Home Elevators: The New Must-Have For Aging Comfortably At Home

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22/05/2025
3:15 am

Remember when home elevators were just for the uber-wealthy? That notion is as outdated as rotary phones.

I’ve spent the last decade helping Metro Vancouver homeowners reimagine their living spaces, and I’m seeing a dramatic shift in how people approach long-term housing solutions.

Current image: Home Elevators The New Must-Have For Aging Comfortably At Home

Retirement looks nothing like it did for our parents. We’re living longer, staying more active, and frankly, we’re not settling for institutional settings when we could be enjoying our own homes.

The growing demand for custom home accessibility features has encouraged many to work with experienced home renovation companies that specialize in creating safe, comfortable living environments.

The Changing Face Of Aging At Home

My client, Janet, never thought she’d need an elevator. At 58, she was healthy, active, and could bound up her townhouse stairs with ease. Then came an unexpected knee surgery after a skiing accident. Suddenly, those stairs became her daily nemesis.

“I never realized how much of my home I’d lose access to,” she told me three months after we installed a compact elevator in her town house. “Now I’m wondering why I waited for a crisis to make this change.”

Aging in place isn’t just about getting older. It’s about creating a home that adapts to your changing needs rather than forcing you to adapt to your home. Sometimes that means wider doorways for future mobility concerns.

Why Metro Vancouver Homeowners Are Staying Put

Have you tried shopping for a new home in Vancouver lately? The sticker shock is real. For many of my clients, modifying their existing home makes far more financial sense than relocating.

When we crunch the numbers together, the cost of comprehensive aging-in-place renovations, even including a home elevator, often comes in well below the cost of moving to a comparable but more accessible property.

Beyond the finances, there’s something deeply personal about staying in a home filled with memories.

Today’s Home Elevators: Not What You’re Imagining

Forget the clinical, boxy elevators you’ve seen in commercial buildings.

When I take clients to see modern residential elevator installations, they’re consistently shocked by the transformation.

Today’s home elevators can be:

Incredibly compact (some require just slightly more space than a closet)
Whisper-quiet (you’ll barely notice the operation from adjacent rooms)
Stylishly integrated (with custom finishes that complement your interior design)
Surprisingly energy-efficient (many use less electricity than your refrigerator)

Real-Life Applications Beyond Mobility Issues

Here’s where I see elevators making the biggest difference in my clients’ day-to-day lives:

After breaking his ankle, a Burnaby dad could still reach his toddler’s nursery on the second floor. The elevator made nighttime feedings possible during his recovery.

For a Surrey couple who love entertaining, their elevator became the unexpected MVP during dinner parties, transporting heavy serving dishes from their basement kitchen to their main-floor dining room without the precarious stair balancing act.

A multi-generational family in Coquitlam installed an elevator when grandparents moved in, but their teenage children ended up using it just as much for moving laundry and sports equipment between floors.

Beyond The Elevator: Creating A Truly Adaptive Home

While elevators are becoming the centrepiece of many aging-in-place renovations, they work best as part of a comprehensive approach.

Some of my clients’ favourite complementary features include:

Kitchen modifications with varying counter heights work beautifully for households where one person uses a wheelchair while others stand to cook. I’m seeing more pull-out shelving, too, eliminating the need to reach into deep cabinets.

Smart home technology has been a game-changer. Voice-activated systems that control lighting, temperature, and security give my clients with mobility or vision challenges unprecedented independence.

The Long View: Investment That Pays Off

I always tell my clients that aging-in-place renovations aren’t just about preparing for hypothetical future needs. They’re about enhancing your living experience today while protecting your property’s value tomorrow.

With Metro Vancouver’s demographics skewing older (we’re aging faster than the national average, according tothe latest Statistics Canada figures), homes with accessibility features are commanding premium prices.

Real estate agents I work with report that elevators, in particular, are becoming a sought-after feature, especially in hillside communities like North Vancouver and Port Moody, where steep topography makes single-level living nearly impossible.

Getting Started: What to Consider

If you’re intrigued by the possibility of adding an elevator to your Metro Vancouver home, here’s my best advice after overseeing dozens of installations:

Start by assessing your space: Look for areas where rooms align vertically across floors, which make natural shaft locations with minimal structural modifications.

Consider future needs, not just current ones: The elevator that serves you at 60 should still work for you at 80.
Don’t overlook permits: Vancouver and surrounding municipalities have specific requirements for residential elevators, and working with professionals familiar with local codes will save enormous headaches.

Plan for power outages: Most modern systems have battery backups, but this is a critical safety feature you shouldn’t compromise on.

The Bottom Line

Twenty years ago, suggesting a home elevator to my clients would have seemed outlandish for all but the most luxurious properties. Today, it’s becoming as practical a consideration as an updated kitchen or finished basement.

The shift reflects our changing relationship with our homes. They’re not just places we live for now, they’re spaces we want to enjoy for decades to come.

This adaptation includes a feature that prevents falls, maintains independence, and happens to add a touch of luxury. That’s what I call smart planning.

When you’re ready to explore how aging-in-place design might work in your home, reach out to professionals who understand both the technical requirements and the emotional significance of creating a forever home.