Home Elevator Installation & Maintenance in San Diego & Orange County
From First Visit to Every Service Call
How installing a home elevator really works, start to finish
Putting an elevator in a home is a construction project with a clear order of steps. Knowing the order makes it far less stressful. This page lays out each step, who does what, and where the delays tend to come from. After that it explains how we keep an elevator running once it is in.
Advantage Elevator is a licensed California elevator contractor (CSLB C-11 #1027832) with more than 20 years in business and a 4.9-star Google rating across 300-plus reviews. A fully installed home elevator in Southern California typically runs Pricing depends on the model, number of stops and construction — see what a home elevator costs. Our home elevator cost page breaks that down.
- Free in-home estimate and consultation
- Permit and inspection coordination with your city
- Factory-trained installers and a clear handover
- Maintenance plans that protect your warranty
Hoistway framed for the elevator
Rails and car sling going in
Finished installation
The project in three parts
Plan
Build
Keep
Step 1 and 2: Consultation and measurement
We begin with a free in-home consultation. We look at your stairs, your floor plan, where the elevator could go and how people in your household will use it. We ask about budget, finishes and timing. Then we recommend a type: a traditional hoistway elevator, a shaftless lift, or something simpler such as a stairlift.
Next we measure. For a hoistway elevator we check floor-to-floor heights, ceiling and attic space, the pit, the stack of rooms on every floor and where power can come from. Those measurements decide which models are possible. The types of home elevators page explains the choices.
Step 3 to 5: Drawings, HOA review and permit
From the measurements we prepare drawings that show the hoistway, the doors, the cab and the electrical needs. If you live in a community with an HOA or a design review committee, as many Rancho Santa Fe, Coto de Caza, Irvine and Carlsbad neighborhoods do, the drawings go there first. The exterior is rarely affected by an interior elevator, but an approval letter is often required before work starts.
Then comes the building permit. We handle the permit and the inspection coordination with your city’s building department. We cannot promise how a particular city will respond or how long it will take, and cities vary. We can tell you what they usually ask for and have the paperwork ready.
Step 6 and 7: Framing and electrical
A traditional elevator needs a hoistway: a framed, enclosed shaft that runs through the floors. For a new build, your builder frames it from our drawings. For a remodel, your own contractor can do it, or we can arrange it. Either way, the drawings are exact, and the framing must be plumb and the right size.
A licensed electrician brings power to the machine location and the lighting circuits. Requirements depend on the model, which is why we confirm them before the permit, not after. Shaftless lifts such as the Telecab, the Luma and the Stiltz lifts skip most of the framing step, which is why many remodels choose them. See shaftless home elevators.
Step 8 and 9: Delivery and installation
Elevator parts are made to order, so delivery is scheduled once the hoistway is ready. Our crew unloads, stages the parts and sets the rails, drive, cab and doors in sequence. We protect your floors and clean up each day. A homeowner can stay in the house, though it is noisy.
The installation phase is usually the shortest of the whole project. Timelines vary by model and site, and we give you a realistic window after we know the hoistway and the permit status. Stiltz lifts install fastest of all; Stiltz says as little as one day on its site, and we will confirm your actual schedule on your visit.
Step 10 and 11: Inspection, handover and training
When the elevator is running, we test every safety device, the door interlocks, the alarm, the emergency lighting and the battery lowering system that lets you ride to a floor and get out during a power outage. Your city’s building department inspects the work as required.
At handover we walk you through the elevator, show you the emergency lowering, the alarm and the call stations, and leave you with warranty paperwork and our service number. Everyone who will use it should be there for the training.
What we install
We are a Savaria Elite dealer. We install the Eclipse, the Infinity, the Zenith, the Vuelift, the Telecab and the Luma. We also install Stiltz home lifts and Cambridge Elevating elevators, plus stairlifts, platform lifts and dumbwaiters. See all home elevators or the product directory.
Local pages: installation in San Diego County · installation in Orange County.
Maintenance: what a visit includes
A home elevator is safe and quiet when it is looked after. A maintenance visit includes a full inspection, safety-device testing, door and interlock cleaning and adjustment, a check of the drive and controller, lubrication where it is called for and a test of the battery lowering system. You get a plain report.
Our maintenance plans come as annual or bi-annual visits. Members get priority scheduling and a reduced service rate of $550 per visit, against $600 without a plan. A plan also meets the maintenance requirement in most manufacturer warranties, and skipping maintenance can put a warranty at risk.
If you live near the ocean, in places like Coronado, La Jolla, Carlsbad, Newport Beach or Laguna Beach, we recommend the bi-annual plan. Salt air corrodes contacts and hardware faster than inland air.
Local pages: maintenance in San Diego County · maintenance in Orange County.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a home elevator installation take?
It depends on the model, the construction and the permit. Planning and permitting take the longest, framing and electrical come next, and the elevator itself usually goes in quickly. We give you a realistic schedule after the home visit.
Do I need a permit?
Yes, plan on a building permit from your city’s building department. We handle the permit paperwork and the inspection coordination for you, but we cannot promise the outcome or timing.
Who builds the hoistway?
Either your own contractor, working from our drawings, or one we arrange. If you want no shaft at all, ask about a shaftless lift.
What does a maintenance plan cost?
Plan members pay a reduced rate of $550 per visit, compared with $600 without a plan. You choose annual or bi-annual visits and receive priority scheduling.
Does skipping maintenance affect my warranty?
It can. Manufacturer warranties typically require regular maintenance, and a plan with us satisfies that requirement in most cases. Check your warranty paperwork or ask us.
Ready to plan your elevator?
Free in-home estimate anywhere in San Diego County or Orange County. (833) 865-7887.
