A home elevator is more than just a convenience. It’s a statement of luxury and sophistication. While shaftless home elevators are designed for two stops, if your home spans multiple levels you’ll need an elevator that can accommodate three or more stops. That raises an important question: Does the number of stories or stops impact the cost of a home elevator?
To plan your installation effectively and keep costs within your desired budget, it’s important to understand how your home’s layout influences the overall expense. Here’s a closer look at how the number of stories and stops factor into the cost of a home elevator.
Stories vs. Stops: An Important Distinction
First, before we dive into how your home’s height affects elevator costs, let’s clear up an important distinction: “Stories” and “stops” are not the same, and both can impact the price.
A home where the number of stories is different than the number of elevator stops.
Stories are the full floors in your home, including any below ground. Stops are the points where the elevator can open to a landing. In some homes, the number of stories and stops are the same, but in others, extra stops may be added for intermediate landings between floors.
A home where the number of stories is the same as the number of elevator stops.
Do More Stories and Stops Increase the Cost?
The quick answer is yes, the number of stories in your home affects the cost of an elevator, and extra stops can also add to the price. However, the impact isn’t as straightforward as you might think.
Unlike materials like lumber, where cost scales directly with size, home elevators don’t follow a simple “double the height, double the cost” rule. Instead, adding more stories typically increases costs by about 20–30%, while each extra stop adds around 10–20%.
Let’s break down exactly how these factors influence your total installation cost.
Wondering what a home elevator will cost you?
How stories impact the cost of your home elevator
The height of your house directly affects the cost of your home elevator for two reasons: labor and materials. The taller the house, the more of both are required.
Home elevators use high-quality, durable metals for their structure and drive mechanisms. Adding more stories means using more of these premium materials. Taller elevators also take longer to install, which increases labor costs. For example, installing an elevator in a four-story home requires more time and effort than in a two-story home.
How stops impact the cost of your home elevator
Height isn’t the only factor, however. Each additional stop requires a new opening for the elevator, along with more mechanical and electronic equipment. This includes electro-mechanical interlocks, gates and/or doors, and other behind-the-scenes systems that control the elevator’s movement and door operations.
Each of these items increases the total cost of your home elevator installation.
Plan Smart: Get Your Stories and Stops Right from the Start
Understanding how stories and stops affect costs can help you make the best choices upfront so that you can avoid hassles and save money in the long run.
While it might be tempting to cut costs by reducing the number of stops, it’s usually not the best approach. Upgrading later is often impossible or significantly more expensive than getting it right the first time.
Investing in the right number of stops from the beginning ensures your elevator fully serves your home, preventing future frustration over missed floors.
Plan a Cost-Effective Home Elevator Installation
A thoughtfully designed home elevator can improve your home’s overall functionality and appeal. While the number of stories and stops impacts the overall cost of a home elevator, proper planning ensures a smooth installation without unnecessary expenses down the line.
By designing your elevator with your desired number of stops upfront, you’ll avoid future hassles and unexpected costs — and with Arrow Lift’s expert Technicians guiding the process, you can trust that your installation will be seamless, efficient, and built to last.
Ready to start planning?
