Expert Stairlift Installation in New Berlin, WI

A straight stairlift installs in about 3 hours from arrival to cleanup. A curved lift takes 4 to 6 hours because the custom rail needs precise positioning at each turn. We bolt the rail directly to the stair treads — not the wall — so there is no drywall work, no painting, and no mess. The only thing we leave behind is the lift itself and the owner's manual.

No building permit is required for a residential stairlift install in New Berlin or anywhere in Waukesha County. Stairlifts are considered accessibility equipment, not structural modifications. They mount to the treads, not the wall framing, and plug into a standard 120V outlet. No electrical work, no structural changes, no permit.

Yes. The older homes near Coffee Road and Prospect Hill — some built in the 1880s — often have stairs as narrow as 28 inches wide. The standard stairlift rail and seat need about 26 inches of clearance. If that is too tight, we use a slimline rail option that shaves about 2 inches off the width. The seat folds up when not in use, leaving the stairs clear for other family members. We measure everything at the free assessment and tell you exactly what will fit.

Yes, the measurement is done in your home and takes about an hour. We use a laser surveying tool to capture every turn, landing, and angle on your staircase. That data goes to the fabrication facility where a single aluminum rail is bent to match your stairs exactly. About two weeks later, we return to install it. Curved rails fit New Berlin homes with 90-degree mid-landing turns — common in Weatherstone and Country Estates two-story colonials — as well as the tight spiral-like turns in pre-1900s homes.

The HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) grant covers up to $6,800 for service-connected veterans and $2,000 for non-service-connected. It is a one-time, tax-free grant that never has to be repaid. The application goes through the prosthetics department at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center at 5000 W National Avenue in Milwaukee — about 10 miles east of New Berlin. You need a prescription from your VA primary care doctor stating the stairlift is medically necessary. We help with the paperwork at the assessment.

Yes. Wisconsin's IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) program — a 1915(c) Medicaid HCBS waiver — covers home modifications including stairlifts when deemed necessary to keep a person safely at home. Family Care, the state's managed long-term care program, also covers stairlifts. There is no fixed dollar cap per modification; each request is reviewed for cost-effectiveness against the participant's individual budget. Start at the Waukesha County ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center) at 3805 S Casper Drive in New Berlin — they are the single entry point for both IRIS and Family Care enrollment.

Beyond IRIS and Family Care, Wisconsin has WisTech — the state's assistive technology program — which runs a device loan program through the state's Independent Living Centers. You can borrow equipment to try before buying. For low-income seniors, the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program provides grants up to $10,000 for health and safety hazard removal; the applicant must be 62 or older and meet very-low-income limits for Waukesha County. The ADRC of Waukesha County maintains a current list of all available programs.

The ADRC does not directly pay for stairlifts, but it is the gateway to every program that can. Their benefits specialists at 3805 S Casper Drive in New Berlin will screen you for IRIS eligibility, Family Care enrollment, and any county-level assistance programs. They also connect veterans to the HISA grant process at the Zablocki VA. The ADRC's services are free, and they will help fill out the initial paperwork. We recommend starting there before you even schedule an assessment — it gives you a clear picture of what funding is available.