How to install a stairlift in your home
Most people picture someone drilling into the plaster. That is not how a standard indoor stairlift goes in. The rail is fixed to the stair treads, the horizontal part you step on. The wall, in most homes, is left alone.
Need A Stairlift does not install stairlifts. We collect competing installer quotes for $50 so you can see who would do the job, what brand they would use, and how soon they could schedule it. You hire the installer. They do the work.
The rail goes on the stairs, not the wall
Stannah describes a stairlift as a chair on a rail secured to the stair treads. Bruno's 2026 guide says the same thing in different words: a common misperception is that the rail attaches to the wall. Their indoor rails sit on "feet" or supports anchored to the treads. A typical indoor straight Bruno uses about four of those feet.
That is also what we tell people on our FAQ: in most homes the rail is fixed to the stair treads, not the wall. When the lift comes out later, you are usually looking at small bolt holes in the treads, not a rebuilt staircase.
How long it actually takes
A straight rail is cut to length and bolted on. Our FAQ says a straight stairlift is commonly fitted in a few hours. Bruno says two to three hours for a straight indoor unit, and two to four hours including delivery on their cost page. A Bruno Elite indoor curved lift averages less than half a day on install day. Their cost page puts curved installs commonly at four to eight hours.
The wait is often not the afternoon of labor. A curved rail has to be made for your stairs first. Bruno says a custom curved order is typically several weeks from order to install. Savaria says a straight K2 can go in as little as a few hours, while a curved rail is made to measure.
What the day looks like
Before anyone arrives, clear the stairs. The treads need to be open. Pets in another room. A path from the door for rail sections.
The crew lays the rail, levels it, and bolts the supports to the treads. Then the chair and motor go on the rail. They plug the charger into a standard household outlet (Bruno specifies 110v) at the top or bottom. They run the chair, check the sensors, and show you the seat belt, the swivel at the top, and the remotes.
You should leave with a working lift and a name to call if it stops. Ask who that is before they pack up.
Do not install it yourself
Bruno sells only through factory-trained dealers and says even "mechanically inclined" people should not install a straight unit, let alone a curve. The chair is carrying a person. A rail that is a few degrees off is a noisy ride at best and an unsafe one at worst.
Online kits exist. They are a different product from a dealer-installed Bruno, Stannah, or Savaria. If a quote looks cheap because you are expected to hang it yourself, that is not the same job.
What you need in the house
- A nearby outlet for the charger. If there isn't one, site prep may have to happen before install day. Bruno flags that extra work separately from the lift price.
- Photos of the bottom landing, top landing, narrowest point, and closest outlet if you are getting a first quote from us. Those shots stand in for a visit. The company you pick will usually measure in person before a firm price, especially on a curve. That visit happens because you invited it. See how it works.
- Local rules. In many places a standard indoor stairlift does not need a building permit, because it does not change the structure of the house. Bruno notes that some states and provinces do require a permit. Ask the installer you hire.
For what the equipment itself tends to cost, see how much a stairlift costs.