Residential Shaft & Hoistway Elevators

A Real Elevator — Built Into Your Home.

Traditional residential elevators require a hoistway or shaft, but they deliver the smoothest ride, the highest capacity, and the most customization of any home lift. We carry Savaria's full residential elevator lineup — assessed, installed, and serviced locally since 1998.

Schedule a Free In-Home Assessment Call (281) 480-9876

What Makes a Shaft/Hoistway Elevator Different?

Unlike shaftless homelifts that use a freestanding rail system, traditional residential elevators travel inside a dedicated hoistway — a vertical shaft built into or added to your home. The hoistway provides structural support, houses the rail system, and encloses the cab for a quieter, more finished look.

The tradeoff is construction: a hoistway requires either an existing closet stack, a new bump-out, or a purpose-built shaft. Installation typically takes 5–10 days depending on the model and site conditions. The payoff is a higher weight capacity (up to 1,400 lb), more cab customization, and a ride quality that rivals commercial elevators.

We'll assess your home at no charge and tell you exactly what's involved — including whether a shaftless option might serve you better.

Our Residential Elevator Models

Four distinct options — from the most popular chain-drive elevator to a panoramic glass showpiece.

Chain Drive

Savaria

Eclipse Home Elevator

Best-Seller · Chain Drive · Up to 1,000 lb

The most popular residential elevator in North America — fast to install, easy to customize.

The Savaria Eclipse is a modular geared chain-drive elevator with a top-mounted motor and counterweight system. No separate machine room is needed — the controller fits in a small closet or basement space. Modular rail sections make installation manageable in 5–7 days. It serves up to 5 stops with as little as 96″ of overhead and an 8″ pit.

Machine roomless — controller fits in a small closet or basement space
Modular rail system for faster on-site installation (typically 5–7 days)
UPS battery backup — lowers cab, keeps lights on, opens gates during power outage
Emergency stop/alarm, manual hand crank, slack chain brake, and limit switches standard

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Hydraulic

Savaria

Infinity Home Elevator

Hydraulic Drive · Whisper-Quiet · Up to 1,400 lb HD

The smoothest, quietest residential elevator — hydraulic precision in a home setting.

The Savaria Infinity uses a 1:2 cable hydraulic drive with a submersible pump housed in a separate machine room (4×5 ft, typically in the basement). Automatic leveling at each landing ensures a precise, flush stop. It uses biodegradable LEED-qualified Hydro Safe vegetable oil hydraulic fluid. An HD configuration adds a 1,400 lb capacity with a larger 4′×5′ cab.

Precision hydraulic drive — smooth acceleration and deceleration with automatic leveling
Submersible pump in separate machine room for whisper-quiet operation
Biodegradable LEED-qualified Hydro Safe hydraulic fluid
UPS battery backup — lowers cab and maintains lighting during power outage

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Geared Traction MRL

Savaria

Zenith Home Elevator

Commercial-Grade · 1,400 lb · 56 dB Ultra-Quiet

Commercial-grade performance in a residential package — the finest ride available.

The Savaria Zenith is built on the same commercial-grade geared traction counterweight drive as the Orion MRL. Rated at only 56 decibels, it is Savaria's quietest residential elevator. The machine-roomless design requires only a small utility closet for the controller. With a 1,400 lb standard capacity and a duty cycle of 200+ daily trips, the Zenith is built for demanding use.

Commercial-grade geared traction drive — butter-smooth ride, 200+ daily trips
Machine roomless — controller fits in a small closet, no dedicated machine room needed
Rated at 56 dB — Savaria's quietest residential elevator
UPS battery backup — lowers cab, maintains lighting, and opens gates during power outage

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Panoramic Glass

Savaria

Vuelift Mini

Panoramic Glass · 500 lb · 50″ Footprint

A panoramic glass elevator that fits where others can't — with a 50″ footprint.

The Savaria Vuelift Mini is a panoramic glass elevator with a 50″ footprint — small enough to fit inside a curved staircase, beside a mezzanine, or in the center of a room. Available in clear acrylic or glass with an integrated matching hoistway, it requires no separate hoistway construction. Installation typically takes 4–5 days with only a 3″ pit and 96″ of overhead.

50″ footprint — fits inside curved staircases, beside balconies, or center of a room
Factory-built integrated hoistway — no separate hoistway construction required
Available in clear acrylic or glass for a panoramic, open feel
Only 3″ pit and 96″ overhead required — minimal construction impact

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Which Residential Elevator Is Right for You?

A quick side-by-side to help narrow your options before your free in-home assessment.

Feature	Eclipse	Infinity	Zenith	Vuelift Mini
Drive type	Chain drive	Hydraulic	Geared traction	Winding drum
Max capacity	1,000 lb (HD avail.)	1,000 lb (HD 1,400 lb)	1,400 lb	500 lb
Machine room	No	Yes (4×5 ft)	No	No
Min. overhead	96″	92″	108″	96″
Min. pit depth	8″	8″	10″	3″
Max stops	5 (6 w/ code)	5 (6 w/ code)	5 (6 w/ code)	6
Noise level	Standard	Very quiet	56 dB (quietest)	Very quiet
Best for	Renovations, new builds — best value	Custom homes, silky-smooth ride priority	Max capacity, commercial-grade performance	Retrofits, panoramic design, tight spaces

Common Questions

Do I need a permit to install a residential elevator in Texas?

Yes. Residential elevators in Texas require a permit and must be inspected by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Elevator Safety program. We handle the permit application and coordinate the inspection as part of every installation.

How long does installation take?

Most residential elevator installations take 5–10 days depending on the model and site conditions. The Eclipse and Vuelift Mini are typically on the faster end (5–7 days). The Infinity requires a machine room, which may add a day or two. We'll give you a firm timeline during the in-home assessment.

What's the difference between a hoistway and a shaft?

The terms are used interchangeably. A hoistway (or shaft) is the vertical enclosure the elevator cab travels through. It can be an existing closet stack, a new framed enclosure, or — in the case of the Vuelift Mini — a factory-built integrated hoistway that comes with the elevator.

Can a residential elevator be installed in an existing home?

Yes — all four models on this page can be retrofitted into existing homes. The Vuelift Mini is especially popular for retrofits because its factory-built hoistway minimizes construction. The Eclipse and Zenith can often use an existing closet stack. The Infinity requires a machine room, so it's more common in new construction or major renovations.

Does a home elevator add value to my home?

Generally yes, particularly in markets with aging-in-place demand. A residential elevator is a permanent fixture that can make a multi-story home accessible to a much wider range of buyers. We're happy to discuss this during your assessment.

Schedule Your Free In-Home Assessment

We'll assess your home, walk you through the options, and give you a written estimate — at no charge, with no obligation.

Prefer to call? (281) 480-9876 — available 8 am – 9 pm daily.