New Hampshire Statewide Coverage

Stairlift installation across every New Hampshire county

Licensed installers serving Manchester mill-house colonials, Portsmouth capes, and White Mountain farmhouses. Bonded, insured, and the only crew that ships cold-pack batteries and narrow-gauge rails as a default for pre-1900 Granite State housing stock.

(800) XXX-XXXX
255 New Hampshire cities served
10 Counties covered
15 yrs Serving NH homeowners
4.83 NH customer rating
Coverage

We install in every corner of New Hampshire

Tap a county to see the cities we serve in that area. Scroll or pinch to zoom. Our top New Hampshire metros are pinned in gold — click any pin to jump to the city page.

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Licensed & Insured New Hampshire State
BBB Accredited A+ Rating
15+ Years Serving New Hampshire
1,500+ Installations Statewide
About New Hampshire

What New Hampshire homeowners actually need from a stairlift installer

255 cities served
10 counties
1,427,710 residents
19.5% age 65+

New Hampshire has the oldest housing stock of any state we serve outside of neighboring Massachusetts and Vermont. Roughly 25% of New Hampshire's housing was built before 1940 — the classic 18th and 19th century cape, colonial, and saltbox pattern. Portsmouth, Exeter, Hanover, Keene, and Dover stock routinely predates 1850, with staircase geometry tighter than modern code allows. Tread widths of 28-32 inches and riser heights of 8.5+ inches are standard. We ship narrow-gauge rails as a default for any pre-1900 New Hampshire address, and we measure stair angle on the intake call because many of these stairs exceed 42 degrees.

The Manchester, Nashua, and Concord corridor runs a mix of mill-house colonials built for textile and shoe workers between 1870 and 1930, post-war ranch tracts, and modern split-levels. Mill-house stairs in Manchester's Millyard neighborhoods, Nashua's French Hill, and the Amoskeag-adjacent housing stock need narrow-gauge rails. Post-war Merrimack County ranch homes are routine straight-rail installs.

Northern New Hampshire and the White Mountains — Coos, Grafton, Carroll, upper Sullivan — bring true mountain winter. Berlin, Lancaster, Colebrook, Pittsburg, and the North Country routinely see -25°F January lows with -40°F windchill. Every install north of Franconia Notch ships with cold-pack batteries rated to -30°F as a baseline spec, plus a battery blanket for any unheated space. Ski-country lakefront retirement homes on Winnipesaukee, Newfound, and Squam Lake add seasonal conversion work where summer cottages are being winterized for year-round living.

Built for the New Hampshire climate

New Hampshire winters are severe but uneven. Southern tier — Nashua, Manchester, Salem, Portsmouth — sees January lows around 10°F, manageable with standard batteries. The White Mountains, North Country, and upper Connecticut River Valley are different: Berlin, Lancaster, Colebrook, Pittsburg, and Errol routinely hit -25°F with -40°F windchill, and Mount Washington holds the Western Hemisphere wind record. Every install north of Franconia Notch ships with cold-pack batteries rated to -30°F standard, plus a battery blanket for any unheated space. Coastal Portsmouth and Rye installs ship with marine-grade rail coating standard due to salt air exposure.

Licensing & Permits

New Hampshire does not license residential general contractors at the state level — no statewide exam, no bonding requirement, no licensing board for general construction work. Residential oversight happens via state electrical and plumbing licensing plus local town/city registration. Verify your installer's electrical licensing and insurance before you sign.

  1. No Statewide General Contractor License

    New Hampshire is one of a small number of states with no state-level general contractor licensing. The New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) regulates electricians, plumbers, and mechanical trades, but not general construction or remodeling. This means homeowners must rely on local town registration, workers compensation verification, and liability insurance documentation rather than a state license lookup. Demand proof of current general liability insurance (minimum $1 million) and workers compensation coverage before you sign anything.

