Freight elevators, also known as goods lifts, are designed to move goods and materials between floors in a building. Compared to passenger lifts, freight elevators travel at lower speeds but carry much heavier loads and can withstand tougher working conditions. Freight elevators come in various sizes, from small dumbwaiters with a rated load of 25 kilos to large car elevators that can lift several tonnes.

While many freight elevators have doors that open vertically, others have normal swing doors that open horizontally. Most goods or freight lifts have wider doors than passenger lifts to make it easier to load and unload. It is also common for freight or cargo elevators to include features that make them extra resistant to wear and tear, such as extra sturdy lift cars, aluminium chequer plate flooring, or kick-plates to protect the lift doors.

Can freight elevators carry passengers?

Even if freight elevators are designed to carry goods, some also allow passengers. Freight lifts that can also take passengers are very versatile. Sometimes called “goods lifts with attendant” such lifts often also work well as stretcher lifts or wheelchair lifts.

Platform lift Kalea A4 Mille is a platform lift approved for both goods and passenger transport with a rated load of 1000 kg.

Yes, in most countries you will need planning permission to install a lift, regardless of whether it is placed in a public or commercial building or in your home. To get help and guidance, contact the local authority that grants planning permissions, or talk to your Kalea dealer.

In most countries, you would not be allowed to replace your stairs with a lift, and that is because of very valid safety reasons:

• If the elevator is out of service, you would be blocked on one floor.
• If you or someone else needs to be evacuated on a stretcher most lifts are too small for that.
• If there is a fire, you should never use the elevator to evacuate.

Even high-quality lifts can break down and if that happens, you will need the staircase not to be stranded on one floor. There may be exceptions, of course. For example, if your building has several staircases linking all floors, and you just want to replace one of them with a lift. But in general, we strongly advise against replacing your stairs with an elevator.

If you are wondering if a lift can replace your staircase because you do not think you have space for both, please know that there are better and much safer solutions. In many cases, it is possible to install our lifts at the centre of your staircase, or just beside it. Our smallest lift size fits in just 1 m2 (explore lift models Kalea Atmos and Kalea A4 Mini). It is also possible to place either the staircase or the elevator on the outside of the building (check out our outdoor lift).

There are many different types of elevators, such as traction lifts, hydraulic lifts, belt-driven lifts, vacuum lifts, and screw-driven lifts.

All lift types have their pros and cons. Below we have listed a few examples:

• Traction lifts can travel fast, from 0.6 metres to several metres per second, but also need a lot of room, given that they require a deep lift pit, a lot of headroom, and often also a separate machine room.
• Hydraulic lifts are not as fast as traction lifts, but can still reach a speed of about 1 metre per second. This lift type generally has a deep pit but requires less headroom than traction lifts. Some hydraulic elevators also need a large, external hydraulic tank.
• Vacuum lifts, on the other hand, have a speed of about 0.2 metres per second. Vacuum lifts are space-efficient, but the technology is expensive, and their lifting capacity is limited.
• Screw-driven lifts travel at a speed of 0.15 metres per second but take up a lot less room than conventional hydraulic lifts and traction lifts. There are screw-driven lifts with a lifting capacity from about 300 kg, up to 1000 kg.

Kalea’s screw-driven lifts can be installed without a pit and have a top height (the height of the lift on the top floor) of only 2.25-2.35 metres. In addition, the machinery is compact enough to fit inside the lift shaft, making the whole construction very space-efficient compared to conventional lifts.

To learn more about different types of lifts, click here.

Elevators have 2 main types of buttons

1. The landing controls, or Landing Operation Panel (LOP) to call on the lift. The Landing Operation Panel is also often called “call button”.
2. The buttons inside the lift, or Car Operating Panel (COP). Inside the lift, you find buttons such as floor selection buttons to make the lift travel and safety functions like the alarm button and the emergency stop button. The buttons inside the lift are also often called platform controls or cabin/lift cab controls.

Kalea platform lifts have the following lift buttons:

Landing controls

• Call buttons operated by automatic drive (you press the button once).

Platform controls

• Floor selection buttons to travel up/down. According to European Standards, the floor selection buttons are operated by hold-to-run (you need to keep pressure on the button to travel).
• An alarm button that emits a sound signal and opens the line to the emergency telephone.
• An emergency stop button that immediately stops the lift when pushed. To travel again, you need to twist and release the button.

Kalea cabin lifts have the following elevator buttons:

Landing controls

• Call buttons with automatic drive (one-touch operation).

