Return on Investment

Ramps vs. Wheelchair Lifts 

The average three-step staircase raises elevation by about 16.5 in. and takes up 8.25 sq. ft. (see our average stair calculation). Using this calculation, we can compare the space requirements for a ramp and a wheelchair lift to do the same job. 

Competing Wheelchair Lifts 

A common competing lift with a rise appropriate for our example case features a footprint of 58 in. by 69 in. for a total occupation of 28 sq. ft. That’s 6 sq. ft. more than an Ascension Protégé.  

The majority of vertical platform lifts are designed with “lifting cabinets”, which are large machinery cabinets external to the lift that house the lifting machinery. These cabinets must sit next to the lift in order for the platform to rise and descend. As a result, these lifts occupy greater square footage, create unintended walls with the machine cabinet, and typically provide a clunky or industrial type aesthetic. 

What are the costs? 

So far, we’ve looked at the square footage requirements of the two most common accessibility methods for overcoming an elevation change: ramps and wheelchair lifts. But what are the real costs here? Below, we’ve compared accessibility options based on general construction costs per square foot (~ $200 per sq. ft. at the time of this writing).

The above costs are only rough, immediate losses given their space occupations. Let’s look at something a bit more practical.  

If you own a business, say, a restaurant, then the costs associated with the space occupations increase as a factor of time. 

According to Total Food Services, a seat in a full-service restaurant requires about 15 sq. ft. This average takes into account adequate spacing between tables, aisles, and many other factors. At 15 sq. ft. per seat, our accessibility options occupy: 

What About the Money? 

By themselves, these costs don’t look like much. But, if we consider a meal at a restaurant to be $25 then, over time, those costs add up. Let’s look at a year: 

According to Performance Food Services, the customer turnover rate for a mid-tier restaurant is ~1.5 hours. If we say our fictitious restaurant is open 50 weeks per year, 7 days per week, and sees customers 8 hours of their open period per day, then we can see the following costs: 

Yearly per seat costs: ~$43,750 per seat, per year.

The restaurant example above provides an obvious case for minimizing space requirements in your accessibility choices and using wheelchair lifts. However, the results also pave the way for discussions in other areas.

Other Risk Factors 

Maintenance Cycles 

The average maintenance cycle of a lower-end wheelchair lift is typically once per year and includes servicing the lifting machinery and electrical for an average cost between $1,200 and $2,000. An industry standard warranty for wheelchair lifts is about 2 years.  

Conversely, Ascension wheelchair lifts all come with a 10-year warranty and an average maintenance cycle between 6 and 10 years.  

Side by side, we can see that over a ten-year period, an Ascension lift can save you about $9,600 on the low end in maintenance fees alone. 

Potential Lawsuits 

Equitable accessibility is a requirement by law and if your access solution doesn’t function or is inadequate, it can put you and your business or organization at risk. 

Loss of Public Funding 

If you’re a school or other organization that receives public funding, a lack of accessibility can generate a financial loss, as well as open you up to lawsuits. 

Addendum – How We Calculated Our Average Staircase 

It’s easy to find among many commercial buildings, private residences, public spaces, and businesses, sets of stairs consisting of three steps. Using the International Building Code and the ADA as sources, we know that stairs must conform to the following dimensions: 

• Minimum Rise = 4”  
• Maximum Rise = 7” 
• Minimum Depth = 11” 
• Maximum Depth = none 
• Minimum Width = 36” 
• Maximum Width = none 

Therefore, we’ll use the following as averages: 

• Average Rise = 5.5” per step. ((7” + 4”) / 2) 
• Average Depth = 11” 
• Average width = 36” 

With the above values, we know that an average three-step stair has an elevation change of 16.5” or about 1.4’ and travels a length of 33” or 2.75’ in that time. All told, this average stair occupies 8.25 sq. ft. of space.  

Wheelchair Lifts (Platform Lifts) Standards

Wheelchair lift standards are defined by the U.S. Access Board in the ADA and the ASME A18.1 standards as vertical platform lifts. These lifts must feature a minimum clear floor space (i.e., a platform) of 36 in. by 48 in. (12 sq. ft.). This standard is designed to provide enough room for a rider with a mobility device, such as a wheelchair, a walker, or another person as a caregiver. Keep in mind that this platform must be surrounded by the lifting structure, just like an elevator. As a result, the full footprint of a lift is slightly larger.