  2. New Hampshire Electrician License (state-regulated)

    Electrical work in New Hampshire is regulated by the Electricians Board within OPLC. A plug-in stairlift on an existing 120V outlet needs no permit. A new dedicated circuit — common in pre-1950 Portsmouth, Exeter, Manchester mill houses, and rural northern stock with original 60-amp service — requires an electrical permit pulled by a New Hampshire-licensed electrician. Verify any electrician at www.oplc.nh.gov. We coordinate with our NH-licensed electrical sub and handle permit and inspection.

  3. Building permit (rare)

    New Hampshire building code treats stairlifts as equipment, not structural modifications, so no building permit is needed for the rail install itself. The exceptions are Portsmouth Historic District (one of the most strictly enforced in New England), Exeter Historic District, Hanover Historic District, and Peterborough Historic District, where exterior-visible work needs Historic District Commission review. We file applications at no charge when required.

  4. Condo and HOA approval

    Common in Portsmouth waterfront condos, Hanover and Lebanon retirement communities, Laconia and Meredith lakefront associations, and North Conway ski-area developments. New Hampshire RSA 356-B (Condominium Act) and federal Fair Housing Act require reasonable accommodation for disabled residents. We prepare the accommodation packet with physician medical-necessity letter at no charge.

Funding & Financial Assistance

New Hampshire programs that help pay for your stairlift

Real programs, real agencies, real phone numbers. We don’t sell leads to funding brokers — we list the actual state and federal paths and help you apply to the ones you qualify for.

Choices for Independence (CFI) Choices for Independence Waiver — NH Department of Health and Human Services

Medicaid 1915(c) HCBS waiver — environmental modification cap of $6,500 per plan year

Covers: Stairlifts classified as Environmental Accessibility Adaptations under CFI

  • New Hampshire resident age 18+
  • New Hampshire Medicaid eligible
  • Clinically eligible at nursing-facility level of care through BEAS assessment
  • Stairlift documented in the person-centered service plan

Timeline: BEAS assessment typically 21-45 days from intake. Once approved, payment goes directly to the provider.

New Hampshire runs one of the most efficient HCBS systems in New England through the ServiceLink network — 13 regional Aging & Disability Resource Centers covering every county. You call ServiceLink at 1-866-634-9412, get routed to your local ADRC, and name us as your EAA vendor.

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services · Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (BEAS)
ServiceLink Aging & Disability Resource Center: 1-866-634-9412 Program website →

VA HISA Grant Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (federal)

One-time federal grant, not a loan

Covers: Up to $8,150 for service-connected disabilities, up to $2,000 for non-service-connected

  • Enrolled in VA health care
  • Prescription from a VA provider stating the modification is medically necessary
  • Home is the veteran's primary residence

Timeline: Typical turnaround: 4-8 weeks from prescription to approved payment.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard retirees in Rockingham and Strafford counties, and the Manchester VA catchment drive most of our HISA volume. The Pease Air National Guard Base population adds to it. We prefill VA Form 10-0103 for you.

Manchester VA Medical Center · White River Junction VA (serving upper Connecticut River Valley)
Manchester VAMC: 603-624-4366 · White River Junction VA: 802-295-9363

New Hampshire Housing Home Equity Loan for Accessibility New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority — Rehabilitation Loan Programs

Fixed-rate loans up to $50,000 for income-qualified homeowners

Covers: Low-interest loans for home rehabilitation including accessibility modifications

  • New Hampshire homeowner
  • Primary residence
  • Household income within NH Housing guidelines
  • Work performed by a licensed contractor
Frequently Asked

New Hampshire stairlift questions answered

Straight answers from a crew that actually installs in New Hampshire every week.