Cabin Controls

• Floor selection buttons to make the elevator travel up or down.
• The floor selection buttons are operated by automatic drive (one-touch operation).
• An alarm button emitting a sound signal, when activated. The alarm button also opens the line to the emergency telephone.
• An open/close door button, to open or close the sliding doors when the lift is on a landing.
• Cabin controls also include an integrated level indicator (indicating the floor of the lift car and the direction of travel).

How much energy an elevator consumes depends on the drive system and capacity of the elevator as well as on how often it is used. While large, high-speed passenger lifts in high-rise buildings can consume as much as 30 – 40 000 kWh per year, a home lift will consume considerably less.

Our screw-driven lifts with standard drive carry Energy Label B when operating, and Energy Label A when idle. Given that screw-driven are not designed to be used as often as conventional passenger elevators, the energy consumption is comparatively low, even with our standard drive.

To give you an example a 2-stop Kalea platform lift with a standard drive, performing 20 travels per day, has an energy consumption of approximately 480  kWh/year.

If you want an even more energy-efficient lift, our optimised EcoSilent drive system requires 45% less energy than the standard drive and has a yearly consumption of approximately 215 kWh/year.

A prefabricated lift is a lift system made of ready-made elements or modules. All lift solutions by Kalea are prefabricated and delivered in ready-made elements. Thanks to our wide range of lift sizes and design options we can tailor the lift configuration and design to fit the requirements of your building and your sense of style.

Advantages of prefabricated lifts

Our preassembled elevators have several advantages, such as:

• Thanks to the prefabricated elements, the manufacturing process is fast. Just 3-4 weeks can be enough to make some lift models in a standard configuration.
• The lift is delivered with everything you need for installation. Most lift models even include a ready-made lift shaft, eliminating the need to build a concrete or masonry shaft enclosure.
• The fact that your lift is delivered as an all-inclusive concept, makes lift installation fast and easy. In fact, a 2-stop platform lift by Kalea is possible to install in as little as 2-3 days.
• The prefabricated construction of our lifts also makes upgrading and modernising your lift fast and easy.

 

The answer is yes, all lifts make some noise, but if properly maintained they operate quietly enough to blend in with the sounds of everyday life. You can compare it to other household appliances, such as dishwashers, fridges, or ventilation systems. They also generate sounds, but you just do not think about it.

To offer you a quiet ride most recent platform lift models by Kalea come with optimised drive systems as standard and for the majority of our older models, an optimised drive is available as an option. But what is quiet? To give you an example, a few metres from the lift, the Kalea EcoSilent drive system only generates a sound of about 40 dB or the equivalent of the sound level inside a quiet library.

Today, most modern elevators have safety systems that ensure that the lift can be lowered to the closest floor so you can evacuate, in case of a power cut. However, there are still lifts without this safety feature in the market, so it is always best to check with the lift manufacturer.

All Kalea lift models are equipped with a battery backup for emergency lowering as standard. This feature ensures that you do not get trapped inside the lift in case of a power outage.

What happens to a Kalea lift in case of a power outage?

This is what happens to your Kalea lift if the power goes out while you are inside:

1. The lift stops travelling.
2. The battery backup kicks in.*
3. Press any destination button to lower the lift to the closest floor.
4. The door unlocks so that you can exit the lift.

*For lifts with a level indicator on the platform, the display will say “Battery mode”. For lifts without a level indicator, the buttons of the control panel will start to flash to show that the battery mode is activated.

The mechanics of a screw-driven elevator are simple and ingenious: The platform or cabin of the lift is attached to a drive nut moving up and down the screw, powered by an electric motor. When the motor turns one way, the drive nut makes the lift go up, and when the motor turns the other way, the drive nut makes the lift go down.

Benefits of screw-driven lifts

• The screw and nut drive system is very safe and reliable. Thanks to its simplicity and the limited number of moving parts, there is very little that can go wrong.
• While hydraulic lifts are sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, the robust mechanics of screw-driven lifts will continue to function.
• In addition, the screw-driven system is compact enough to fit inside the lift shaft, which is why this type of lift requires no separate machine room, nor extra headroom.
• Another advantage is that most lifts with screw and nut drive do not need a lift pit.
• Screw-driven lifts have a long lifespan (25-30 years with proper maintenance).

Low-maintenance drive system

The screw and nut system requires less maintenance than hydraulic, belt-driven or traction lifts. However, the frequency of maintenance is determined by how often the lift is used and lubrication is key to keeping the system in good health. That is why our lifts are equipped with an automated lubrication system for the screw as standard.

