Expert Stairlift Installation in Des Moines, WA

Straight rails on Des Moines homes take 2–4 hours start to finish. Curved rails, once the custom rail arrives from the factory (10–14 days after survey), are installed in a single 4–6 hour visit. Outdoor installs on Redondo bluff-side porches typically run 4–5 hours because we seal every fastener.

Treads. Every rail we install in Des Moines bolts directly into the structural stair treads (usually original fir in pre-1970 homes, oak in newer Pacific Ridge townhomes), not the plaster or drywall. This is critical in older Marina District homes where interior walls are often lath-and-plaster and can't take lateral load.

No. The rail runs along one side of the stair, usually the wall side, leaving 20–24 inches of walking width on a typical 36-inch-wide Des Moines staircase. The seat folds flat against the rail when not in use. In narrow 1940s Marine View Drive homes with 30-inch stairs, we recommend a compact-fold model that takes 13 inches when parked.

The City of Des Moines does not require a permit for an interior stairlift on owner-occupied single-family homes. Redondo, Woodmont, and Hearthside condo/townhome HOAs typically do require board notification and an insurance certificate; we prepare and submit both at no charge.

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover stairlifts — CMS classifies them as home modifications, not durable medical equipment. Some Washington Medicare Advantage plans offer supplemental benefits; check your plan's 'Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill' (SSBCI) category.

Yes. Service-connected veterans qualify for the VA HISA grant up to $6,800 ($2,000 for non-service-connected) to cover a stairlift. Des Moines veterans coordinate through VA Puget Sound Health Care System — Seattle VAMC (1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle) or American Lake VAMC (9600 Veterans Dr SW, Tacoma). We provide the contractor paperwork for the HISA application.

The Washington COPES waiver (Community Options Program Entry System) can fund home modifications including stairlifts for eligible adults at nursing-home level of care. Enrollment is capped annually; talk to DSHS Home and Community Services or your case manager. Classic Medicaid alone does not cover stairlifts in Washington.

If your physician documents the stairlift as medically necessary, the portion of cost that exceeds the home's increase in value is deductible as a Schedule A medical expense (subject to the 7.5% AGI floor). Washington has no state income tax, so the benefit is federal only. Keep the doctor's letter and our itemized invoice.