The purchase and installation price is expensive. The reason for the high price is because it's custom built on site and the materials used are more expensive than for a straight stair lift. The track on a straight stair lift is usually made from aluminum. Aluminum is used because of its interchangeability and it's cheap. Tracks used on curved stair lifts are usually made using both steel and aluminum. Steel is used to provide strength and because it is malleable. Installation of a curved model accounts for the largest proportion of cost and installation can take anything from 3 weeks to 3 months.
Buying a used curved stair lift is really to be avoided unless you buy one from a reputable dealer who will install it for you. Make sure the track being provided is new and not re-conditioned track. This is not considered to be safe and a reconditioned track will not conform to International Safety Standards.
Should you decide at a later date to replace or get rid of your lift and want to sell it, you may find this difficult. Because it is custom made, the stairlift made for your home isn't going to fit someone else's. At best you probably will only be able to sell the chair, motor and controls; the track, which constitutes the majority of cost, will be useless to someone else.
Curved stair lifts usually require more servicing than any straight stair lift. Additional stress is caused by the chair having to move along the track around corners. You may find that the ongoing maintenance costs will be higher than those for a straight one.
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