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Having been contacted by a Local Authority, we visited the home of a family who were in receipt of a Disabled Facilities Grant (click to find out more). These government grants help towards the cost of making changes to a property so that someone who is affected by a condition can continue to live there. In this case, the family needed the means to take their child upstairs, often along with equipment.
The obvious choice was a home lift that would accommodate the family’s requirements. There’d be no need for patient transfers, a factor that was important given that children continue to grow until adolescence. The beauty of the most modern through-floor lifts is that they need very little space. Many, like the Stiltz range, are self-supporting so don’t even require a supporting wall.
Having Trusted Assessors as part of the team meant that, rather than just installing a lift to take its users between floors, C&P were able to look at other ways the home could work better for the family and even future-proof it. Having a range of skilled tradesmen as part of the team meant, from start to finish, everything could be done by ourselves. Conversations could take place how each decision made would impact other elements of the home adaptation.
The timescale of each element could be factored in, without relying on the schedule of third parties. The benefit of this is that the amount of disruption for the clients is reduced.
The Wessex VE (Vertical Enclosed) 31 lift was chosen for its ability to accommodate multiple passengers, for those travelling with a carer. The model is easy to use whilst looking sleek and stylish in the young family’s recently-modernised home. Like the Stiltz models, it is a free-standing model, requiring no supporting walls, and allowing speedy installation.
Several locations for the lift were considered to ensure the final position would best suit the couple, their child and any carers or health professionals visiting. This meant that as well as removing a chimney breast both in the extended dining room and upstairs bedroom, the wall between the living room and dining room was taken down as well. For this, third-party structural engineers were involved, to ensure the integrity of the property was maintained. However, everything else was done in-house.
The taking down of this dividing wall meant that the family had much more room to care for and play with their child. The room could accommodate any specialist equipment that would inevitably grow to accommodate a growing child. Particularly special was the fact there was then more room for physio sessions.
With the extended dining room and living room becoming one space, unnecessary doors were removed and a single wider doorway was engineered, which was strengthened with pillars and a supporting lintel. This adaptation would allow easier wheelchair movement. And with a sliding door fitted, even more space was saved.
As well as plastering the newly-exposed bricks and blocks, painting the new door and its frame, the radiators in the kitchen and hallway were replaced. The large double radiator in the hallway in particular, would make a significant difference to ensuring the home felt warm after months of it feeling drafty.
Once the carpets had been laid in the bedroom and larger downstairs living space, final adjustments to the Wessex VE 31 could be made.
The large glass windows make the lift feel spacious and allow light to pass through the room. With its own lighting, the users would never arrive into a dark room at night.
Whether it’s tackling the demands of installing an in-home lift or installing a simple stairlift, we make mobility easy. We can help with accessing parts of your home and even outside your home. And we’ll be with you every step of the way. From the initial free consultation to exceptional aftercare, because we’re British Healthcare Trade Association members, you’re in safe hands. Because we care about being able to always be on hand in the unlikely event of a issue with your product, we only serve our local regions of Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
To start a conversation about your home improvements call 0114 2293388. We can arrange a free, no-obligation home consultation with our experts. Alternatively, email websales@clarkandpartners.co.uk and someone will get back to you.