Travelling on an open platform is just as safe as travelling with a conventional lift car or cabin, given that the platform is placed inside a fully enclosed, prefabricated shaft. Kalea platform lift models are equipped with all necessary safety details, such as an emergency stop button and safety edges that will stop the lift at the slightest touch. In addition, the battery-operated emergency lowering system ensures that you can always evacuate the lift without outside help in case of a power cut.

However, the safety of all lifts relies on regular and high-quality lift maintenance. For that reason, you should always make sure to sign a maintenance contract with a company that specialises in your type of lift and drive system.

A platform lift, or vertical platform lift is an elevator that makes you travel up and down the lift shaft on an open platform, instead of in a cabin.

Platform lifts by Kalea travel along a large lifting screw, secured by a safety nut and attached to a drive nut connected to an electric motor. Our platform lifts are available in a wide range of sizes, have a maximum travel of 20 metres and can service up to 6 floors. The rated load ranges from 300 – 1000 kg. Our platform lifts always come with a ready-made shaft enclosure, which can be installed on its own or inside an existing or site-built lift shaft.

Technically, platform lifts are machines, not lifts. That means that they fall under the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Among other things, this means that this type of lift has a maximum speed of 0.15 m/s. According to European standards, the controls on the platform also need to be operated with hold-to-run (constant pressure on the lift button), while call buttons on the landings are operated with automatic drive (you only need to press the button once).

Platform elevators are popular for several reasons. For example, they require no machine room, no lift pit or top machinery. As a result, installing a platform lift requires minimal building modifications, compared to hydraulic and traction lifts, saving time and considerable costs. Platform elevators are widely applicable and can be installed in homes, warehouses, shops, and duplex flats. In addition, their low-impact installation makes them just as suitable for new as for existing buildings.

Kalea Lifts is part of Cibes Lift Group, one of the world’s most innovative manufacturers of space-saving lifts designed for fast and easy installation. Platform lifts are one of the specialities of our company group. Sales, installation, and maintenance services are provided by a global network of subsidiaries and partners. Find out more about our wide range of platform lift solutions:

Public, commercial & residential use – Rated load 300/400/500 kg:

Kalea Luna

Kalea Atmos

Kalea A4 Primo

Residential use – Rated load 300 kg:

Kalea A4 Mini

Goods lift for public & commercial use – Rated load 1000 kg:

Kalea A4 Mille

Yes, you can install a platform lift outside. You just need to prepare the installation site properly and gear up your lift with weather-resistant equipment.

Kalea provides platform lifts that can resist most weather conditions. Our outdoor lifts come in 2 wheelchair-accessible sizes (1000 x 1467 mm and 1100 x 1467 mm) and are designed for a temperature span of approximately – 10 to + 30 degrees Celsius. For more extreme weather conditions we offer a great choice of weather-resistant options and solutions for temperature control.

An outdoor platform lift takes up no space inside the building and offers you direct and comfortable access to the outdoors. Find out more on our outdoor lifts page.

How a platform lift works partly depends on the type of drive system used. For example, there are screw-driven, belt-driven, chain-driven, and hydraulic platform lifts.

All platform lifts by Kalea are screw-driven platform lifts. The passenger platform is securely attached to the lifting screw with a drive nut and a safety nut. The drive nut is connected to an electric motor, rotating the drive nut around the screw to make the platform go either up or down. Our screw-driven system also includes automated lubrication to ensure that the screw is always oiled.

One of the main advantages of our screw-driven system is that it is very robust and reliable, but also compact enough to fit inside the lift shaft (no separate machine room required). In addition, our screw-driven system eliminates the need for extra headroom on the top floor and the need for a lift pit.

How to use a platform lift

According to European standards, platform controls need to be operated with hold-to-run controls (constant pressure on the floor button), while the call buttons operate with automatic drive (one-touch). In countries outside of Europe, one-touch operation may also be allowed for the platform controls. Contact us for more information.

The maximum speed of a platform lift is 0.15 m/s (metres/second). That is because platform lifts technically are machines, not lifts or elevators. For that reason, platform lifts are not regulated by the Lift Directive, but by the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC which limits the speed to 0.15 m/s.

0.15 m/s is a considerably lower speed than many conventional elevators that can travel up to several metres per second. While high speed is essential for elevators installed in high-rise buildings with 10-30 floors, it is much less important when the lift only needs to serve a few floors.

The higher the lift speed, the greater the strain on the building. That is why conventional elevators need to be secured by bulky concrete shafts and deep lift pits that take up a lot of room in the building. This also means that conventional lifts and elevators require more construction work and have a much bigger structural impact than platform lifts.

Why are platform lifts slower than conventional elevators?