Do I need a permit to install a stairlift in New Hampshire?
Almost never. New Hampshire building code treats stairlifts as equipment rather than structural modifications, so no building permit is required for the rail install itself. The exceptions are (1) any install requiring a new dedicated electrical circuit, which needs a New Hampshire electrical permit pulled by a state-licensed electrician under the OPLC Electricians Board, and (2) properties inside Portsmouth, Exeter, Hanover, or Peterborough Historic Districts where exterior-visible work needs Historic District Commission review. Portsmouth is the strictest HDC in New England. We file HDC applications at no charge when required.
How do I verify a stairlift installer is qualified in New Hampshire if there's no state license?
New Hampshire is one of a handful of states without statewide general contractor licensing, which puts more responsibility on homeowners. What you should demand: (1) current general liability insurance certificate — minimum $1 million coverage, (2) workers compensation insurance certificate, (3) New Hampshire electrician license via oplc.nh.gov if electrical work is involved, (4) proof of current BBB accreditation, and (5) references from previous New Hampshire customers. If your installer cannot produce all five, walk away. Lack of state licensing does not mean lack of accountability — it means you need to do the verification yourself.
Does Choices for Independence (CFI) actually pay for stairlifts?
Yes. CFI is New Hampshire's primary Medicaid HCBS waiver for adults 18+ who meet nursing-facility level of care, and it covers Environmental Accessibility Adaptations including stairlifts with a cap of approximately $6,500 per plan year. The process runs through the ServiceLink Aging & Disability Resource Center network — 13 regional ADRCs covering every New Hampshire county. Call ServiceLink at 1-866-634-9412, get routed to your local ADRC, and a BEAS case manager assesses you at home. Turnaround is typically 21-45 days. We are a credentialed EAA vendor.
My Portsmouth colonial was built in 1790 and the stairs are steep and narrow — will it work?
Usually yes, but it takes a narrow-gauge rail, sometimes a high-angle rail rated to 52 degrees, and occasionally a custom-fabricated upper rail segment. Portsmouth, Exeter, and Hanover pre-1850 colonial stock routinely has tread widths of 28-32 inches, riser heights of 8.5-9 inches, and stair angles exceeding 42 degrees — all tighter than modern code. We measure tread width and stair angle on the intake call before quoting. A standard 36-inch rail will not fit; if your installer is not asking these questions, they will show up with the wrong equipment and waste a day.
Does -25°F North Country winter actually kill a stairlift battery?
Yes, in a single season. Berlin, Lancaster, Colebrook, Pittsburg, and Errol routinely hit -25°F in January with -40°F windchill, and Mount Washington holds the Western Hemisphere wind record. Standard sealed lead-acid batteries lose most of their capacity below 0°F and stop holding a charge entirely at -20°F. Every install north of Franconia Notch — the natural climate boundary — ships with cold-pack AGM batteries rated to -30°F standard, plus a battery blanket for any lift installed in unheated space. Cold-pack batteries last the full 5-year warranty even in North Country winters.
I'm a veteran in New Hampshire — how do I get the VA to pay?
Start at your VA facility: Manchester VAMC is the main New Hampshire VA, and the White River Junction VA (just across the Connecticut River in Vermont) serves upper Grafton and upper Sullivan counties. Request a HISA consult with your primary care team. A VA provider writes a prescription stating the stairlift is medically necessary. Service-connected: up to $8,150. Non-service-connected: up to $2,000. We prefill VA Form 10-0103 for you. Typical approval runs 4-8 weeks. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard retirees and the Pease ANG Base veterans are our most common HISA cases.
Do you cover the Lakes Region and North Country?
Yes. Our Lakes Region route runs weekly through Laconia, Meredith, Wolfeboro, Plymouth, and North Conway. Our North Country route runs every other week through Littleton, Berlin, Lancaster, and Colebrook — Pittsburg and the Connecticut Lakes area adds a day to scheduling. Every install north of Franconia Notch ships with cold-pack batteries and battery blankets standard. We also handle seasonal-to-year-round conversions on Winnipesaukee, Squam, and Newfound lake cottages where aging owners are winterizing the family camp for retirement. No travel surcharge.
New Hampshire Coverage

Ready for your New Hampshire home assessment?

Free in-home visit within 24 hours in southern NH, 48-72 hours in the Lakes Region and North Country. An insured, NH-electrician-partnered installer measures your staircase, walks you through the options, and writes a quote honored for 30 days. No deposit, no obligation. Most New Hampshire families go from first phone call to working lift within 9 days in the Merrimack Valley, 12-14 days in the North Country.

Or call (800) XXX-XXXX Mon–Fri 8am–6pm · Sat 9am–2pm
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