Fitted prices · what is included
Stairlift cost with installation
In the UK, a stairlift price is normally quoted fitted — £2,000 to £4,000 for a straight lift, £4,000 to £10,000 for a curved one, installation included. Where installation is charged separately it is usually £500 to £1,500. The useful question is not the number, it is what the number covers.
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What a fitted price should include
Ask for these in writing. A supplier who will not itemise them is not one to buy from.
| Item | Normally included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home survey and measurement | Yes | Free from every mainstream supplier. Essential on a curved staircase |
| Delivery and fitting | Yes | Straight lift is typically half a day; curved takes longer |
| Fixing to the stair treads | Yes | The rail bolts to the stairs, not the wall, on almost every modern lift |
| Handover and demonstration | Yes | Insist the actual user is shown, not just whoever booked it |
| Warranty on parts and labour | Yes | Length varies a lot between suppliers. Get it in writing |
| Taking away the packaging | Yes | Should not need asking |
| A new electrical spur or socket | Often no | If there is no socket near the top or bottom of the stairs, this is extra |
| Removing an existing stairlift | Often no | Sometimes free if the old lift is a resaleable straight one — it may be worth money to you |
| Carpet alteration or refitting | No | The rail sits on the treads. Carpet fitters, not lift engineers |
| Making good after removal, years later | No | Belongs to whoever removes it. Removal → |
How long installation takes
Straight: usually a half day
Two to four hours on site is normal. The lift is a stock item cut to your staircase, so there is no manufacturing lead time — many suppliers fit within a week of survey, and some next day.
Curved: a full day, weeks after the survey
The rail is manufactured to your staircase. Expect several weeks between survey and fitting. Anybody promising a curved lift in days is fitting a reconditioned modular rail, which is fine — but you should know that is what you are buying.
No structural work, no mess
No walls are touched. You are left with a rail bolted to the treads and a plug or spur at one end. It is not a building job and it does not need permission in a house you own.
One: the total fitted price, with anything excluded listed. Two: the warranty period for parts and for labour, which are often different. Three: what happens if the survey finds something the phone quote did not — specifically, whether the price can go up, and by how much. A supplier who commits to that in writing is telling you something useful about how they operate.
Questions people ask
Is installation included in a stairlift price?
From the mainstream UK suppliers, yes — quoted prices are normally fitted, including the survey, delivery, installation, handover and warranty. Where installation is charged separately it is commonly £500 to £1,500. Always ask for a single total with exclusions listed.
How much does stairlift installation cost on its own?
Typically £500 to £1,500 when charged separately, which is most common if you have bought a lift independently rather than from a supplier who fits. Bear in mind many fitters will not install a lift they did not supply, because they cannot warrant it.
How long does it take to fit a stairlift?
A straight stairlift is usually two to four hours and can often be fitted within a week of the survey. A curved lift takes a full day to fit and several weeks to manufacture, because the rail is made for your staircase.
Does a stairlift need building work or permission?
No. The rail bolts to the stair treads, not the wall or the structure. No planning permission or building regulations approval is needed in a house you own. If you rent, you need your landlord's written permission because it is an alteration.
Do I need an electrician?
Only if there is no socket near the top or bottom of the stairs. A stairlift plugs into a normal 13A socket and charges its own batteries. If a new spur is needed, that is usually quoted as an extra and it is a small job.
Will they take my old stairlift away?
Often yes, and sometimes free — if the old lift is a straight one in working order it has resale value to them. Ask whether they are charging for removal or paying you for the lift, because those are the same transaction priced differently.
Get a fitted price for your stairs
Tell us how many steps and whether the staircase turns. We will pass it to a supplier who quotes fitted prices with exclusions listed, rather than a headline figure that grows on survey day.
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