Interactive Tool · India 2026

Home Lift Feasibility Checker

Answer four questions — plot size, floors, new build vs existing, and whether you can dig a pit — and get a clear feasibility verdict plus the lift type that fits your home.

4 drive typesPit-awareRetrofit-readyVerdict + stepsFree Tool

Recommended lift typePneumatic Vacuum (PVE)Suitability 0/100 · Needs PVE-type

Plot size — 1,200 sq.ft

3004,000 sq.ft

Floors above ground

Construction stage

Can you create a pit?

Recommended: Pneumatic Vacuum (PVE)

Needs PVE-type

In an existing home where you cannot excavate a pit, a Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator is the easiest path: it is self-supporting, needs no pit, no shaft and no machine room, and installs against a wall or in a stairwell void. Plan for a 2-3 person glass car.

Pit band

0-0 mm

Headroom

2500-2900 mm

Speed

0.15-0.3 m/s

Suitability

0/100

Your inputs and what they imply

Input	Your value	Implication
Plot size	1,200 sq.ft	Comfortable footprint — a conventional shaft fits
Floors above ground	G+2	Low-rise — hydraulic and compact drives are all viable
Construction stage	Existing building	Retrofit — shaftless or self-supporting drives are easiest
Can you create a pit?	No pit possible	Rules out pit-dependent drives — lean to PVE / screw

Your next steps

1Confirm a clear vertical run and floor-slab openings a PVE tube can pass through
2Check the 2-3 person capacity suits your household (no wheelchair + attendant)
3Get a structural sign-off for the floor cut-outs and a licensed PVE vendor quote

Suitability score by drive type

How well each of the four drive types fits your answers. Your recommendation is highlighted.

Pneumatic vacuum (PVE) is shaftless and pit-free — the easiest retrofit, but caps at 2-3 persons. Screw-drive is compact and needs only a shallow pit. Traction (gearless MRL) is the new-build default for ride and efficiency, especially taller stacks. Hydraulic is the budget pick for low-rise new builds.

Scores weigh your construction stage, pit answer, plot size and floor count. They guide the shortlist — a site survey decides the final fit.

Home lift types at a glance

Pneumatic vacuum home lift in a stairwell

Pneumatic · shaftless

Traction · MRL

Hydraulic · low-rise

Compact home lift retrofit in an existing home

Retrofit · compact

Ready to choose a lift?

Read the residential elevator buyer's guide for India — drive types, pit and shaft needs, capacities, standards and what to ask vendors.

Buyer's guide

Related Guides — Deep-dive reading

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