Expert Stairlift Installation in Short Hills, NJ

Straight-rail installs take about 3 hours from arrival to cleanup. Curved-rail installs — common in Deerfield Colonials and Old Short Hills Victorians — take 4 to 5 hours because the rail was pre-bent from a laser measurement taken at an earlier visit. The rail bolts to the stair treads, not the wall. No drywall work, no repainting, no rewiring. We run a vacuum after and the only sign we were there is the lift itself.

Yes. The rail mounts to the treads, not the wall, so the walkway clearance is the limiting factor — not the stair width. The seat and armrests fold up to about 14 inches when not in use. In Hartshorn-era homes from the 1880s with particularly tight turns, Luis uses a compact rail profile that hugs the inner radius of the curve. If you can walk up the stairs, we can fit a lift.

The rail brackets bolt through the treads with lag screws, leaving holes about the diameter of a pencil. If the lift is ever removed, the holes can be filled and stained to match. We do not drill into walls, banisters, or trim. The motor plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet — no hardwiring. For homes in the Historic District, we provide photo documentation of the tread-mounted approach for the preservation board.

For straight-rail installs, typically the same week — often within 2 to 3 business days of the home assessment. Curved rails take 2 to 3 weeks because the rail is custom-fabricated off site from the laser measurements. Rush installation is available if there's a discharge date from Morristown Medical Center or Overlook Medical Center that we need to hit.

Yes, through the HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) grant. Veterans with a service-connected disability can receive up to $6,800; non-service-connected veterans can receive up to $2,000. The grant is one-time, tax-free, and never repaid. The nearest VA facility is the East Orange VA Medical Center at 385 Tremont Avenue — about a 15-minute drive from Short Hills. Luis walks you through the two-form application: the HISA grant request and the medical-necessity statement from your VA primary care provider.

Yes, through the NJ MLTSS (Managed Long Term Services and Supports) program. MLTSS covers residential modifications including stairlifts when a licensed assessor determines the modification is medically necessary to keep the member in the community rather than a nursing facility. The process starts with a call to your MLTSS managed care coordinator. A Horizon NJ Health or Aetna Better Health case manager then schedules the assessment.

Yes. The Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) program is state-funded for New Jersey residents age 60 and older who meet nursing-home-level-of-care criteria but want to stay home. JACC covers minor home modifications — including stairlifts — under its Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit. The program provides up to $1,090 per month per participant in total service value, and the stairlift would be authorized as a one-time environmental modification within that framework. Contact the Essex County Division of Senior Services to start the JACC eligibility screening.

Essex County runs a Home Improvement Program through federal CDBG funds that provides zero-interest deferred loans to low- and moderate-income homeowners — including Millburn/Short Hills residents — for housing rehabilitation. The loan is forgiven if you stay in the home for 10 years. While primarily for structural repairs, accessibility modifications including stairlifts can qualify when recommended by an occupational therapist. Separately, NJ FamilyCare's Housing Supports Program provides up to $15,000 as a lifetime benefit for residential modifications, including stairlifts, for qualifying Medicaid members.