1:6 Ramp or Step Lift

mrcol1000

We have some steps at the front of the house and I am slowing becoming wheelchair bound. For various reasons we have to choose between an external step lift or a 1:6 gradient ramp (1:12 is the normal standard). The council has offered us a Disability Access Grant to pay for the lift but due to private income we have to pay the first £1500 of the lift with them covering the rest. We have lots of companies look at the problem and they have all said that either we have a lift or a 1:6 ramp. A longer one is just not possible due to space and rights of way. The ramp would cost £1500 so would be the same as our contribution to the lift anyway. We own our house.

I wondered if anyone had experience of an external step lift? Or of 1:6 ramp? The surveyor said it was fairly easy to push someone up that gradient or for an electric wheelchair to do it. We have gone through about 1000 options and an whole army of people looking at the problem and these are our two options. Thanks in advance for anyone's thoughts.

w06

I'd avoid a 1:6 ramp. I think it's less steep than that but there's a relatively steep ramp on the way to my office and it's very difficult for most people to push me up it, impossible for me to do myself. In addition going down especially the angle the chair ends up feels quite unstable, I've nearly toppled out a couple of times

teddysmum

Have you tried private quotations, as council subcontracted work can be expensive and shoddy.


In the next street to ours, a couple have a wheelchair bound son and they have had a zigzag ramp across the front lawn, so a very gentle incline, with a side entrance/exit,for people on foot.

UKSBD

How high is the step?


1:6 should be fine over short distances but the higher (longer) the ramp the gradient should be shallower.

Cyclamen

I think I would find 1 in 6 quite steep. I find I slip forwards in my chair on some of the steeper ramps so I need leg strength to stay seated, which isn't my strong point.

I know its a lot more expensive and may not be possible but my neighbours have just moved their front door round to the side of the house as they didn't have enough room for a ramp between door and pavement.

Could the door be set back into the house to allow a gentler gradient?

Where does the back door lead? One of my options was a ramp into the garden and making a new gate in the fence?

If you choose the outdoor lift who will service and maintain it? If the council will be responsible for future repairs I'd loo at that.

I personally would choose a method that meant I could enter/exit on my own. Having used an indoor stair lift and various lifts when out I prefer ramps but if that isn't possible the lift.

I've not really been much help .. but I would try testing a wheelchair on a 1:6 gradient and check the specifications of some powerchairs.. mine would cope i've been in others that wont.

mrcol1000

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. The backdoor has worse space and is just as high as the front. It is 80cm height from drive to front door. There is no where else the front door can really go and I think it would be the same problem wherever it went. We have personally got all the quotes, the council have been useless. They were suppose to find a solution but failed to do much after deciding a 1:12 ramp was out. We have done it all ourselves. It really is an impossible situation as need something and the only solution seems to be ramp that is too steep or an expensive to maintain lift that might break down and leave me stranded.

Cyclamen

mrcol.

it's worth checking with the council about maintaining the lift.. they may fund this. I have friends who get their stair lifts funded and serviced by council and some who don't.

Is the rest of your home accessible and 'future proof'? If you may have to self in the future the lift would be easier to remove to make house more attractive than a steep slope.

kingfisherblue

Not a lift, but a loo - this is about maintenance. My son has a Closomat toilet, which washes and dries him as he cannot do this himself. It was installed by the council when they built a wetroom. We had a DFG and had to contribute some money ourselves.

The Closomat is quite expensive and requires an annual service. I had to decide whether we would take ownership ot not. If we took ownership, we would have to pay for annual servicing and possible replacement if that was necessary. We would also be responsible for any repair costs and replacement parts.

We chose not to take ownership. This means that the council still own the toilet. They pay for servicing, repairs, etc, and have replaced the toilet once, when spare parts were unavailable for the original model that we had. If we ever move, the council will remove the toilet and replace with an ordinary one. However, they will reinstall it in a new property.

So Cyclamen's suggestion of finding out who will maintain an outdoor lift is a really good one. It is likely to be safer than a 1:6 gradient ramp, and would be my preferred option of the two.

mrcol1000

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Not a lift, but a loo - this is about maintenance. My son has a Closomat toilet, which washes and dries him as he cannot do this himself. It was installed by the council when they built a wetroom. We had a DFG and had to contribute some money ourselves.

The Closomat is quite expensive and requires an annual service. I had to decide whether we would take ownership ot not. If we took ownership, we would have to pay for annual servicing and possible replacement if that was necessary. We would also be responsible for any repair costs and replacement parts.

We chose not to take ownership. This means that the council still own the toilet. They pay for servicing, repairs, etc, and have replaced the toilet once, when spare parts were unavailable for the original model that we had. If we ever move, the council will remove the toilet and replace with an ordinary one. However, they will reinstall it in a new property.

So Cyclamen's suggestion of finding out who will maintain an outdoor lift is a really good one. It is likely to be safer than a 1:6 gradient ramp, and would be my preferred option of the two.

Thank you. That is really useful to know. If the council were responsible for it and owned it then it would be make choosing it far easier. Hoping to have a meeting with the council this week so will find out if they would pay for maintenance.

[Deleted User]

OP what about a removable ramp? wouldn't matter then what gradient it was or how much space it takes up as would only be used when going in or out ?

mrcol1000

venison wrote: »

OP what about a removable ramp? wouldn't matter then what gradient it was or how much space it takes up as would only be used when going in or out ?

Thanks but I think they are looking at something like 32 feet long to meet a 1:12 gradient. You'd probably need a team of people to put it in place and then bring it up. We aren't bothered about having the ramp there all the time if could manage a 1:6 gradient. Also although it will be there permanently, its modular so counted as temporary so doesn't have to meet building regulations.