A stair lift is not one visit. It is a sequence of steps, usually a survey, an order, an install day, a test and a training session, followed by service. Each step leaves paper behind. Knowing the order lets you catch a gap before the installer packs up. This article covers the stair itself. It does not cover the entry steps at the front of the house.

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Stage 1: The survey

A representative visits the home to measure the stairs. Ask them to measure the full length of the rail, the landings at the top and bottom, the place where the chair will park when not in use, and the wall or stair the rail will mount to. Ask about the stair shape. A straight run is simpler. A stair with a landing, or a curve, often needs a custom rail, and the survey notes should say so. Ask where the power outlet will go and whether an electrician is needed. Ask the surveyor to note any door that swings into the path at the top or bottom.

Stage 2: The order

Read the order before you sign. Check the rail length against the survey notes, line by line. Check the seat type, the footrest, the controls and the warranty the manufacturer states. Ask whether the rail is cut to length after the order, and whether a change is possible once it is cut. Ask what date the installer expects to arrive, and ask whether the install is one visit or more. Ask whether a permit is needed, and who pulls it. City and county building offices set those rules, so ask the installer to name the office.

Stage 3: The install day

Plan to be home for the install. Ask the installer to walk the route with your parent, not just with the family. Ask them to show where the power switch is, how the key works and how the chair locks at the top and bottom. Ask what they fasten to the stair and whether they check the stair structure before they drill. If your parent is not yet cleared for stairs, ask the discharge team before the install, and let the installer know the answer.

Stage 4: The test

Before the installer leaves, ask for a full run up and a full run down. Check that the chair stops at both ends, that the footrest folds, that the seat belt works and that the sensors stop the chair if something is in the path. Ask what happens during a power outage or a battery failure, and what the person in the house should do then. Write that answer on the install paper while the installer is still there.

Stage 5: The training and the paper

Ask for training for everyone who will be in the house, not only your parent. Cover the power switch, parking the chair, the key, how to call the service line, and what to do if the chair stops mid-stair. Get the owner's manual, the warranty, the service schedule and the name and number of the company that answers the phone after the installer leaves. Keep these with your other papers from the discharge, in one folder, so they are not lost.

Stage 6: The service visit

Ask when the first service visit is booked and what it covers. Ask who pays for service and parts after the warranty, and whether a service plan is optional. Write the next visit on the calendar. Ask who removes the chair and who owns the rail if the chair is ever moved, sold or taken out. That answer matters for the family if the parent moves to a different home later. The desk's Day 0 to Day 14 After Discharge page covers the first weeks at home, and the Sources page lists the references used across the desk.

The Stair Lift Goes In Over Several Visits: Survey, Order, Install, Test, and Service