Home Elevator Cost in Washington, D.C.
- Typical installed price, 2 floors (US)
- $30,000–$50,000
- Our estimate for Washington, D.C., 2 floors
- $32,000–$55,000
- US range, cheapest to dearest kind
- $20,000–$60,000
- Washington, D.C. state fee
- $93.50 new elevator permit
Ask whether your installer's quote already includes the Washington, D.C. state fee.
Installed Price by Kind of Lift
Installed for two floors. Our Washington, D.C. estimate moves each US price by the same share as the state's two-floor estimate (electricians' pay against the US).
| Kind of lift | Our estimate in Washington, D.C., 2 floors |
|---|---|
 Shaftless home elevator | $21,000–$39,000 |
 Small one person lift | $27,000–$33,000 |
 Hydraulic elevator | $27,000–$62,000 |
 Traction or cable elevator | $29,000–$55,000 |
 Through floor lift | $32,000–$66,000 |
 Pneumatic vacuum elevator | $37,000–$66,000 |
Installed for two floors. Also priced: a platform lift (an open platform, not an enclosed elevator) $5,000–$20,000, and a glass elevator $50,000–$100,000. Yearly service: $300–$760 (Angi).
Rules and Installer Pay in Washington, D.C.
- State permit or inspection
- Partly: permit and final inspection only
- Licensed installer for home work
- Yes: licensed elevator contractor
- Electrician pay
- $37.97 an hour (US $30.38)
- Permit for a new elevator
- $93
- Recurring inspections for a home unit
- None
- State help to pay in Washington, D.C.
- Grant, Medicaid waiver
Rules set by the DC Department of Buildings.
The typical price is the middle of 51 published US prices for two floors (HomeGuide alone quotes $30,000 to $60,000). How the figures are built.
In Washington, D.C., expect a home elevator to cost between $30,000 and $50,000 once it is installed, the national range. A basic platform lift can start as low as $5,000. The new-elevator permit costs $93; the lift, installation, any needed building work, and the final inspection make up the rest of your bill.
What Does Each Kind of Lift Cost?
The table shows typical installed costs for each kind of lift. These ranges are based on the median low and high prices in published estimates.
The shaft is the enclosed column the elevator moves through. Lifts that require one run higher, usually between $25,000 and $56,500.
What Pushes the Price Up?
Across the country, an elevator for a two-story home runs about $30,000 to $60,000, per HomeGuide. Every floor past two adds another $9,000 to $15,000 or so.
Adding a shaft to a house that is already built tacks on $5,000 to $25,000, per Willow Home. Labor costs a bit more here than in most of the country. Skilled elevator installers in D.C. earn more than the national average, and that shows up in the final price.
Call now to get started on a written quote based on your home, including any work needed to make room for the lift.
Permits and Inspections for a Home Elevator
Elevators in the District fall under the DC Department of Buildings, which enforces the elevator chapter of the D.C. Building Code (Chapter 30). Putting in a new home elevator takes a Department of Buildings permit plus a final acceptance inspection. Your installer handles the permit paperwork, and the new permit fee is $93, with a 10% technology fee included.
You also pick an inspection agency the department has approved, and the bill for that is yours. The agency carries out that final check for the department.
A lift that serves one home only does not need a certificate of inspection, and it skips the recurring inspections commercial units go through.
Who Can Install a Home Elevator?
Licensing for elevator contractors, elevator mechanics, and elevator inspectors in D.C. comes from the Board of Industrial Trades. Platform lifts and stair chair lifts are covered by the same licence. The law has no exception for private homes, so your installer must be licensed. The $260 is the installer's licence fee, not something you pay.
A licensed installer pulls the permit for you, because that is their job. We can put you in touch with a local dealer who does this kind of work.
Safety Code Your Lift Must Meet
Under the D.C. Building Code, elevators and lifts must satisfy ASME A17.1/CSA B44, along with ASME A18.1. Your installer builds to these standards, and the final inspection checks the work.
Help with the Bill in Washington, D.C.
Some programs will pick up part or all of the cost if you qualify:
- Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program: Homeowners who qualify may get a grant worth up to $30,000 to clear physical barriers for someone in the household who has trouble moving around. The Department of Housing and Community Development chooses the contractor and handles payment directly.
- Safe at Home: No-cost in-home modifications, stair lifts among them, for residents 60 and up and for adults with disabilities. Income caps are $72,550 for an individual and $82,550 for a couple.
- EPD Medicaid Waiver: Home modifications like ramps and stair lifts are paid for under this waiver. Applicants must first apply to the Handicap Accessibility Improvement Program. There is no published limit on dollars.
- DC Funds: This loan option helps pay for assistive technology. The DC Assistive Technology Program at University Legal Services administers it.
Get a Price for Your Home
Call us now. In one short conversation we'll match you with a licensed local installer who will measure your home, pull the $93 permit, and give you a written price, so you know what your elevator will cost before you commit.
Sources: middle of published US price ranges, Washington, D.C. elevator rule (DC Department of Buildings), BLS wage figures for Washington, D.C., DHCD Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program, DACL Safe at Home, EPD Medicaid Waiver.
Talk to a Lift Installer Near You
One call gets you a local home elevator dealer who can measure your house and put a written price on it.