Small Home Elevator Dimensions and Shaft Sizes by Type
Small home elevator dimensions for the main models: inside cab, footprint or shaft, pit and headroom, from each manufacturer's planning guide.
Home Elevator Sizes by Type
| Type | Installed, 2 floors | Inside cab (in) | Footprint or shaft (in) | Pit (in) | Headroom (in) | Carries (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Through floor | $30,000–$60,000 | 24 to 31 by 26 to 46 | 30 to 41 by 32 to 60 (unit) | None | 88 to 96 | 375 to 845 |
 Pneumatic | $35,000–$60,000 | 20 to 44 by 20 to 44 | 30 to 53 across (round) | None | 107 | 350 to 525 |
 Hydraulic | $25,000–$56,500 | 36 to 48 by 34 to 48 | 50 to 55 by 46 to 54 (shaft) | 6 to 12 | 92 to 96 | 950 to 1000 |
 Cable or winding drum | $27,000–$50,000 | 36 to 51 by 34 to 54 | 50 to 56 by 46 to 56 | 3 to 6 | 96 to 108 | 500 to 1400 |
| Chain or gear drive | $27,000–$50,000 | 34 to 36 by 44 to 48 | 50 by 50 to 55 (shaft) | 6 to 8 | 96 | 500 to 1000 |
| Screw drive | Dealer quote | 39 by 58 | 55 by 64 (unit) | None | 91 | 660 |
Range across the listed models, rounded to the inch; exact sizes by model are in the next table. Headroom is the clear height needed above the top floor.
Dimensions by Model
| Brand | Model | Type | Inside cab | Footprint or shaft | Pit | Headroom | Carries (lb) | Wheelchair |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Duo Alta (sold as Duo+ outside the US) | Through floor | 30 11/16 × 26 1/2 in | 41 1/4 × 31 7/8 in (unit footprint) | None stated | 93 in | 375 | No |
| Trio Alta (sold as Trio+ outside the US) | Through floor | 30 7/16 × 42 5/16 in | 41 1/4 × 50 3/8 in (unit footprint) | None stated | 96 in | 550 | Yes |
 | PVE30 | Pneumatic | 20 × 20 in | 30 × 30 in (diameter) | None | 107 in | 350 | No |
| PVE37 | Pneumatic | 32 × 32 in | 37 × 37 in (diameter) | None | 107 in | 450 | No |
| PVE52 | Pneumatic | 44 × 44 in | 52 11/16 × 52 11/16 in (diameter) | None | 107 in | 525 | Yes |
 | Eclipse | Chain or gear drive | 36 × 48 in | 50 1/2 × 55 in (hoistway) | 8 in | 96 in | 950 | Yes |
| Infinity | Hydraulic | 36 × 48 in | Shaft sized to the cab you choose | 8 in | 92 in | 950 | Yes |
| Vuelift Round Acrylic | Cable or winding drum | 51 1/8 × 51 1/8 in | 54 3/8 × 54 3/8 in (diameter) | 4 in | 108 in | 840 | No |
| Vuelift Octagonal+ Glass | Cable or winding drum | 45 1/2 × 49 3/8 in | 55 7/8 × 55 7/8 in (hoistway) | 4 in | 108 in | 950 | Yes |
| Vuelift Mini | Cable or winding drum | 39 × 39 in | 49 3/4 × 49 3/4 in (diameter) | 3 in | 96 in | 500 | No |
| Telecab | Through floor | 30 × 46 in | 36 × 60 1/2 in (unit footprint) | None stated | 96 in | 500 | Yes |
| Telecab 17 | Through floor | 30 × 46 in | 35 1/4 × 60 1/2 in (unit footprint) | None stated | 96 in | 845 | Yes |
 | Elevette Hydraulic 1000 | Hydraulic | 48 1/2 × 34 1/4 in | 55 × 45 1/2 in (hoistway) | 10 in | 96 in | 1,000 | Yes |
| Elevette Cable Drum 500 | Cable or winding drum | 48 1/2 × 34 1/4 in | 55 × 45 1/2 in (hoistway) | 6 in | 96 in | 500 | Yes |
 | Elite Plus | Hydraulic | 36 × 48 in | Shaft sized to the cab you choose | 12 in | 96 in | 1,000 | Yes |
| Affinity Through the Floor Elevator | Through floor | 23 13/16 × 27 3/4 in | 29 1/2 × 38 3/16 in (unit footprint) | None | 87 13/16 in | 550 | No |
 | Freedom Green WD | Cable or winding drum | 36 × 48 in | 50 × 55 in (hoistway) | 6 in | 96 in | 1,000 | Yes |
| Freedom Elite | Cable or winding drum | 40 × 54 in | Shaft sized to the cab you choose | None stated | See spec sheet | 1,400 | Yes |
 | Symmetry Inline Gear Drive (IGD) | Chain or gear drive | 36 × 48 in | 50 1/2 × 54 1/4 in (hoistway) | 6 in | 96 in | 1,000 | Yes |
| Symmetry Hydraulic | Hydraulic | 36 × 48 in | 50 1/2 × 54 1/4 in (hoistway) | 6 in | 94 in | 1,000 | Yes |
 | E50 Compact Electric | Chain or gear drive | 33 1/2 × 44 3/8 in | 50 × 50 in (hoistway) | 6 in | 96 in | 500 | No |
| Elmira | Hydraulic | 36 × 48 in | 54 × 53 3/4 in (hoistway) | 8 in | 96 in | 950 | Yes |
 | Cibes Air | Screw drive | 39 3/8 × 57 3/4 in | 55 1/8 × 64 3/16 in (unit footprint) | None | 90 5/8 in | 660 | Yes |
Downloads: home-elevator-dimensions.csv · home-elevator-hoistway-section.svg · the page prints on landscape sheets.
