Expert Stairlift Installation in Johnston, IA

Most straight stairlift installs in Johnston take about three hours — one morning, no overnight disruption. Curved lifts take about four to five hours because the rail arrives in sections that need to be assembled and calibrated on site. The curved rail is fabricated off site after the 1-hour laser measurement, which adds about two weeks from measurement day to install day.

No. Iowa does not require a permit for residential stairlift installation — stairlifts are classified differently from elevators under Iowa Administrative Code. There is no Polk County or City of Johnston permit requirement either. We still install to ASME A18.1 code, and the rail is bolted to the stair treads, not the wall.

No. The rail bolts directly to the stair treads — not the wall, not the drywall, not the trim. If you have hardwood treads, common in Johnston's older Green Meadows and Beaver Creek homes, the bolt holes are small and fillable if the lift is ever removed. On carpeted stairs, the rail goes through the carpet into the solid tread underneath — the carpet isn't cut or damaged. We've removed rails from homes that were sold and you'd never know a lift was there.

Every stairlift we install in Johnston comes with a DC battery backup. The battery lives in the chassis and charges while the lift is parked at the charging point. During a power outage, it runs the lift for about 25 to 30 trips — enough to get through a typical Iowa ice storm that knocks out power for a day or two. The lift doesn't plug into the wall; it runs on the battery full-time and the charger maintains it.

Yes, through the HISA grant (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations). Service-connected veterans can receive up to $6,800 for a stairlift — one-time, tax-free, never repaid. Non-service-connected veterans with a 50% or higher disability rating can receive up to $2,000. Apply through the Prosthetics Department at the Des Moines VA Medical Center, 3600 30th Street — about six miles south of Johnston. You need a VA doctor's prescription and VA Form 10-0103. We can help with both at the home assessment.

Yes, through Iowa's Elderly Waiver for Iowans 65 and older, and the Physical Disability (PD) Waiver for adults 18 and older with a documented physical disability. Both fund environmental accessibility adaptations — stairlifts qualify. You must meet nursing-facility-level-of-care criteria and be Medicaid-eligible. Iowa is redesigning these waivers under the HOME (Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments) project, with consolidated waivers expected October 2026 — existing waiver holders keep coverage through the transition.

Polk County's Aging in Place Program offers up to $5,000 in home modifications for income-eligible residents 62 and older in Johnston and across the county. It covers stairlifts, ramps, grab bars, and similar safety modifications. The program runs through Polk County Public Works. Income limits apply, and funding is first-come, first-served. We carry the application forms and can help submit them during your free home assessment.

Yes. Financing starts at $79/month. We offer payment plans at the time of assessment — no prepayment penalty, and you can pay off early with no fee. For veterans using the HISA grant, we bill the VA directly for the covered $6,800 and set up a separate payment plan only for any amount above that. Many Johnston families combine two sources — HISA plus the Polk County program, or Elderly Waiver plus a small financing portion — to bring out-of-pocket cost to zero.