Expert Stairlift Installation in Londonderry, NH

Most straight-rail installs take 3 to 4 hours — we arrive at 8am and the homeowner is using the lift by lunch. Curved rails take about the same time on install day, but the rail itself arrives 2-3 weeks after the 1-hour laser-measurement appointment. The rail bolts to the stair treads, not the wall, so there's no drywall repair, no painting, and no mess beyond a few drill holes that get covered by the rail brackets.

No. The rail bolts directly into the stair treads — not the wall, not the balusters. If your home has hardwood treads (common in Londonderry's colonials and older homes), we drill small pilot holes and the bracket covers them entirely. On carpeted stairs, the carpet fibers close back around the bolt points. When the lift is eventually removed, the treads need minor wood-filler touch-up — that's it.

Yes. Many older Londonderry colonials and capes — particularly the 18th- and 19th-century homes off Mammoth Road — have staircases as narrow as 32 inches wall-to-wall. The SlimLine rail profile folds to 12 inches when not in use, leaving 20 inches of clear walking space. We've installed on staircases as narrow as 28 inches with a compact seat option.

Yes. For any staircase that isn't a single straight run — 90-degree turns, intermediate landings, spiral geometry — we come out with a laser scanner and map every step in about an hour. The rail is then custom-bent offsite and arrives ready to install 2-3 weeks later. We've done curved installs in larger colonials throughout Londonderry, including homes in Cross Farm and near the Musquash.

Yes, through the HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) grant. Service-connected veterans can receive up to $6,800 toward a stairlift; non-service-connected veterans qualify for up to $2,000. The grant is one-time, tax-free, and never needs to be repaid. The Manchester VA Medical Center at 718 Smyth Road (about a 20-minute drive from Londonderry) processes HISA applications. Your VA primary care provider must sign off on the medical-necessity form.

Through the Choices for Independence (CFI) waiver — a 1915(c) HCBS Medicaid program — home modifications including stairlifts can be covered for eligible NH residents who meet nursing-home level of care criteria (assistance with 2+ activities of daily living). The CFI program is administered by the NH Department of Health and Human Services. Approval goes through a care coordinator, and the process typically takes 2-3 months.

The New Hampshire Assistive Technology Program (ATinNH) offers device demonstrations and short-term equipment loans — helpful for trying a stairlift before committing. For home modifications specifically, the USDA Rural Development Section 504 grant covers health and safety repairs for very-low-income elderly homeowners, and Londonderry properties outside the dense subdivisions may qualify. The statewide Home Modification and Repairs Program pilot, launched through NH DHHS Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, is also worth checking.

No. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover stairlifts — they're classified as durable medical equipment but specifically excluded because they're considered a home modification rather than a medical device. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans have started offering limited home-modification allowances — check your specific plan document. For most Londonderry residents, funding comes through the HISA grant (veterans), the CFI waiver (Medicaid-eligible), or the $79/month financing option.