Lifts can be installed in residential, industrial and commercial spaces, but all these three settings require thoughtful technical and functional planning. Lifts not only improve accessibility but it also adds value to your property. However, before directly jumping to installation process, there are some important factors to consider. Right from structural considerations to usage requirements and safety aspects, an in-depth planning is needed during installation process to enhance convenience, and performance while remaining compliant.Today, we are here to discuss the key points to consider before lift installation in your building.

 What to Consider Before Installing a Lift in Your Building

Lifts can be installed in residential, industrial and commercial spaces, but all these three settings require thoughtful technical and functional planning. Lifts not only improve accessibility but it also adds value to your property. However, before directly jumping to installation process, there are some important factors to consider. Right from structural considerations to usage requirements and safety aspects, an in-depth planning is needed during installation process to enhance convenience, and performance while remaining compliant.

Today, we are here to discuss the key points to consider before lift installation in your building.

Total Travel Height

This is the first technical consideration during lift installation- you must consider the vertical distance the lift has to cover right from the lowest floor to the uppermost one. This calculation will evaluate:

• The suitable lift for your building like hydraulic, machine-room-less or traction.
• Motor capacity and control system.
• The number of stops or floors the lift will serve.

The overall travel height will also affect the installation time, cost and energy consumption. IEC lifts professionals accurately measure the total travel height for smooth lift installation for their clients.

Desired Clear Opening

The clear opening aspect considers lift dimensions like length and width. It is important to consider for:

• Ease of access to passengers, freight and wheelchairs.
• Door type like centre opening, sliding or telescopic
• Compliance with accessibility standards usually in public and residential buildings.

This factor should be considered at the early stage to match with the safety and design codes.

Main Use Case: Residential, Freight, or Commercial

• In residential lifts focus will be on comfort, aesthetic and noise.
• Freight lifts are expected to be durable, capable of handling heavy load and robust controls.
• Commercial lifts should be able to lift higher traffic, and must have high speed.

Each lift has its own requirements in terms of capacity, speed and construction.

Specialized Requirements: Flameproof, Dustproof, or Explosion-Proof

Based on the environment where lift is installed, you must follow the safety standards.

• Lifts should be flameproof if installed in chemical plants or oil refineries.
• In manufacturing environments, lifts should be dust proof.
• Explosion-proof lifts follow ATEX or IECEx standards and are installed in hazardous zones. Such lifts are usually preferred in oil & gas refineries, chemical plants, petrochemical industries etc.

All these aspects decide the lift’s material, elevator maintenance schedule and control systems.

Expected Traffic

Determine the approximate footfall during lift installation to choose the right size and speed. Consider:

• The number of people using the lift in a day.
• Will the lift be used continuously on multiple floors?
• Are there any usage limitations during the day?

Available Area for Installation

Your available area for lift installation matters a lot. Important aspects to consider are:

• Width and depth of shaft
• Headroom (vertical clearance at the top)
• Pit depth (space below the bottom floor)

In less space you can go with compact lifts, while panoramic or wide-door lifts can be installed in larger space. In case of limited space in the building you may go with customized or retrofitted solutions. Being a reputed company in elevators, IEC lifts team can customize clients’ requirements as per the installation area.

Is the Shaft Already Constructed?

You must consider this logistical detail.  In case of already-constructed shaft, you will need customized lifts to align with the dimensions. If not, then you can enjoy a greater flexibility to:

• Choose from machine-room-less or a machine room lift.
• Choose the installation place (interior, exterior or between staircases)
• Consider door alignment with floor entrances.

Under-construction buildings can plan shaft locations, machine rooms and pit size. In contrast, retrofitting in old buildings may require some modifications that will add up the time and cost. We at IEC lifts can provide the best solutions for both under-construction and traditional buildings.

Emergency Power Backup

Power outage can be troublesome and sometimes dangerous if someone gets trapped inside the lift. Consider:

• Installing automatic rescue device (ARD) to let the lift stop at nearest floor during power cut.
• Connecting lift to diesel generator or UPS.
• Compliance with local safety codes that keep the backup system mandatory for elevators in hotels, hospitals or high-rise buildings.

Lift backup system is not only important for safety, but it can be a major selling point in premium properties, we at IEC lifts are committed to provide a robust emergency backup system at a reasonable cost.

Machine Room or Machine-Room-Less (MRL) Design

In traditional lifts, an extra space called as machine room was required for control panel and motor. However, modern lifts come with machine-room-less (MRL) designs, in which lift components are kept within the shaft.

• With machine room: Easy elevator maintenance, higher capacity motors but additional space is needed.
• MRL lifts: Space saving, lower construction cost, aesthetically appealing.

In case of space constraints in your building or if you want the lift to be more aesthetically appealing, you can consider installing MRL lifts.

Interior Customization

Do you want your lift to match with interior design? Modern lifts can make this happen through customized solutions:

• Wall finishes: Glass mirror, stainless steel, wood veneer or laminate.
• Ceiling design: downlights, LED panels, or decorative elements.
• Flooring options: Vinyl, marble or anti-skid tiles and PVC flooring
• Control panel and buttons: Touchscreens, Braille-enabled, antibacterial materials.

Customized lifts are often preferred in luxury apartments, villas, and hotels to match it with their brand or design language. Some manufacturers provide branding options in commercial lifts.

Some other considerations

While the above discussion covers all the major aspects, below are some additional considerations:

• Compliance with local codes and regulations.
• Elevator maintenance plans and AMC
• Service network and warranty of manufacturer.
• Vibration and noise level of lift.
• Remote monitoring or smart control integration.

Final Takeaway

Lift installation is not only about moving vertically from one floor to another- it’s about choosing a solution that fits in your space, meets your functional requirements and follows the safety standards. Whether you want a passenger lift in a duplex villa, or a freight lift in warehouse, take some time to consider all the aspects like travel height, emergency power, shaft readiness or customization. This will ensure that your lift will perform as per you expectations.

For more details contact IEC lifts and know how we can better fulfill your customized requirements.