Home elevator glossary

44 terms you will hear from installers, inspectors and manufacturers, in plain English. Each one links to the part of the site that explains it.

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Acceptance inspection: The inspection a new elevator must pass before it is used, where a state or city requires one. Rules differ by state – see your state page. More
ASME A17.1: The Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, published by ASME. Most states adopt an edition of it; the current edition is A17.1-2025. More

Battery lowering: A backup that lowers the car to the nearest floor and opens the door if the power fails. Worth asking every installer about. More

Cab: The enclosed car you ride in. Cab size, finish and door style are usually chosen with the installer. More
Cable elevator: An elevator lifted by a cable wound on a drum (winding drum). It needs a hoistway and is among the lower-priced shafted types in published ranges. More
Car gate: The folding or sliding gate on the car itself, separate from the door on each floor. The space between the two is limited by code for safety. More
Certificate of operation: A state permit to operate an elevator. Many states do not issue one for elevators in private homes – Florida, for example, does not require one. More
Chain drive: A drive that raises the car with chains, usually counterweighted. Some residential elevators use it instead of hydraulics or cable. More
Counterweight: A weight that balances the car so the machine does less work. Used in traction and some chain-drive elevators. More

Dumbwaiter: A small lift for goods – groceries, laundry, firewood – not people. Many elevator companies install both. More

Elevator mechanic licence: A state licence for the individual who installs or repairs elevators. Some states require it even for work in private homes; others do not. More
Elevator contractor licence: A state licence or registration for the company doing elevator work. Each state page sets out what its state requires. More

Hoistway: The shaft the elevator travels in. Building one can add $10,000 to $15,000, according to Stiltz. More
Hoistway door: The door on each floor that opens into the hoistway. It stays locked unless the car is at that floor. More
Home lift: A general term many manufacturers use for small residential elevators, especially through-floor and pneumatic models. More
Hydraulic elevator: An elevator pushed up by a hydraulic drive. It needs a hoistway and usually a shallow pit; Savaria says a traditional elevator needs at least 25 sq ft. More

Inline gear drive: A compact geared drive mounted in the hoistway, used by some residential elevators instead of hydraulics. More
Interlock: The lock on each hoistway door that keeps it shut unless the car is at that landing, and stops the car if a door is opened. More

Landing: A floor where the elevator stops. A two-stop elevator serves two landings. More
LULA elevator: Limited-Use/Limited-Application elevator – a small commercial elevator for buildings such as churches and small offices, not a home elevator. More

Machine room: A separate room for the elevator machine. Many home elevators avoid it by putting the machine in the hoistway. More
Machine-room-less (MRL): An elevator whose machine sits inside the hoistway, so no separate machine room is needed. Fixr lists an average of $45,000. More
Maintenance contract: A yearly service agreement with an elevator company. Angi puts annual maintenance at $300 to $760, average $510. More
Max Grablin Act: Florida's law (s. 399.031) setting clearance rules between the doors of elevators installed in private residences. More
Medicare: Medicare does not pay for home elevators – its equipment reference list marks them "convenience item; not primarily medical in nature." More

Overhead clearance: The height needed above the top floor for the car and machinery. Savaria cites 92 to 96 inches for its traditional elevators. More

Permit: Approval to install an elevator, from the state, the city or the county. Who issues it depends on where you live. More
Pit: A shallow recess below the lowest floor for the bottom of the car. Savaria cites 8 to 10 inches; pneumatic elevators need none. More
Platform lift: A vertical platform lift (VPL): an open platform that raises a wheelchair a short height. Angi puts them at $5,000 to $20,000. Not a home elevator. More
Pneumatic elevator: A vacuum elevator: a car in a clear tube moved by air pressure. PVE says its models need no pit, shaft or machine room. More
Private residence elevator: The code term for an elevator in a single home. ASME A17.1 Section 5.3 covers them. More

Rated load: The most weight the elevator is designed to carry. Through-floor models carry less than shafted elevators – Stiltz lists 375 to 550 lb. More
Rated speed: How fast the car travels. Design guides written to the residential code cite 40 feet per minute. More
Retrofit: Adding an elevator to a home that already exists. Angi notes it can cost up to three times more than building one in during construction. More

Section 5.3: The private-residence section of ASME A17.1. Some states adopt the code but leave this section out. More
Shaftless elevator: Another name for a through-floor elevator: it rides through an opening in the ceiling instead of a hoistway. More
Stair lift: A powered seat that runs along a staircase. Cheaper and smaller than an elevator, but it carries one seated person. More
Stop: Each floor the elevator serves. More stops means more cost – HomeGuide lists $10,000 to $15,000 for each additional floor. More

Through-floor elevator: A compact home lift that travels through an opening cut in the ceiling, with no shaft or pit. Stiltz says installation usually takes one to two days. More
Traction elevator: An elevator moved by a traction machine with a counterweight. Published ranges start around $25,000 and run past $75,000. More
Travel: The total vertical distance the elevator moves. Design guides cite a 50-foot maximum for private residence elevators. More
Two-stop elevator: An elevator serving two floors – the basis for most published price ranges. More

VA housing grants: Veterans Affairs grants for adapting a home: up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for fiscal year 2026. More

Figures are quoted from the sources named on the pages they link to, checked September 2026.