High-speed lifts are regulated by the Lift Directive 2014/33/EC, while platform lifts fall under the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Although platform lifts do the same job as conventional lifts, they are classified as machinery and 0,15 m/s is the maximum speed of machinery.

The main difference between a platform lift and an elevator is that the lift car of a platform lift is an open platform instead of an enclosed cabin. Platform lifts also travel at a lower speed than conventional elevators. Another difference is that the controls inside a platform lift have hold-to-run operation (constant pressure on the button) in countries following EU Standards.

Platform lifts vs conventional passenger elevators

While elevators require a deep pit and a big headroom, vertical platform lifts need no pit and only a small headroom (2300-2400 mm). In addition, platform lifts do not need a masonry/concrete shaft because they come with a ready-made lift shaft.

Do you want to learn more? Then visit our platform lifts page.

The short answer is no, platform lifts do not require a pit. A platform lift can be installed with a small pit of only 5 cm or directly on the ground (with an access ramp). However, Kalea also provides platform lifts for goods and stretchers, with a rated load of 1000 kg. These lifts need a slightly deeper pit of 13 cm but can also be installed without a pit, if you create a customised, site-built access ramp.

It is possible to install a 2-floor platform lift with a rated load of 300 – 500 kg in as little as 2-3 days. Our bigger platform lifts with a rated load of 1000 kg, and our cabin lifts can be installed within 3-5 days (2-floor lift).

If the lift needs to serve more than 2 floors, the installation time will increase. The higher the lift, the longer it will take to build it, but it never takes a long time to install a platform lift.

Why are platform lifts so easy to install?

All lifts by Kalea are machine room less and need very little building adaptation thanks to their low pit and minimal headroom. In addition, most of our lift models come with a ready-made lift shaft so you do not need to build one unless you want to. If you would like to learn more about our easy buying and installation process, you can read more about it here.

Installation time of conventional elevators

Conventional traction or hydraulic elevators often take several weeks, sometimes even months, to install. This is because you need to build a masonry shaft around the elevator and make more extensive building adaptations, given that conventional elevators generally need a deep pit and a lot of space above the elevator for the top machinery. Many hydraulic elevators also need to fit a big hydraulic tank next to the elevator.
Learn more about the installation time of conventional elevators here.

One of the main advantages of platform lifts is that they are space-saving, ready-made lift solutions that have a minimal structural impact on the building. A platform lift can be installed directly on the ground, without a lift pit. It only needs minimal headroom on the top floor and requires no separate machine room.

In addition, a vertical platform lift is delivered with everything you need for installation, including a prefabricated lift shaft that is available with full panoramic glazing. Thanks to the ready-made shaft, you only need to make the necessary openings between the floors. You do not need to build a costly and cumbersome concrete shaft to install a platform lift.

The type of lift that is best for your home depends on several different factors, for example:

1. How much space do you have for the lift (w x d, mm)?
2. How many floors should the lift serve?
3. How many passengers do you want the lift to transport?
4. Should the lift be wheelchair accessible?
5. How big is your budget?

If you are on a tight budget and only need a lift that can transport one passenger at a time, a chair lift (stairlift with a chair) may be enough to make your home accessible. However, for wheelchair users, a chair lift is not ideal. Firstly, making the transfer between your wheelchair and the chairlift is tricky and may require assistance. Secondly, you will need to have a wheelchair waiting for you on each floor to get around the house.
Platform stairlifts or inclined platform lifts that can take wheelchairs and walkers may be a better and safer choice for wheelchair users, but just like chair lifts, platform stairlifts are limited to transporting one passenger at a time and are only designed for people with impaired mobility.

Home lifts

Home lifts, such as vertical platform elevators and cabin elevators, are comfortable and safe to use not only for wheelchair users but for everyone. Unlike stairlifts and chair lifts, home lifts can transport multiple passengers as well as furniture, cleaning equipment and heavy between floors. While stairlifts and chair lifts are often dismantled before a house sale, home elevators are considered a great selling point and add considerable real estate value to your home.

Home lifts by Kalea are ready-made, space-saving vertical lift solutions. Or residential lifts come in a wide range of sizes and are designed for fast and easy installation. We offer vertical cabin lifts with automatic drive (one-touch operation) and vertical platform lifts with a combination of automatic drive (for the landings) and hold-to-run operation (constant pressure on the button for the platform controls).

Explore our collection of residential lifts!

