In the United States, there are about 53 million people living with some kind of disability. New data show that the most common kinds of disabilities also include problems with mobility. As a consequence, nearly 6.8 million people need to use some kind of device to help them get around. If that describes you or a loved one, you may have looking into different ways to make your home more easy to maneuver. Many people are looking at Harmar commercial stairlift solutions, fitted stairlifts and even outdoor wheelchair lifts. Given the number of options you have, there are some things to work out and consider before getting one installed.
- Start with a call to your insurance carrier. You may that the Harmar commercial stairlift solutions are the best for you but you should find out what may be covered by your insurance plan. You might be surprised to see just how much your plan will save you on stair lifts for home staircases and on the installation itself. They can also tell you what kinds of stairlifts they will pay for more for. Some companies like it when their clients go with reconditioned units versus new models. Talk to them about what kind of coverage they offer if you have curved staircases in your home. If you do not think this is a permanent thing you will need, you may want to see what the policy is on renting your stairlift.
- Find a good company to install your stairlift. One thing that makes Harmar commercial stairlift solutions so popular is that they can help find a company to do your installation. Like any work done in your home, you need to find a reliable company that has enough experience installing this kind of equipment. You need to find a company that can do a number of things for you. The installation needs to be done right but then if you have issues or need repairs done, they should also be able to handle those as well.
- Get several quotes. Most reputable companies who put in stairlifts will be wiling to come to your home, look at the staircases you have and give you a free estimate. If a company refuses to do this or will only get you an estimate on the phone. Keep looking. It is impossible to get a reliable estimate for the installation without looking at the staircase in question and getting a sense of what kind of condition it is in.
- Get your quotes for time and cost in writing. While delays happen and your final cost may not be what you expect (exactly), you should get an itemized estimate before you agree to anything. That is one way to prevent hidden charges and fees from ending up on your bill. It also prevents any misunderstandings in how much you are being charged for everything and how long you expect the work to take. Plus, it is easier to compare written estimates side by side.
- Look at your stairs. Many homes have curved staircases that make it a little more challenging to put in a stairlift. It is a lot easier and much less expensive to put these in on straight staircases. If you have both kinds of stairs in your home, you may want to have your stairlift put in on the straight set. It also takes longer to put in stairlifts in curved stairs so you need to factor that into your planning.
- Look at different models. Not all stairlifts are created equal. Even within the realm of Harmar commercial stairlift solutions, there are a lot of options. You should, if you can, try out the different models to see how they feel. Some of this process will be determined by how much you weigh and how comfortable the models are for you. You should find a model that you can easily use. This is a very important part of your decision making process.
New equipment is being developed all of the time to make it easier for people with disabilities get around. As the American population ages, people are looking for solutions to allow them to stay in their homes longer while staying safe.