Buying a chair lift

Sklarker

Hi. Looking at getting a chair lift installed for my aul mam. There seems to be numerous suppliers. Can anyone who has bought one give me an idea of how much it would cost and how long she might wait trying to get the grant towards it? She is in Dublin.

looksee

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing_grants_and_schemes/mobility_aids_grant_scheme.html

I don't have any first hand experience but you should make all the enquiries before getting the stair lift. I think you cannot apply after you have the stairlift. Someone with practical experience may correct me on that.

AndrewJRenko

If your mam is getting HSE care, you could ask for advice from the local Occupational Therapist - contact your local health centre.

cestair

Straight ones can cost up to 3000 and ones with an angled curve up to 8000 euro. I've had sales people call but am confused as to the best company to order from. Has anyone any recommendations please

Sklarker

Was thinking it would be around 2000. Will need one with a bend. 8000 is pretty pricey.

cestair

Only one was 8 as my landing was too narrow for that particular make. Others were around 6. But Grant available depending on income

cestair

I have 2 bends

Peppa Pig

You need to get all the grant forms and fill them out and send them to your local county council with "quotes pending" to kick off the process. They will then send their own occupational therapist to review the quotes and suitability of the lift.

Meanwhile get a few companies out to assess and quote. Bear in mind you decide who to go with but only get the grant depending on the lowest quote submitted.

When you get the quotes forward them onto the council and wait, God knows how long, to get approval.

Then pay a deposit to the stairlift company and when the approval comes they will install. Mine waited for payment for the grant to come through, before I paid the remaining money.

You will also need an engineer to assess the lift and sign it off (you pay them direct - about €200) and when the council receives this the grant will be issued.

Took me about 4 months from start to finish, mainly due to the inefficiency and couldn't give a damn attitude of the council. I got a name and rang every day until they got fed up of me and processed the paperwork.

Anyway, that aside, get the forms asap and then get 3 or 4 companies out to look and quote. Check for warranty and service costs, I went with the guys who were good at these and seemed to have an inside link to the council.

Mine has one bend and cost €6200. Initially they looked at 2 bends on the opposite side and the quote was similar, but the 2 bends wouldn't work. All the companies were pretty similar but I had a good feeling about Cooley healthcare in Palmerstown and went with them. So far not a single regret.

Sklarker

Thanks for all the info Peppa!

cestair

We have 2 bends. 3 quotes were for around 5 plus vat. 8 was because our landing is narrow and that particular make stands out from the wall so seat has to be programmed to swivel around bend!
Get application in asap as end of year so funding will run out

beauf

How long did it take to get approval? I hear its different in various Local Authorities.