A residential elevator is not a washing machine. Often times homeowners decide on one as if it was a standard household appliance. Like a washer, they wish to purchase a home elevator manufactured by an established company with a typical one-year warranty. They tend to focus primarily on cost, figuring that "they are all kind of the same" and perhaps with the thought that if the elevator survives the first year under warranty, they have a good product.

A hillside lift is quite an investment. There is no other way to say it. The final amount will depend on the landscape, travel distance, and the brand of the lift. In addition to the purchase of the equipment and installation services, you may find yourself dealing with city codes and permits; soil samples; extra landscaping; pier supports; and various other forms of cement work. To top it off, you may have to get permission from your neighbors.