Residential platform lifts for 2-5 passengers:

Kalea Luna

Kalea Atmos

Kalea A4 Primo

Domestic platform lift for 1-3 passengers:

Kalea A4 Mini

Residential cabin lift for 2-8 passengers:

Kalea C1 Futura

 

Our smallest residential elevator size has a platform size of 600 x 830 mm and fits in less than 1m2 (1000×993 mm)! In other words, if you have enough space to fit a closet, you have enough room to install a home elevator.

The Kalea Atmos and the Kalea A4 Mini come in the smallest lift size. The smallest size of the Kalea Luna is also a very space-saving alternative.

The short answer is yes, in most countries a home lift requires planning permission. To get help and guidance on what permissions are mandatory in your country, we advise you to contact the local authority that grants planning permissions or talk to your Kalea dealer.

The answer is that it depends on what country you live in. In many European countries all lift installations, regardless of whether the lift is installed in a public, commercial, or private setting, need to be inspected, but that is not the case for every country.

Talk to your Kalea dealer to find out what rules apply to your country, but either way, you do not need to do anything. If a lift inspection is required, your Kalea dealer will handle all the arrangements.

Yes, it is perfectly possible to add an elevator to an existing home, and if you choose a lift solution by Kalea, buying and installing a lift is an easy and smooth process. Our home elevators are ready-made, space-saving and machine room less. These qualities enable our residential lifts to integrate seamlessly with your home, causing minimal disruption to your everyday life. In fact, a 2-floor residential elevator by Kalea can be installed in as little as 2-3 days.

How much space is needed for a home elevator?

If you have enough room enough to fit a wardrobe, you have enough space to install a home elevator. Our smallest lift size fits in just 1m2! So, if you have enough space to fit a wardrobe in a straight vertical line through all the floors you want the lift to serve, you have enough room for a residential elevator.

Thanks to their super-compact design, it is possible to install a Kalea home lift in very small and narrow spaces, like the centre of your staircase.

If you still cannot find enough space for a lift on the inside of your home, we also provide outdoor lifts, equipped to handle almost any weather conditions.

The best choice of home lift depends on your personal needs and requirements. Start by asking yourself questions about your needs to narrow down your choice.

• What is the available space for the lift (w x d, mm)?
• How many floors do you need the lift to serve?
• How many passengers do you need the lift to carry?
• Does the lift need to accommodate a wheelchair?
• What is your budget?

Choosing the right lift type for your home

If your lift needs to carry more than one passenger at a time and cover multiple floors, the best choice is a vertical lift solution, like a platform lift or a cabin lift. If, on the other hand, the lift only needs to transport one passenger at a time, and just cover a few floors, a stairlift/chairlift may suffice.

To learn more, read our blog about  buying a home lift, or contact us to get in touch with your closest dealer. All Kalea dealers offer you free quotations and advice.

The short answer is no, our home lifts are not noisy. In fact, we have developed optimised drive systems that make the sound of a Kalea home elevator blend in with the sounds of everyday life. Thanks to our optimised drive, our residential lifts only generate 40 dB, just a few metres from the lift, which equates to the sound level of a quiet library.

What lift solution is the best choice for you depends on your specific needs and situation. Both home lifts and stairlifts will make your home more accessible but they each have their pros and cons.

Pros and cons of home lifts

A home lift is a passenger platform/cabin that travels vertically between floors inside an enclosed lift shaft. Home lifts by Kalea are ready-made, screw-driven elevator solutions that are very space-efficient and are delivered with everything you need for installation.

• Kalea home lifts require only minor building adaptations.
• Our home lifts take 2-3 days to install.
• Home lifts are designed for all kinds of users, with or without, mobility issues.
• A home lift can transport multiple passengers as well as heavy objects.
• Kalea home lifts have a starting price of about 20 000 € (2 floors).
• Our home lifts have a lifetime of approximately 25 years.
• Installing a Kalea home lift adds considerable real estate value to your home.

Pros and cons of stairlifts

A stairlift makes a chair or an open platform travel diagonally above the steps of the stairs, attached to rails or tubes.

• Chair lifts or inclined platform lifts (stairlifts with a platform) require very little construction work.
• Stairlifts require almost no building adaptations.
• A stair lift generally takes 1-2 days to install.
• Stairlifts and chair lifts are designed for users with impaired mobility.
• Chair lifts and stairlifts can only transport 1 passenger.
• Stairlifts and chair lifts have a starting price of about 4500 – 9500 € (straight staircase).
• Most stairlifts have a lifetime of approximately 6-10 years.
• Installing a stairlift almost never adds real estate value to your home.

Whatever you choose, you should consider both your immediate and long-term needs. For example, if you have a condition that you know will decrease your mobility over time, it may be wiser to invest in a home lift, especially if you are considering a chair lift. Why? Simply because you need a certain strength and mobility to safely use a chair lift, even more so if you need to transfer from a wheelchair to a chair lift.

