Amid elevated mortgage rates, weak buyer traffic, and ongoing supply-side challenges, home builders are looking for an edge. Two top design trends for 2025, according to the NAHB Design Bites, may provide that edge: housing type diversity and universal design. At the center of both is one solution—the home elevator.
Why Elevators Make Sense Now
Housing diversity—through townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and other formats—allows builders to maximize land value. Taller, narrower homes deliver more livable square footage per square foot of land, but multiple levels can be a drawback without convenient access. A home elevator eliminates that friction, adding everyday livability and market appeal.
Universal design, meanwhile, ensures homes remain accessible to people of all ages and abilities. With an aging population and the rise of multigenerational living, elevators help make every floor usable for everyone. For buyers, this means confidence in aging in place. For builders, it means broadening the target market.
Beyond accessibility, elevators deliver convenience for anyone—hauling groceries, laundry, luggage, or kids up and down stairs is no longer a chore. And because they are perceived as luxury features, elevators can also boost the prestige of a home.
Choosing the Right Home Elevator
There are three main categories: traditional elevators, panoramic elevators, and through-the-floor lifts.
Traditional Home Elevators
Housed in a shaftway, these units carry 500–950 lb (up to 1400 lb in heavy-duty models) with cab sizes up to 15 sq. ft. They’re typically limited to six stops.
Savaria’s most popular model, the Eclipse, uses a geared chain drive with modular construction that installs quickly and requires no machine room. Hydraulic and geared traction drives are also available, depending on project needs.
Customization is extensive. Builders can specify cab finishes from traditional hardwood to colorful MDF, add glass or mirrored panels, or select from a range of fixtures and hall stations. New in 2024, Savaria introduced touchscreen cab operating panels (COPs) with animated floor-to-floor travel and customizable floor names.
Safety is equally important. Savaria’s new Luxury Flush Door eliminates entrapment hazards between swing landing doors and cab gates, while delivering a seamless modern aesthetic with concealed interlocks and hinges.
Panoramic Home Elevators
For high-end projects, panoramic elevators such as the Savaria Vuelift transform vertical transport into a centerpiece. Instead of being hidden in a shaft, Vuelift includes its own steel-framed hoistway made of crystal-clear silica glass or premium acrylic panels. This transparency allows architects to place the elevator in visually striking locations—often at the center of a wraparound staircase or as part of daylighting strategies.
Available in round or octagonal shapes with winding drum or pneumatic drive, Vuelift offers a 360-degree view inside and out. The winding drum drive provides quiet operation, consistent speed, and greater long-term durability—ensuring performance matches the showpiece design.
Through-the-Floor Lifts
For retrofits or tight footprints, through-the-floor lifts provide a two-stop solution without a shaftway. The cab travels on a tower through a simple floor cut-out. Operation is push-to-run rather than fully automatic, with sizes ranging from single-user to full wheelchair access.
Savaria’s new Luma lift elevates this category with contemporary styling, ambient lighting, and thoughtful safety features. It includes the Savaria One Touch Alert system, enabling two-way communication with pre-programmed contacts via SIM card, and Savaria Link, which allows dealers to monitor fault codes remotely for quicker service.
Competitive Advantage for Builders
Home elevators are no longer niche luxuries; they’re becoming expected in multi-level designs and sought-after for universal design. Offering them can help builders:
- Expand buyer appeal across age groups and abilities
- Differentiate projects with a visible, functional luxury feature
- Future-proof homes for aging in place and multi-generational living
- Maximize land use by making taller homes more practical
Learn more about home elevators, and find case studies, design tools and education.
