A lift in your house: cost and what it needs
Design IRL Editorial · Figures checked 7 November 2026 · For owners building or upgrading a G+1 to G+3 house who want a lift · How we make our guides
A home lift is easiest and cheapest when it is planned with the house. Choosing the type early fixes the shaft, the pit and the power supply, and avoids cutting slabs later.
The kinds of home lift
| Type | How it works | Good for | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic | A pump pushes the car up on an oil-filled ram | Low-rise homes; smooth, quiet rides | A pit and a small machine room for the pump, about 1.5–3 sq m |
| Traction | Ropes and a counterweight driven by a motor | Taller homes and faster rides | A pit, headroom at the top and a shaft |
| Gearless traction (MRL) | Traction with the motor inside the shaft | New homes with a planned shaft | A shaft and pit; no separate machine room |
| Screw-driven | A motor turns a screw that lifts the car | Compact homes and retrofits | A small shaft or self-supporting frame |
| Vacuum (pneumatic) | Air pressure in a clear tube lifts the car | Retrofits where cutting a pit is hard | No pit or machine room; small cabins |
What it costs
| Type | Reported price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic | ₹6–15 lakh | BRIO, 2025 |
| Hydraulic, installed, 2 floors | ₹8–15 lakh (the lift alone from ₹4–7 lakh) | Swift Lifts, 2026 |
| Hydraulic, installed, 3 floors | ₹12–20 lakh | Swift Lifts, 2026 |
| Traction | ₹5–20 lakh | BRIO, 2025 |
| Gearless traction (MRL) | ₹8.5–11.5 lakh | BRIO, 2025 |
| Vacuum (pneumatic) | ₹15–25 lakh | BRIO, 2025 |
| Vacuum, 2-person, G+1 to G+3 | From ₹12 lakh (G+1) to ₹23.3 lakh (G+3), before tax | Nibav, 2026 |
Each extra floor adds about ₹1–3 lakh on Nibav's price list. Swift's hydraulic range rises by about ₹4–5 lakh from two floors to three. BRIO says bespoke cabin finishes add ₹1–3 lakh, and that retrofitting into a finished house often costs 20–30% more than a shaft planned from the start.
Our calculator is a starting point
The house calculator uses ₹7 lakh for a small lift serving two floors, plus ₹1.5 lakh for each stop above that, shown as ₹6.3–8.05 lakh for G+1. That is towards the lower end of the makers' ranges. Installed hydraulic, MRL and vacuum lifts are more often ₹8–25 lakh. If you want one of those, add the difference to your budget.
Worked example: a lift for a G+2 house
Take a G+2 house: ground, first and second floors, so three stops.
- House calculator: ₹7 lakh + ₹1.5 lakh for the third stop = ₹8.5 lakh, shown as about ₹7.65–9.8 lakh.
- A branded hydraulic lift for three floors, installed: about ₹12–20 lakh.
- GST on top, if the quote is before tax. Ask the maker which rate applies. At 18%, ₹12 lakh becomes about ₹14.2 lakh.
- Civil work for the shaft, pit and machine room, if not in the lift quote. Your contractor prices this; in a new house it sits mostly within the structure.
- Upkeep: an annual maintenance contract (AMC) of about ₹25,000–50,000 a year (BRIO, Swift). A hydraulic lift also needs its oil changed every 3–5 years, at about ₹20,000–40,000 (Swift).
So a branded hydraulic lift in a G+2 house is a ₹14–24 lakh decision with 18% tax in, plus ₹25,000–50,000 a year to run.
Plan it into the design
- Decide early, at the concept stage. Even if you won't fit the lift now, leave a shaft for it. A lift-ready shaft costs little; cutting slabs later costs a lot.
- Pick the type and maker before the structural drawings are done. Ask for the maker's shaft, pit and headroom drawing.
- Have the structural engineer design the shaft walls, pit and any lifting hook at the top.
- Ask the MEP engineer to plan the power supply, a separate circuit and earthing as the maker requires, and a backup. Many home lifts come with an automatic rescue device that brings the car to a floor in a power cut.
- Waterproof the pit well. A wet pit damages the lift and voids warranties.
- Book the installation for after plaster and before final finishes in the lift lobbies.
Permissions and licences
Several states have their own lift laws, under which the state lift or electrical inspectorate gives permission to install a lift and a licence to run it. Maharashtra's Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Act, 2017 came into force on 1 November 2026. It covers residential, commercial and public buildings. Karnataka and Delhi also have lift laws.
Whether a lift inside a private house is covered depends on the state and its rules. Ask the lift maker to handle the application, and confirm with your state's lift inspectorate. Your building-plan sanction may also need to show the lift and shaft.
Rules change
Lift laws are being updated in several states. These points are as of November 2026 and are high level. Check with the inspectorate or your architect before you build.
Choosing a lift without regret
- Compare quotes on the same number of stops, cabin size, load (how many people), door type and finish.
- Ask what the quote leaves out: civil work, power supply, GST, transport and the first year's AMC.
- Ask for the safety features in writing: door locks, overload sensor, emergency alarm and rescue in a power cut.
- Check that the maker has a service team in your city. A lift is only as good as its servicing.
- If an older family member is the reason for the lift, check the door width for a wheelchair.
Who to hire
Your architect places the lift and shaft in the plan. A structural engineer designs the shaft and pit, and an MEP engineer plans the power and backup. The lift maker or its authorised installer supplies, fits and services the lift, and usually handles the state paperwork.
Find the people
Sources
Most published cost figures come from firms that sell the work. We give ranges and you should get 2–3 quotes.