Expert Stairlift Installation in Marinette, WI

A straight stairlift installs in 3 to 4 hours. Curved lifts take 4 to 6 hours because the rail comes in sections that need to be assembled and calibrated. Outdoor units run about the same — the weatherproofing seals and galvanized fasteners add a little time. Luis's crew handles everything: they bring the rail in, bolt it to the treads, mount the carriage, test it up and down, and clean up. You won't find drywall dust or stray hardware anywhere.

No. The rail bolts to the stair treads — not the wall, not the banister, not the trim. For Riverside Avenue Historic District homes with original oak woodwork from the 1880s, this matters a lot. The bolts go into the tread surface where they're hidden by the rail itself. If you ever remove the lift, you fill a few bolt holes in the treads and you'd never know it was there.

Yes. A lot of Marinette's City Center homes have stairs as narrow as 28 inches across — the worker cottages from the lumber-mill era were built compact. The seat and footrest fold up flat against the rail when not in use, clearing about 16 inches of walking space. Luis measures every staircase before quoting so you know exactly how much room remains. If the stairs are under 26 inches wide, we talk about alternatives, but that's rare.

Straight lifts usually go in within a week of the assessment. Curved lifts take 2 to 3 weeks — the rail is custom-bent at the factory from the laser measurements Luis takes on site. If it's urgent — like someone's coming home from Aurora Medical Center-Bay Area after surgery — Luis does his best to get straight rails in within 48 hours.

The VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant covers up to $6,800 for service-connected veterans toward a stairlift. Non-service-connected veterans can get up to $2,000. It's a one-time benefit, tax-free, never repaid. Marinette County veterans process HISA applications through the Menominee VA Clinic at 1110 10th Avenue, Suite 101, in Menominee — right across the Interstate Bridge. The clinic is part of the VA Iron Mountain health care system. You'll need a VA physician's prescription and a completed VA Form 10-0103.

Yes. Wisconsin's IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) program — a 1915(c) Medicaid HCBS waiver — covers home modifications including stairlifts as a one-time expense. An accessibility assessor visits your home, evaluates the need, and recommends the most cost-effective solution. The stairlift has to be tied to a long-term care need — staying in your home safely counts. The process starts with a functional screen through your county ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center). IRIS uses an individualized budget, so approval depends on your plan and the cost-effectiveness review.

Yes. Marinette County qualifies as rural under USDA guidelines, so homeowners 62 and older with very low income can apply for a Section 504 Home Repair grant — up to $10,000 that doesn't need to be repaid, or a combination loan-and-grant up to $50,000. Wisconsin's WisLoan program also offers low-interest loans for assistive technology and home modifications through the WisTech network. And our in-house financing starts at $79/month with no early-payment penalty.

Family Care is Wisconsin's managed long-term care program, and it can cover home modifications including stairlifts. Like IRIS, coverage depends on a functional screen and cost-effectiveness review. The key difference: in Family Care, your MCO (managed care organization) — not you — manages the funding and approves the expense. To start the functional screen, contact the Marinette County ADRC. The process takes 4 to 6 weeks on average.