Small home elevator dimensions start with an inside cab as tiny as 20 by 20 inches. The most common full-size cabs measure 36 by 48 inches. How much room each one takes depends on its type.
A few words come up a lot here. The shaft, sometimes called a hoistway, is the enclosed column the cab moves through. Some models also need a pit, a shallow recess cut into the floor at the lowest stop. Headroom means the open height required above the top landing.
Small Home Elevator Dimensions
Pneumatic and through-floor models have the smallest cabs. The PVE30 fits a 20 by 20 inch cab inside a round footprint 30 by 30 inches across. The AmeriGlide Affinity's cab is 23.8 by 27.75 inches, and it lifts 550 lb. Neither one needs a pit.
Full-size cabs are bigger. A lot of them measure 36 by 48 inches and sit in a shaft around 50 by 55 inches. They lift 950 to 1,000 lb, and most ask for a pit between six and eight inches deep.
Here are examples from each type, with figures taken straight from each manufacturer's planning guide. For every model you get the inside cab size, then the shaft or footprint, the pit depth, the headroom, and how much weight it carries.
- AmeriGlide Affinity – cab 23.8 × 27.75 in; shaft 29.5 × 38.1875 in; no pit (0 in); headroom 87.8125 in; carries 550 lb
- Stiltz Duo Alta – cab 30.6875 × 26.5 in; footprint 41.25 × 31.875 in; no pit; headroom 93 in; carries 375 lb
- Stiltz Trio Alta – cab 30.4375 × 42.3125 in; footprint 41.25 × 50.375 in; no pit; headroom 96 in; carries 550 lb
- Savaria Telecab – cab 30 × 46 in; footprint 36 × 60.5 in; no pit; headroom 96 in; carries 500 lb
- PVE30 – cab 20 × 20 in; round footprint 30 × 30 in; no pit (0 in); headroom 107 in; carries 350 lb
- PVE37 – cab 32 × 32 in; round footprint 37 × 37 in; no pit (0 in); headroom 107 in; carries 450 lb
- PVE52 – cab 44 × 44 in; round footprint 52.6875 × 52.6875 in; no pit (0 in); headroom 107 in; carries 525 lb
- Cambridge E50 Compact – cab 33.5 × 44.4 in; shaft 50 × 50 in; 6 in pit; headroom 96 in; carries 500 lb
- Savaria Vuelift Mini – cab 39 × 39 in; round footprint 49.75 × 49.75 in; 3 in pit; headroom 96 in; carries 500 lb
- Savaria Eclipse – cab 36 × 48 in; shaft 50.5 × 55 in; 8 in pit; headroom 96 in; carries 950 lb
- Cibes Symmetry Hydraulic – cab 36 × 48 in; shaft 50.5 × 54.25 in; 6 in pit; headroom 94 in; carries 1,000 lb
- Nationwide Freedom Green WD – cab 36 × 48 in; shaft 50 × 55 in; 6 in pit; headroom 96 in; carries 1,000 lb
- Inclinator Elevette Cable Drum 500 – cab 48.5 × 34.25 in; shaft 55 × 45.5 in; 6 in pit; headroom 96 in; carries 500 lb
- Cibes Air – cab 39.37 × 57.76 in; shaft 55.12 × 64.17 in; no pit (0 in); headroom 90.625 in; carries 660 lb
Shaft Dimensions for Each Elevator Type
A pneumatic elevator is a round tube, so its footprint is a diameter. The three PVE tubes measure 30, 37, and 52.6875 inches wide, and each wants 107 inches of headroom.
Through-floor lifts like the Stiltz and Telecab give you a footprint for the whole unit. None of them needs a pit.
Hydraulic and cable models go in a square shaft and require a pit. The Cibes Symmetry Hydraulic gets by with just six inches, while the AmeriGlide Elite Plus needs a full foot of depth. Headroom lands between 94 and 96 inches.
Size Limits for Home Elevators
Under ASME A17.1, the standard covering private residence elevators, the inside platform can be no more than 15 square feet. The same standard caps speed at 40 feet per minute and rise at 50 feet. Both the 2004 edition and Montana's digest of the 2013 update match on all three figures.
Michigan allows a bigger platform, up to 18 square feet. Inclinator puts the limit at 12 square feet when the elevator carries 500 lb. In Florida, the residential code for home elevators requires them to follow ASME A17.1.
Wheelchair Fit in a Small Cab
Per the ADA standards, a wheelchair needs at least 30 by 48 inches of clear floor space. A 36 by 48 inch cab provides that. The PVE30's 20 by 20 inch cab does not.
Power Needs by Type
Each model draws power a bit differently. Stiltz units want 220 to 240 volts. The Telecab plugs into a 110 volt, 20 amp outlet, and the Affinity needs a 120 volt, 20 amp one. Most full-size shaft elevators call for 230 volts at 30 amps, with a separate 120 volt circuit for the lights.
Price by Type
Installed, small models generally cost $25,000 to $30,000, and shaftless ones $20,000 to $35,000. Pneumatic elevators sit between $35,000 and $60,000. If you build a new shaft into an existing house, add $5,000 to $25,000, per one published estimate.
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.