Platform lifts have become an essential component in modern construction projects, but choosing the right one isn’t as straightforward as picking a model from a catalogue. The decision involves balancing building requirements, user needs, budget constraints, and regulatory compliance—all while ensuring the lift actually fits into the space available.
Getting this choice wrong can mean costly modifications down the line, delays in project completion, or worse, a lift that doesn’t properly serve its intended users. Here’s what construction teams and property developers need to consider when specifying a platform lift for their next project.
Understanding Your Building’s Physical Constraints
The first reality check comes from the building itself. How much space is actually available? Platform lifts need clearance not just for the platform itself, but for the machinery, safety barriers, and access points at each level. Many older buildings present particular challenges here, especially when trying to retrofit accessibility into structures that were never designed with it in mind.
Floor-to-floor height matters more than most people realize at first. A building with unusually high ceilings or multiple intermediate levels might need a different approach than a standard installation. The structural capacity of the floors is another consideration that can’t be ignored—some buildings simply can’t support certain lift configurations without reinforcement work.
Then there’s the question of whether the lift will be installed indoors or outdoors. Weather exposure changes everything from material selection to the type of protective housing required. An outdoor platform lift needs weather-resistant components and proper drainage, which adds complexity (and cost) to the installation.
Matching Capacity to Actual Usage
Weight capacity specifications aren’t just numbers on a spec sheet. They need to reflect real-world usage patterns. A platform lift in a residential care home might regularly carry wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and accompanying carers—all at once. That’s a very different load profile than a platform lift in a small office building that sees occasional use.
Most standard platform lifts handle between 250kg and 400kg, but some applications need more. The problem is that higher capacity often means a larger footprint and more substantial structural support. This is where working with experienced platform lift specialists becomes valuable, as they can assess the actual requirements rather than just selling the biggest model available.
Speed is another factor that gets overlooked until it becomes a bottleneck. Platform lifts are slower than passenger elevators by design (it’s a safety feature), but there’s still variation. A building with high daily usage might need a slightly faster model to avoid queues building up during peak times.
Navigating Building Regulations and Standards
Building regulations around platform lifts can feel overwhelming, but they exist for good reasons. In the UK, lifts need to comply with BS EN 81-41 for vertical platform lifts, and there are additional requirements under Part M of the Building Regulations for accessibility.
The regulations cover everything from emergency lowering systems to alarm buttons, landing gates, and safety sensors. Some of these requirements might seem excessive until you consider what could go wrong without them. A platform lift is a piece of machinery that carries people between levels—the safety standards reflect that responsibility.
Planning permission adds another layer, particularly for external installations or in listed buildings. Some local authorities are more flexible than others, but it’s better to know the situation early rather than discovering issues mid-project. Conservation areas often have stricter requirements about visible alterations to buildings, which might rule out certain external lift configurations.
The Customization Question
Here’s where things get interesting. Standard off-the-shelf platform lifts work fine for straightforward installations, but most construction projects have at least one complicating factor. Maybe the available space is an awkward shape, or the building’s architecture means the lift needs specific finishes to blend in properly.
Bespoke solutions cost more, but sometimes they’re the only option that actually works. A custom-designed platform lift can navigate around structural obstacles, match specific aesthetic requirements, or incorporate features that standard models don’t offer. The trick is figuring out which customizations are necessary and which are just nice to have.
Door configurations matter more than they might seem at first. Through-car access (where users enter and exit from opposite sides) works better in some layouts, while 90-degree access makes sense in others. Getting this wrong creates awkward traffic patterns that frustrate users every single day.
Thinking Beyond Installation Day
A platform lift isn’t a fit-and-forget installation. Ongoing maintenance requirements should factor into the decision from the start. Some models are easier to service than others, and parts availability varies between manufacturers. A cheaper lift that needs frequent repairs and has long parts lead times might end up costing more over its lifetime than a pricier but more reliable alternative.
Service contracts are worth considering early in the process. Most manufacturers offer maintenance packages, but the terms vary considerably. Some include all parts and labour, while others just cover inspections. Understanding what’s included (and what isn’t) helps with long-term budget planning.
The location of the lift also affects maintenance accessibility. A platform lift installed in a tight corner might be cheaper initially but could rack up higher service costs because technicians need more time to access components. It’s one of those details that seems minor until it becomes an ongoing headache.
Making the Final Decision
Choosing a platform lift ultimately comes down to finding the best compromise between competing demands. Budget constraints are real, but so are user needs and regulatory requirements. The buildings that get this right are the ones where all these factors were considered together rather than in isolation.
The best approach involves getting specialist input early, ideally during the design phase rather than when construction is already underway. Changes are always more expensive and disruptive once work has started. A proper site survey can identify potential issues before they become expensive problems, and experienced installers can often suggest solutions that haven’t been considered yet.
Platform lifts are a significant investment in a building’s accessibility and usability. Taking the time to choose the right one—rather than just the cheapest or quickest option—pays off in reliability, user satisfaction, and long-term cost savings. The buildings that work best for everyone are the ones where accessibility was planned thoughtfully from the start, not bolted on as an afterthought.