The short answer is no. Your home lift should always be installed by a trained and certified lift technician. All Kalea dealers are trained and certified to install our type of lift and it is important that your lift is installed by a professional for several reasons:

The CE mark. At the end of the installation, a thorough safety check ensuring that your home elevator is allowed to carry the CE mark is performed. That safety check must be performed by a professional for us to issue the Declaration of Conformity that allows your lift to carry the CE mark.

Quality and safety. In fact, our dealers will refuse to sell you a lift if you install it yourself, simply because they cannot guarantee the quality and safety of the elevator if it is not installed by a professional.

Manufacturer Warranty. The manufacturer warranty, that Kalea Lifts provides for all elevators leaving our factory, becomes void if the lift is not installed by a trained and certified professional.

Most modern residential elevators are very safe, but you should always check the certification of the elevator solution that you are planning to buy.

Compliance with lift safety standards

Check with your lift manufacturer that the lift carries a safety label like the CE mark or the UL seal. These are labels that guarantee that the lift fulfils verifiable and well-established safety standards, such as the European Safety Standards for the CE mark and the US Safety Standards for the UL seal. All elevator solutions by Kalea are CE type certified by the notified body Liftinstituut to comply with relevant EU standards.

Lift maintenance and lift safety

Of course, you should always go for proven and high-quality lift technology, but the truth is that the safety of your residential elevator is determined by the quality of its maintenance. All Kalea dealers are trained and certified to maintain our type of lifts. That means that all you need to do is contact your closest Kalea dealer and ask for a maintenance plan and a maintenance contract.

Depending on what country and city you live in, you may be entitled to a home modification grant or compensation to buy a home lift. Grants to make your home accessible are normally approved case by case, depending on your income and specific situation. That means that many countries will reserve grants only for those in need of a residential lift for mobility reasons.

In Europe, you should apply via the regional or local authorities in the country where you are registered. We recommend that you check with your local authorities to see if it is possible to receive a subsidy for installing a home lift. You should always make sure to specify what type of lift solution you need (a vertical platform or a stairlift, for example), as the possibility of compensation may vary.

The cost of maintaining a lift depends on the drive system, how frequently it is used and where it is installed. Outdoor lifts generally require more regular maintenance and the same goes for lifts in busy public or commercial environments, such as schools or train stations.

How much does it cost to maintain a Kalea lift?

The cost of lift maintenance varies between different countries and is determined by your local Kalea service provider, depending on how often your lift is used and in what setting it is installed. The more the lift is used the more service visits you need and that will of course influence the cost. The same goes for the setting. The more wear and tear the lift endures, the more frequently it will need service.

However, all lifts by Kalea are screw-driven and require less frequent maintenance than traction lifts and hydraulic lifts, for example.

The absolute minimum for our lifts is set to 1 service visit per year, but if your lift is heavily used, you will need service visits more frequently.

Contact us or your closest Kalea dealer for more information.

Yes, residential elevators like vertical platform lifts and cabin lifts will add value to your home. Exactly how much property value a home lift will add to your home is hard to say, given that it depends on factors such as buyer demographics, lift type and how common residential elevators are in the area where you live. However, a comfortable and attractive-looking platform lift, or cabin lift, will always make your residential property stand out in comparison with others and is likely to and make your home more attractive to potential buyers and tenants.

Monetary value aside, residential elevators enhance the comfort of your home and have a positive effect on your quality of life. A home lift can transport much more than people between floors, for example, vacuum cleaners, laundry baskets, heavy boxes, or furniture. This means that a domestic lift can help you with your everyday chores. Not to mention the fact that a residential elevator plays an important part in the futureproofing of your home. If want to continue to live in your beloved home as you grow older, installing a home lift is definitely worth considering.

A home elevator has a starting price of approximately 20 000 € for a 2-stop lift. This is a very rough price estimate that only is valid for residential lifts manufactured, transported, and installed within the same continent. If the elevator needs to be transported by ship or aeroplane to other continents, this will of course increase the price. The same if the surrounding construction work, such as building a concrete or masonry shaft, is not included in your quoted price.

What factors influence the price of a home lift?

Several factors besides transportation and construction costs affect the price of your home lift, such as:

1. Your choice of lift model and size.
2. The number of floors of your lift.
3. If your home lift is installed indoors or outdoors.
4. Your choice of colours and materials.
5. Your choice of home elevator accessories.

How much does a residential lift by Kalea cost?

