Home Elevator Company in Irvine, CA
For Every Village, Old and New
Home elevator installation and service for Irvine’s villages
Irvine does not look like the rest of Orange County, and its elevator work does not either. The city was laid out as a plan in the late 1950s and built out in villages, each with its own streets, its own architecture and often its own homeowners association. Advantage Elevator serves Irvine from our Costa Mesa office at 2942 Century Place, and on any given week our technicians might visit a 1970s two-story in Turtle Rock, a lakeside home in Woodbridge and a new custom build in Orchard Hills or Shady Canyon.
The numbers explain the mix. Irvine is the youngest city on our Orange County list. Its median age is 34.3 and 11.0% of residents are 65 or older, according to Wikipedia’s 2020 Census figures. That is a young city. But it is also a city with fifty years of history, and the older villages hold plenty of owners who bought young and stayed. For them the stairs at home are the issue. For younger families the reasons are different: a parent who cannot do stairs after surgery, a child with a mobility condition, or a multigenerational household that wants grandma on the ground floor and the family upstairs.
- California elevator contractor license CSLB C-11 #1027832; in business for over 20 years
- We sell Savaria as an Elite dealer and also offer Stiltz and Cambridge Elevating
- Estimates in any Irvine village are free
- If a car stalls, call at any hour and a person answers
Advantage Elevator crew and service fleet, Carlsbad
Elevator at a hallway landing
Advantage Elevator technicians
What we do for Irvine homeowners
Installing an elevator in Irvine
Elevator repair in Irvine
Elevator maintenance in Irvine
Homes in Irvine and what works
Irvine’s housing breaks down by village, and the right elevator tracks the village.
Turtle Rock and Northwood. These are some of the oldest sections of the city. Turtle Rock’s first phases were underway by 1970, and Northwood dates to the early 1970s. Many homes here are two-story, with the bedrooms upstairs and a split-level or hillside feel in Turtle Rock. Owners who have lived here since the beginning are now facing the stairs. A shaftless option like the Savaria Telecab, Luma or a Stiltz home lift avoids opening up the walls. A traditional Savaria Eclipse works when there is a stack of closets from floor to floor.
Woodbridge. The village is built around an artificial lake, and its homes range from townhomes to larger single-family houses. Space is tighter, so a compact shaftless lift often makes more sense than a full hoistway.
Orchard Hills, Shady Canyon and Quail Hill. Larger and newer homes, often with three levels, a basement or a bonus room above the garage. This is where we see full-size Savaria Eclipse, Infinity and Zenith installations, because the builder or owner can plan a stack through the floors. If a wheelchair user will ride the elevator, the Zenith’s larger capacity and cab sizes are worth a conversation.
We are also happy to say when an elevator is more than you need. For a short staircase, a stairlift or a vertical platform lift can cost far less. We quote after a free measure.
Permits and HOA review in Irvine
If you live in Irvine, you probably have an association. Wikipedia notes that some villages regulate roofing, paint and landscaping, and that newer villages from the 1980s onward may carry additional assessments. The older Northwood area has no HOAs. Check your own governing documents before you sign anything.
An elevator inside the house rarely draws association attention. A new roof overrun or an exterior addition that holds the equipment is different, and you will want approval first. We give you the dimensions and drawings your association or architect needs, and we can join a call with your board or management company if that helps. We will not predict what any board decides.
The building permit is a separate step. Your city’s building department reviews the framing, electrical and hoistway, and we handle the permit and inspection coordination with them.
Retrofitting a two-story tract home
Most of what we do in Irvine is the retrofit. A typical project: a two-story house, a staircase in the entry, and no obvious place for a shaft. Here is the order we work in.
- We find stacked space. Closets, a pantry over a laundry room, or a corner of the garage can line up across floors.
- If space does not line up, we look at a through-floor lift, which needs a cutout in the second-floor framing rather than a built shaft. The Savaria Telecab is a two-stop lift with a travel of up to 23 feet.
- We check power. Several models run on a dedicated circuit that an electrician can add without major work.
- We confirm ceiling height upstairs, since every elevator needs overhead clearance.
The point of the visit is to tell you which of these is realistic before you spend anything.
Service and repair in Irvine
Irvine is flat valley land between the Loma Ridge and the San Joaquin Hills, and it is a straightforward drive for our technicians from Costa Mesa. Coastal salt is not the problem it is in Newport. Heat and dust are the usual causes of trouble, along with the wear that comes with age. Elevators installed when a village was new may be reaching their second controller or their second set of door operators.
We repair all major brands, not only Savaria. If you are unsure what you have, see our elevator brands we service list.
When the power goes out, a battery lowering device brings the car to a landing so riders can step out. Our technicians test it each time they visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an elevator be added to a two-story home in Irvine?
Yes, in most cases. We either stack a hoistway through closets or use a shaftless lift that needs only a floor opening. A free measure tells you which one fits.
Do I need my HOA’s permission for a home elevator in Irvine?
Check your association’s rules first. Interior work is often simple, but exterior changes may need approval. We provide drawings and dimensions for your board or architect.
Which Irvine villages do you serve?
All of them, from Turtle Rock and Northwood to Woodbridge, Orchard Hills, Quail Hill and Shady Canyon, along with the rest of the city.
What if the elevator was installed by a company that no longer exists?
We service orphaned brands regularly. Bring us the nameplate or a photo of the controller and we will identify it.
How quickly can you respond to a broken elevator in Irvine?
Emergency calls with someone trapped are dispatched immediately. Other breakdowns are scheduled as soon as we can reach you. Call (714) 905-5092.
Related Pages
- Orange County home elevator company
- Home elevator installation in Orange County
- Elevator repair in Orange County
- Elevator maintenance in Orange County
- Elevator modernization in Orange County
- Stairlifts in Orange County
- Wheelchair lifts in Orange County
- Home elevators in Newport Beach
- Home elevators in Mission Viejo
- Home elevator models and options
Thinking about an elevator in Irvine?
Free estimates and honest advice. (714) 905-5092.
