Expert Stairlift Installation in Upper St. Clair, PA

A straight rail on a standard staircase — like the split-levels in Trotwood Hills or colonials in Hastings Mill — takes about 3 hours. Curved rails need a 1-hour laser-measurement visit first, then 5-6 hours for the install about a week later. Outdoor units run about 4 hours. No drywall work, no rewiring, no structural changes. We clean up and test the unit with you before leaving.

No. The rail bolts into the treads — small-diameter lag bolts that go into the wood, not the riser face or the wall. If you ever remove the lift, a carpenter can fill the bolt holes in under an hour. Most Upper St. Clair homes have oak treads, which hold the bolts cleanly without splitting.

Yes — split-levels are some of the most common homes we work on in Upper St. Clair, especially in Trotwood Hills and along the Fort Couch Road corridor. A straight rail handles the main staircase section. For the few split-levels with a small intermediate landing and a change in direction, a short custom bend bridges the turn. The rail runs along the treads, not the wall, so it stays tight to the stairs.

One adult needs to be home. Clear personal items from the staircase and make sure there's a standard 110V outlet within 15 feet of the top or bottom landing. That's it. The crew brings everything else. Luis does the final walkthrough and test ride with you before we leave.

Yes — through the HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) grant. Service-connected veterans receive up to $6,800. Non-service-connected veterans with a 50% or higher disability rating receive up to $2,000. It is a one-time grant, tax-free, never repaid. The Pittsburgh VA Medical Center on University Drive (Oakland campus, about 10 miles from Upper St. Clair) processes the paperwork. You need a prescription from your VA primary care provider stating the stairlift is medically necessary.

Yes — through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver, managed by the PA Department of Human Services Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL). Home modifications including stairlifts are covered when deemed medically necessary to keep a person in their home rather than a facility. Start by calling the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging SeniorLine at 412-350-5460. A care manager will schedule an in-home assessment to determine eligibility.

Yes. The PA Accessible Housing Grant through the Keystone Communities Program (administered by DCED/PHFA) funds home modifications for eligible individuals with disabilities. Also, the OPTIONS Program — run through the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging — helps residents 60 and older with home modifications to age in place. Both are income-based and require an in-home assessment. Call Allegheny County SeniorLine at 412-350-5460 to start either process.

Yes. HISA and the CHC Waiver or OPTIONS Program can be stacked for costs above the HISA cap. Example: a curved rail at $9,000 — HISA covers $6,800 for a service-connected veteran, and the CHC Waiver or OPTIONS can cover the remaining $2,200 with proper medical-necessity documentation. We help with the paperwork for both programs. The key is getting the medical-necessity letter from your doctor — we walk you through the wording.