Expert Stairlift Installation in Kenmore, WA

A straight lift installs in about three hours. A curved lift takes most of a day — usually 5 to 7 hours. We bolt the rail directly to the stair treads, not the wall, so your drywall stays untouched. There's no rewiring needed; the unit plugs into a standard 120V outlet near the stairs. After install, Luis walks you through the controls, the safety sensors, and the battery-backup test before he leaves.

No. The rail bolts into the treads with five to six lag bolts — not into the wall. When the rail comes out, you fill the bolt holes with wood filler on hardwood or carpet-patch on carpeted treads, and the staircase looks the way it did before. On the mid-century oak treads common in Inglewood homes, the fill is nearly invisible once stained to match. We do not cut into risers, stringers, or handrails.

Probably. The seat folds up to about 15 inches from the wall when not in use, and the rail sits about 4 inches off the wall. The minimum stair width we work with is 28 inches clear between handrails. Many 1960s and 1970s split-levels in Inglewood and Moorlands were built with 32-to-34-inch staircases, which is tight but workable. If your stairs are narrower than that, we can look at a platform lift instead. Luis measures clearance during the assessment and tells you on the spot whether it fits.

Yes. Every unit we install in Kenmore comes with a DC motor and a 4Ah battery backup that runs the lift for about 6 hours of normal use after the power cuts out. That covers the typical winter storm outage in King County — wind events that knock out power for a few hours, mostly between November and February. The battery recharges automatically from the wall outlet when power comes back. No generator needed.

Yes, through the HISA grant (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations). Service-connected veterans can receive up to $6,800. Non-service-connected veterans can get up to $2,000. The grant is tax-free, one-time, and never has to be repaid. Kenmore veterans fall under the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The closest facility is the Seattle VA Medical Center at 1660 S Columbian Way — about 14 miles south — or the Everett VA Clinic at 220 Olympic Boulevard, about 15 miles north. You need a prescription from your VA primary care provider stating the stairlift is medically necessary.

Yes. The COPES waiver (Community Options Program Entry System) is Washington's 1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waiver, and it covers home modifications — including stairlifts — when they're needed for safety and access. To qualify, your income must be under about $2,382 per month and your countable assets under $2,000 (as of 2024). You apply through DSHS's Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. There can be a waitlist. The approval process for a home modification also requires a functional assessment showing the stairlift is medically necessary.

Yes — the Northwest Access Fund offers low-interest loans specifically for home modifications, including stairlifts. Loan amounts go up to $60,000 with up to a 10-year term. There are no application fees. The fund serves Washington, Oregon, and Idaho residents with disabilities, and you don't need to be low-income to qualify — just have a documented need for the modification. This is separate from Medicaid and the VA; you can use it alongside other funding or on its own.

Start with your VA primary care provider — they write the prescription stating the stairlift is medically necessary. The application package then goes to the VA Puget Sound Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service at the Seattle VA Medical Center (1660 S Columbian Way). You'll need the prescription, a completed VA Form 10-0103 (the HISA application), and a quote from a licensed installer. We provide the quote during the assessment. The VA reviews and approves — typical turnaround is 4 to 8 weeks. The grant pays the installer directly; you never have to front the money and wait for reimbursement.