A home elevator by Kalea, for 2 floors, costs about 20 000 € – 45 000 €, depending on your choice of lift model, accessories, and design options. To minimise your construction costs, most of our residential lifts include a ready-made lift shaft of glass or steel panels, so you do not need to worry about building one.

Why are home lifts by Kalea less expensive?

All lift models by Kalea are designed to be fast and easy to manufacture, install and maintain:

1. Our lifts are delivered in ready-made elements and most lift models even include a ready-made lift shaft.
2. Our lifts are fast and easy to install. In fact, it is possible to install a 2-stop lift in as little as 2-3 days.
3. Thanks to our prefabricated, space-saving construction our lifts require only minimal building adaptations. And, time is money, especially when it comes to building work.
4. Our screw-driven system is low-maintenance. It is so simple and robust that very little can go wrong. In addition, our lifts always come with an automatic lubrication system as standard.

To learn more about home elevator prices in general, visit our Home Lift Price page. To design your residential lift, before you ask for a quotation, check out our user-friendly Lift Configurator.

The minimum room required for a lift is roughly 1 m2, which equates to the space you need for a wardrobe. However, the amount of space you need to install an elevator depends on the type of elevator and elevator size you need. High-speed traction and hydraulic elevators take up much more space than vertical platform lifts, for example. If you need a lift for 6-8 passengers, it will be bigger than a lift for 1-2 passengers.

How much space do you need to install a Kalea lift?

For Kalea it is 1 m2, or 0,993 m2 to be exact. Our smallest lift size 600 x 830 mm has a cut-out size of 1000 x 993 mm (w x d), e.g., the space you need for the opening between floors. The Kalea Atmos and the Kalea Mini are available in our smallest size. However, this is a very tiny lift size, suited for 1 standing passenger and way too small for a wheelchair.
For a wheelchair-friendly home lift, you need a platform size of around 1000 x 1267 mm (cut-out size of approx. 2,0 m2) or a cabin size of 1100 x 1200 mm (cut-out size of approx. 2,3 m2 – 2,75 m2).

For wheelchair-accessible lifts in public and commercial settings, you need to go bigger. According to EU standards, the platform needs to be a minimum of 900 x 1467 mm (cut-out size of approx. 2,3 m2) and for a cabin lift 1100 x 1400 mm (cut-out size of approx. 2,6 m2 – 3,1 m2).

If you need a large goods lift with the capacity to transport goods pallets, groups of 8-10 people or stretchers, you need to go even bigger, preferably to a platform size of 1405 x 2480. Such a large lift has a cut-out size of 1895 x 2610 mm (w x d) and needs almost 5 m2 to be installed.

Regardless of what Kalea lift model you choose, they are very space-efficient, because they require neither a big headroom nor a deep lift pit. In addition, all our lifts are machine room less (MRL), meaning that they need no separate machine room.

Most people can fit an elevator in their house, given that you only need about 1 m2 to install one. 1m2 is roughly the space you need to build a closet and the smallest lift size of the Kalea Atmos and the Kalea Mini, (600 x 830 mm, w x d), fits in just 0,993 m2 and the smallest size of the Kalea Luna (625 x 950 mm, w x d) in about 1,1 m2.

Space-saving residential elevators

Kalea platform lifts are very compact and can be fitted in small and narrow spaces like the centre of a staircase. Unlike most lifts, our platform lifts do not require a separate machine room or a lift pit. On the top floor, a headroom (the floor-to-ceiling height) of 2,3-2,4 m is all you need for a standard door. In addition, all our platform lifts come with a space-saving, ready-made lift shaft in glass or steel panels so there is no need to build a big and bulky concrete shaft. All this makes it easy to fit our lifts into your home without major structural alterations.

No space for an elevator inside your house?

If you do not find a good location for a lift inside your home, installing a lift on the outside of your house is also possible. An outdoor lift is not only a space-saving solution but offers you comfortable and direct access to your garden. Outdoor lifts by Kalea are equipped to handle tough weather conditions, including snow and rain.

What kind of maintenance your lift needs mainly depends on the type of drive system, the age of the lift and whether it is installed indoors or outdoors. Regardless of lift type and other factors, lift maintenance should be performed regularly and only by trained and certified technicians.

The maintenance of Kalea’s screw-driven lifts includes checks of essential elevator functions and safety features, as well as the lubrication of the screw. Our lifts come with a smart automated lubrication system that ensures that the lifting screw is well-oiled, but the system needs to be recharged with fresh oil from time to time.

What is not included in lift maintenance?

