Comment: Advising customers on purchasing an accessible homelift during the cost-of-living crisis
Customers worrying about the cost of running a homelift? Gino Farruggio, Trade Sales Director for Stiltz, has all the energy data mobility retailers need to reassure their customers looking for an economical home adaptation…
In the midst of the cost-of-living crisis, it stands to reason that some of your customers are asking how much mains powered adaptations cost to run in the home. Home lifts are among those choices currently under the spotlight. This topic came up in a recent BHTA section meeting so here are some background insights and indisputable facts from our technical experts back at HQ….
Based on a 230V supply, a 27.9p kWh price and a journey time of 30 seconds when fully loaded, our Trio+ Homelift only needs £0.0035 (approximately one third of a penny) of electricity to travel upwards between floors.
To put this data into perspective, it costs 3p (£0.03) to boil one litre of water with a 2.8kW kettle. This works out as 0.75p (£0.0075) of electricity for every 250ml mug of tea made. So, as you can see travelling upstairs in a Trio+ is 10 times cheaper than boiling a kettle and what’s more, coming down costs even less. On a journey downstairs the electric usage drops to a staggeringly small £0.0002 – that’s over 100 times lower than it costs to heat those favourite cuppas!
Bearing in mind that’s the energy consumption for our larger wheelchair-friendly homelift, now consider our more compact Duo+. This two-person lift when fully loaded at 170kg, will ascend between one floor for an even lower electricity price of £0.0032. Descending costs £0.0002 like the Trio+ so when you add it up over 50 journeys, your customers will have only spent on average one pence.
The bigger picture
Over and above the negligible cost of powering a Stiltz Homelift, potential customers can also be reassured about performance, safety and long-term value. This specialist manufacturer has a respected reputation for product reliability and diligent service which ensure customers can depend on their choice of homelift. Dealers are in a strong position to prove this track record simply by referring customers to the Stiltz Trustpilot score.
From a safety perspective every Stiltz Homelift is rigorously tested before dispatch and commissioning in the home is a thorough and precise process. For peace of mind a lift car battery backup comes as standard so in the event of a mains power outage, passengers can continue their journey for a safe exit.
Nevertheless, when it comes to considering running costs, it’s more important to focus on the bigger picture. We have proven the minute daily energy consumption however the purchase cost of a homelift may still be a barrier to ownership. As dealers, you are fully aware of helping your customers reach an informed decision.
When stairs are starting to become problematic, clients need help to weigh up all the choices, so the best outcome is achieved. There are many alternatives to a homelift but are they cost effective? Will they be future-proofed? What will they mean for other members of the household?
Investing in the future
By choosing a homelift customers are investing in the future; they are purchasing a solution which will pay for itself in the long run. When compared to a costly accessible ground floor conversion or extension, relocating home or ultimately funding expensive carers, a homelift provides the sustainable, cost-effective choice.
It’s also worth considering other life overheads which are not monetary – what about the practical and wellbeing costs if in essence a home is split in two? Falls on the stairs come with a heavy price in terms of injury, rehabilitation and stresses on the rest of the family. Or the loss of income can be another major blow.
So, when you sum it all up, the day-to-day running costs of a Stiltz Homelift may be perceived as a concern for your customer, but in reality they are not, and it would be far more prudent for customers to focus on the holistic savings a homelift provides.
