Shaftless home elevators and through-floor lifts
The quickest way to add an elevator to an existing two-storey home.
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A shaftless elevator rides on its own rails and passes through an opening cut in the floor. There is no shaft to build, so the work and the disruption are much smaller.
- Free in-home consultation, no obligation
- Home elevators, stair lifts and platform lifts
- Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay and Naples
The short answer
Shaftless through-floor lifts can usually be installed in one to three days, according to Fixr, because there is no shaft to build. Fixr's brand table includes shaftless models from about $12,000 to $16,000 installed, and decorative or concealed cabs cost significantly more.
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Who this is for
Shaftless lifts are designed for two floors. They suit homes where a corner of the living room lines up with a bedroom or landing above, and families who need a solution quickly, for example after a hospital stay.
- Two-storey homes
- One rider, or one rider in a wheelchair on larger models
- Homes where a full shaft is not practical
Typical project sizes
Fixr notes that shaftless models with a clear tube or door, or a basic folding door, cost less, while a more decorative or concealed cab costs significantly more.
Does my home suit a through-floor lift?
You need a spot on the ground floor and a matching spot upstairs, often a bedroom corner, with no joists, pipes or ducts that cannot be moved in the way. Some models mount on a load-bearing wall. We check this with a tape measure and a look into the ceiling at the free visit.
Are shaftless lifts safe?
The Florida Building Code requires private residence elevators to comply with ASME A17.1 and platform lifts to comply with ASME A18.1, so ask which standard the model is built to and how it stops if something is underneath it. The Max Grablin Act door gap rules apply to new elevators in a private residence, so ask how any model with a hoistway door meets them.[2][3]
Frequently asked questions
How long does a shaftless elevator take to install?
Fixr says shaftless models can usually be installed within one to three days.
Can a shaftless lift serve three floors?
Most are made for two floors. For three or more, a pneumatic, hydraulic or traction elevator is usually the answer.
What does the opening upstairs look like?
Ask how the opening upstairs is covered when the lift is on the ground floor, and see the specific model working before you choose.
Sources
- Home Elevator Cost (national cost guide, updated 31 Jan 2025), Fixr. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R321 Elevators and Platform Lifts (UpCodes copy), UpCodes. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Florida Statutes Chapter 399, Elevator Safety, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Elevator Safety: Applying for Elevator Permits, Florida DBPR, Bureau of Elevator Safety. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Mechanical permit fee schedule (Category 52, residential elevator), Miami-Dade County. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- NFIP Technical Bulletin 4: Elevator Installation for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (June 2019), FEMA. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Publication 502 (2025), Medical and Dental Expenses, Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 28, 2026.
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