Over time, certain parts may need changing or repairs. The cost of changes and repairs is generally not included in your lift maintenance contract. Depending on the conditions in your maintenance contract, unplanned maintenance may also cost extra.

All Kalea dealers are trained and certified to maintain our lifts. Contact us for more information.

Lift cleaning is also lift maintenance

You should never touch or clean the moving parts, machinery, circuit boards or cables of the lift yourself. The cleaning of the lift pit should always be performed by a trained technician.

However, we do advise you to clean the surfaces of the lift regularly because a clean lift will last longer and look better. In addition, regular cleaning reduces the risk of spreading germs and viruses.

Use a microfiber cloth for dusting and a cloth or sponge with water and mild household detergent to clean metal and/or glazed surfaces. Just make sure that no water gets inside the lift buttons or other electronic components.

How often a lift should be maintained, mainly depends on lift type and frequency of use. In addition, outdoor lifts and lifts in busy public or commercial environments may need more frequent maintenance than indoor lifts in private homes.

For our screw-driven lifts, the minimum is 1 service visit per year, but if the lift is heavily used, it will need service more frequently. Since 2018, all our lifts include a trip-counting system as standard. Thanks to the system, lift technicians can check how many trips or travels your lift has made since the last service visit and adapt your maintenance accordingly.

All Kalea dealers are trained and certified to maintain our lifts. Contact your Kalea dealer to make a maintenance plan that suits your needs and specific situation.

Yes, many elevators can have doors on 3 sides of the lift shaft, but it is more common to have doors on only 1 or 2 sides of the shaft.

Even when you have doors on 3 sides of the shaft of an elevator, it is more common to have 1-2 doors per floor. Each floor can have its own door configuration. When all doors are placed on 1 side of the elevator shaft, it is called “single entry”. When the doors are placed on opposite sides of the shaft it is called “open-through access” and when the doors are placed at a 90-degree angle from each other, it is called “adjacent access”.

Top left: Single entry Top right: Open-through Bottom: Adjacent

All Kalea platform lifts can have door openings on 3 sides of the shaft. The only exceptions are the smallest lift sizes of the Kalea Luna, Kalea Atmos and the Kalea Mini.

Speaking in general terms, the UN recommends a wheelchair lift with an enclosed cabin or lift car to be at least 1000 x 1300 mm (w x d), while European Standards require a platform size of at least 900 x 1400 mm (w x d) for public and commercial spaces. To know what accessibility requirements apply to your country, contact us, or talk to your local Kalea dealer.

A wheelchair elevator for residential use can be as small as you want as long as it suits your needs. However, we advise you to pick a lift size with at least 800 mm wide doors. It is also best to measure your wheelchair to make sure that it fits inside the lift, adding at least 100 mm on each side for manoeuvring space.

All Kalea lift models except the Kalea A4 Mini offers you several wheelchair-accessible lift sizes. Visit our technical data page to discover all lift sizes or our wheelchair lifts page for more tips and advice.

In general, most wheelchair lifts can take between 250-500 kg, but the rated load of a wheelchair lift is in direct correlation with the lift size. In fact, the larger the lift, the more weight it needs to take. This makes perfect sense because a large lift can fit more people and wheelchairs than a small one.

What is the load capacity of a wheelchair lift by Kalea?

Our wheelchair-accessible platform lifts have a rated load of 400 -1000 kg, while our wheelchair-accessible cabin lifts have a rated load of 385-630 kg.

Like for all wheelchair lifts, our smaller lift sizes have a lower rated load than our larger ones, but the power supply also influences the rated load. Technically, a 3-phase power supply provides more power than a 1-phase connection. For that reason, a 3-phase power supply is required for our rated loads of 500 kg or higher.

Visit our wheelchair lifts page to learn more.

A wheelchair lift, or simply a platform lift, is a lift designed to transport a person in a wheelchair between floors, split levels, or other level differences. This type of lift is a great solution to make homes, commercial buildings, and public spaces compliant with accessibility standards.

A wheelchair lift must meet certain requirements to be fully compliant with accessibility standards, such as large and user-friendly lift controls and a platform size that is big enough to accommodate a wheelchair. According to European Standards, a wheelchair lift for public or commercial spaces should have a platform size of at least 900 x 1400 mm (w x d), but some European countries require larger dimensions. For a private home, you can go smaller, but we advise you to pick a lift size that can have 800 mm wide doors and to measure your wheelchair to make sure that it fits inside the lift, adding at least 100 mm on each side for manoeuvring space.

All lift models by Kalea, except the Kalea A4 Mini, offer you a range of wheelchair-friendly lift sizes.