroom alterations.
For the moving option, prepare a separate budget based on an actual potential purchase. Consider selling and buying expenses, removals, any financing changes and work needed at the new property. MoneyHelper’s homebuying guidance provides a starting point for exploring these costs.
Keep transaction expenses separate from the difference between the sale and purchase prices. Buying a less expensive property may release money, while another move may require additional funds.
Neither outcome can be established by comparing a lift quotation with a bungalow’s advertised price alone.
Include Maintenance and Household Running Costs
Consider the continuing responsibilities under both options.
If you stay, ask about the lift’s service schedule, warranty conditions and repair support. Include those costs alongside the existing property’s heating, maintenance and upkeep.
For a bungalow, investigate the condition of the building, likely repairs and the work involved in looking after its garden. A property with fewer rooms is not automatically inexpensive to maintain.
Our experienced DHG Services team can explain the aftercare arrangements associated with a proposed installation.
Obtain enough information to compare the options over the period you expect to live there. Avoid relying on an assumed increase in property value to justify either decision.
Consider Disruption and Timing
Installing a lift and moving home involve different kinds of disruption.
For a lift, ask for a programme covering the survey, preparation, fitting and finishing work. Clarify which rooms will be affected and how essential access will be managed.
Stiltz describes building preparation and equipment installation as separate stages, so an advertised fitting time should not be treated as the duration of the whole project. Its installation information explains the process.
Moving introduces other dependencies, including finding a suitable property and coordinating the sale and purchase. Packing and arranging work at the destination also need consideration.
If your access needs are urgent, explain that early. Compare realistic programmes and suitable interim arrangements rather than assuming either route can be completed immediately.
Think About Your Support Network
Your home’s location can be as important as its layout.
Consider nearby relatives, neighbours, shops, transport and the places you visit regularly. Think about how you would manage if driving became less convenient or you needed additional help.
Staying may preserve a familiar network. Moving may bring you closer to the people or services you rely on.
Discuss these priorities with anyone directly involved in supporting you, while keeping the intended resident’s preferences central to the decision.
The emotional value of a familiar home is a valid consideration. So is the wish for a fresh start in somewhere easier to manage.
Plan for Changing Needs Without Assuming Certainty
Discuss foreseeable requirements when assessing both properties and equipment.
For a lift, consider whether you may need to travel with a mobility aid or assistance. Ask which features can be selected now and which changes would require different equipment later.
For a bungalow, assess the approach, bathroom and internal circulation with the same care. A suitable layout should support more than simply avoiding stairs.
Neither option guarantees that further adaptations will never be needed. The aim is to make a considered decision using your current requirements and the changes you can reasonably anticipate.
Where those needs are complex, an occupational therapy assessment can complement the supplier’s installation survey.
Is a Stairlift Another Option?
A stairlift may be worth comparing if seated travel and transfers are manageable.
Its suitability depends on the staircase, available clearance and boarding arrangements. Discuss whether a walking aid needs to be available at each landing and how other household members will use the stairs.
Customers exploring local equipment options can review our stairlifts in Telford service and arrange an assessment.
A stairlift, home lift and move each address different circumstances. Reviewing the suitable alternatives can help you avoid committing before understanding what would work in your existing home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Stiltz home lift cheaper than moving to a bungalow?
It may be, but there is no universal answer. Compare a complete installation quotation with the actual costs and financial effect of selling and buying. Include any adaptations required under either option.
Can a Stiltz lift help me remain in my family home?
It may help where access between floors is the main barrier and a suitable installation is possible. The rest of the property should also be assessed against your everyday requirements.
Are all Stiltz lifts suitable for wheelchair users?
No. The range includes different models and capacities. Wheelchair requirements should be assessed against an appropriate model using the actual chair dimensions, combined load and entrance space.
Is a bungalow always fully accessible?
No. Check the individual property for steps, thresholds, restricted doorways, bathroom limitations and changes in level. Single-storey accommodation can still require adaptations.
What if the lift is temporarily unavailable?
Ask about emergency arrangements, fault reporting and repair support before ordering. Consider how you would reach essential facilities during an interruption and discuss any additional arrangements needed.
Make the Decision Around the Home You Need
A Stiltz home lift may offer a practical way to stay where you are if the house remains suitable apart from access between floors. A bungalow may be the better choice if moving also resolves wider issues with layout, location or upkeep.
Start with an assessment of your needs, obtain a detailed installation quotation and compare it with a realistic moving option.
Contact DHG Services to arrange a free home survey and explore suitable mobility equipment. Understanding what is possible in your current property gives you a clearer basis for deciding whether to adapt or move.
