Porch lifts for homes where a ramp won't fit
For high entrances or small yards, a porch lift can do what a 30-foot ramp can't. Here's how platform lifts work, when they beat a ramp, and what they typically cost.
Ask about a porch liftOr call (254) 276-5132
Porch lifts at a glance
$3,600–$20,000typical range for wheelchair platform lifts in national cost guides
- Fits where a ramp won't
- Useful for high entrances and small lots
- Not covered by VA HISA
What a porch lift is
A porch lift, also called a vertical platform lift, is a small open-sided elevator for the outside of a house. The person rolls onto a platform with safety walls, presses a button, and the platform rises to the porch. Most residential models run on standard household power and include a battery backup or manual lowering so no one gets stranded during an outage.
Where a ramp trades height for length, a lift needs only a few feet of floor space next to the porch, whatever the height.
Lift or ramp? How to decide
Start with the ramp calculator. If your entrance is 30 inches high, a ramp needs about 30 feet of slope plus landings. Many families compare a lift once a ramp would run longer than about 30 feet, or when the yard simply can't fit one.
A lift is usually the better fit when:
- The entrance is high, such as a raised pier-and-beam house or a second-level deck.
- The front yard is small, sloped, or crossed by a driveway.
- The person has limited arm strength and would struggle up a long ramp, even with help.
A ramp is usually the better fit when the entrance is low, space allows, and you want a solution with no moving parts or power needs. Ramps also cost less for most entrance heights. Compare ramp costs.
Paying for a porch lift
Funding is more limited for lifts than ramps. The VA specifically excludes porch lifts and vertical platform lifts from the HISA benefit, though the VA may provide them through other programs; ask your VA prosthetics office. Original Medicare generally doesn't cover them either, since they're treated as home modifications. Texas Medicaid and some Medicare Advantage plans may help in limited cases. See what Medicare covers.
Owning a lift
Unlike a ramp, a lift has a motor, controls, and safety sensors, so it needs periodic servicing. Before you buy, ask about the warranty, who services it locally, how quickly they respond to a breakdown, and how the lift lowers if the power goes out. Outdoor units should have weather covers for Central Texas storms.
Porch lift questions
How much does a porch lift cost?
National cost guides put wheelchair platform lifts at roughly $3,600 to $20,000, with many homeowners spending under $10,000. Height, whether the lift is enclosed, and site work drive the price.
Does the VA pay for porch lifts?
Porch lifts and vertical platform lifts are excluded from the VA's HISA benefit. The VA may provide them through other programs, so ask your VA prosthetics office.
What happens to a porch lift in a power outage?
Most residential lifts include battery backup or a manual lowering option. Confirm this before buying.
How much space does a porch lift need?
Far less than a ramp. A lift typically needs a few feet of level space beside the porch, while a ramp needs about a foot of length for every inch of height.
Request a free ramp estimate
Tell us a little about the entrance and who the ramp is for. A local installer will call you to set up a time to measure. There is no cost for the estimate and no obligation.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (254) 276-5132.
If you plan to use a VA HISA grant, check the box. The installer will know to write the quote in a form you can include with your VA paperwork.