Choosing a lift comes down to five decisions: lift type, rated load, speed, drive type and whether there is a machine room. Everything else - finishes, doors, control systems - is worked out once these five parameters have been settled.
1. The building determines the lift type
First, the purpose is defined. For a residential building that means a passenger lift; for a hospital, a hospital (bed) lift with an elongated car; for a warehouse or factory, a goods lift; for a restaurant, a dumbwaiter. A panoramic lift (glass elevator) is chosen when it needs to be part of the interior, not just a means of transport.
2. Rated load is based on the number of residents
For residential buildings, the rule of thumb is: 400 kg means 5-6 passengers, 630 kg means 8 passengers and a pushchair, and 1000 kg means 13 passengers or a stretcher. If there is only one lift in the entrance, a 400 kg lift is not a good idea: a pushchair will not fit in it, and residents will soon notice.
| Rated load | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 400 kg | Low-rise building, second lift in the entrance |
| 630 kg | Main lift in a residential building, office |
| 1000 kg | Goods-passenger lift, takes a stretcher |
| 1600 kg and above | Hospitals, hotels, public buildings |
3. Speed depends on the number of floors
Up to 9 floors, 1.0 m/s is sufficient. For 10-16 floors, 1.6 m/s is used, and above that 2.0 m/s or more. Excessive speed in a low-rise building brings no benefit: the lift simply cannot reach full speed between stops, while the equipment costs more.
4. Drive: geared or gearless
- Gearless permanent-magnet drive - quieter, uses up to 40% less electricity and needs no gearbox oil changes. Higher upfront cost.
- Geared drive - simpler and cheaper, but noisier and needs more maintenance.
- Hydraulic drive - for short travel and heavy loads; the machine room can be located to the side rather than above the shaft.
5. Machine room: needed or not
A machine-room-less (MRL) lift houses the traction machine and control cabinet inside the shaft. This removes the need for a rooftop structure above the building - important where there are height restrictions or a complex roof. For new construction, MRL is now the standard choice.
Common client mistakes
- Choosing a lift on price without working out the maintenance costs for the next 10 years.
- Opting for the minimum rated load and then being unable to get furniture or a pushchair in.
- Ordering equipment before the actual shaft dimensions have been measured - and then it does not fit.
- Not budgeting for remote monitoring, which the operating regulations require.
What to send for a quote
To get a preliminary price, four figures are enough: the number of floors (stops), the plan dimensions of the shaft, the pit depth and the height of the top floor above the last stop (headroom). If you don't have this information, the number of floors and the type of building will do - the engineer will clarify the rest on site.