Homeowners should take space into account when considering a residential lift because it is one of the first considerations that needs to be taken into account. The lift car, shaft, landing, doors, and equipment layout will be influenced by the available area. Overhead clearance and pit depth may also be important as they relate to the final design. Hence, it is imperative that homeowners get the accurate measurements before choosing an appropriate model of lift. Some planning may need to be done for additional wall, stairs or other structural elements, in addition to building services, already taking up valuable floor space in existing houses.
Prior to choosing an appropriate lift, homeowners should take into account the existing plan of the house. When doing home lift installation singapore it is essential to consider factors such as space constraints, floor levels, and accessibility. It depends on the lift model selected for the footprint, shaft size, pit requirements and headroom. The final location and dimensions should be based on manufacturer drawings. For landed properties, planning requirements also apply which can be recognised early to work through space constraints before construction of a building or refurbishment works commences.
How Much Floor Space Does a Home Lift Need?
Lift Car Size Affects the Required Footprint
The lift car will be used to establish the room for cabin comfort. For simple home mobility, a smaller lift may be more appropriate, while a larger car could be better for carrying mobility devices and/or additional passengers. When deciding on the size of the lift, homeowners should think about how they will utilize the lift.
The dimensions of the lift-car platform, rated load, passenger capacity and interior clear height are covered in the BCA guidance for lifts. This depends on the type and size of lift.
The Shaft or Enclosure Needs Additional Space
The footprint of the lift car is not the full footprint of the installation. There has to be room around the moving equipment, too, to accommodate the shaft or enclosure. Additional lift components, such as walls, landing doors, guide components, safety clearances and others all can add to the overall size.
Therefore, homeowners should check the area of the floor they have against the overall installation drawing. Just measuring the cabin size can give an unrealistic idea of the amount of space needed.
Lift Dimensions Vary by Model
There is no single footprint that fits all residential lifts. Each manufacturer has a unique mechanism, size, shaft arrangement and installation.
So, it’s crucial that homeowners ask for technical drawings of the model they choose. Those drawings can help indicate the necessary width, depth, shaft dimensions, landing arrangement and vertical clearances prior to construction.
What Pit Space Is Needed for Home Lift Installation?
Some Home Lifts Require a Pit
There might be a need for a pit beneath the lowest landing for a conventional lift. The pit is used to accommodate equipment underneath the lift car and helps to ensure safe operation and maintenance.
The desired depth will depend on the lift design and any applicable technical requirements, however. Specific requirements for lift pits are included in BCA guidance, such as access arrangements which depend on the depth of the pit.
Pitless and Reduced-Pit Options
There are some residential lift systems that have reduced pits or other configurations. These designs can be used for properties that may have extensive excavation, which may cause problems with structure or practicality.
But it’s important for homeowners to not think that all of the compact lifts will mean that no building work is needed. Actual installation requirements will be determined by the manufacturer. The design chosen should be compliant with relevant Singapore standards.
Existing Floor Levels Must Be Checked
Old homes need a careful evaluation of their floor levels and condition of their structures. Installer may need to take into account surrounding structural elements, basement areas, ground slab and foundations.
These may have an impact on the final lifting position and construction processes. It is possible to find conflicts before renovation work before you start, using a site assessment.
How Much Headroom Does a Home Lift Need?
Space Above the Top Landing
For a lift, there shall be a vertical clearance above the highest landing. This area provides for the lift car movement, safety elements and other equipment needed for the system selected.
This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and lift type. Thus, the technical section drawings should be utilized by the homeowner, and not depending on the generic measurements from other properties.
Lift Overrun Can Affect Building Height
The overall height of landed houses may be impacted by the lift overrun. URA advises lifting the shaft to stay within the allowable building envelope. Also provides room for protrusions of up to 1 metre above the envelope control line for lifts overruns in relevant landed housing situations.
This is why it is important to make plans early on. A positive attitude internally may not necessarily be correct for planning purposes for the property.
Manufacturer Drawings Determine Exact Clearance
Generic dimensions should not be used in place of model-specific drawings. The drawings should indicate the highest landing, shaft, car position and overhead space, and others are relevant clearances.
These measurements can then be coordinated by the architects and qualified professionals with the existing building design.
What Space Is Needed Around the Lift?
Landing and Door Clearance
There should be appropriate space outside of each lift door for passengers. The landing needs to be able to accommodate people to approach, enter and exit the cabin without problems with close walls or doors.
The configuration of the doors is also important. The lift may require a different amount of space around it if it is a side-opening or a different door arrangement is used.
Access to Equipment and Service Areas
It should also allow for proper access to perform maintenance and rescue tasks. For private lifts the BCA guidance on SS 550:2020 is for permanent maintenance access, including access at key landing points.
Thus, users will need to take into account ease of access for service in their planning of the lift. Even with a small installation, there is still a need for practical access for authorised personnel.
Clearance From Walls and Other Building Elements
Stairs, beams, walls, duct work for plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning should be taken into consideration when planning the lift location. All of these can limit the space available for installation.
A coordinated building plan minimises conflicts between the lift and existing services. It will also provide the project team with a better understanding of the available space.
Can a Home Lift Fit Into an Existing Singapore House?
Assessing Available Floor Area
Measure the area of the lift you are looking to install on each floor first. Look for width, depth, height from floor to ceiling, wall placement and landing access.
Alignment is also important in the vertical direction. If the lift serves a number of floor levels, then there will generally be a coordinated route to follow on each level. So, if a single room, one particular room on one floor is suitable, this may not be the case in other rooms throughout the home.
Checking Structural Requirements
Installation may be impacted by the existing slabs, beams, foundations and walls. Depending on the lift and the property, structural changes are required for a new shaft.
Even in the case of exemptions from certain building-control requirements for owner-occupied houses, BCA states that the requirements for structural design and construction are still applicable to landed houses.
Considering Internal and External Lift Locations
If there is a layout of the home to consider, then there are different locations that can be considered by homeowners. But Singapore planning laws can impact the location of vertical circulation areas.
For landed properties, vertical circulation spaces (such as lifts) should be kept within the house, where possible, says URA.
What Singapore Requirements Affect Home Lift Space Planning?
URA Building Envelope Requirements
The location and elevation of a lift shaft may be controlled by the URA planning controls. In the case of houses on land, the shaft shall be within the building envelope allowed in the Building Code, with any applicable provisions for lift overruns.
Homeowners should therefore check the planning context of the property prior to deciding on the location of the lift.
BCA Lift Requirements
A home lift is a lift that is installed in a private residence for the use of its residents, as recognised by BCA. Home lifts may comply with relevant requirements if designed, installed and operated in accordance with SS 550 or an acceptable alternative.
BCA also says that new lifts will conform to currently existing standards set in accordance with the Building Control Act. The standard that it currently recommends is SS 550:2020 for passenger lifts.
Technical Drawings and Installation Documentation
Technical documentation provides the project team with information for good planning. The shaft, lift car, landing doors, pit and overhead area can all be depicted in drawings, as well as other installation aspects.
BCA’s advice also includes technical parameters which should be included in the relevant lift submissions. These include the size and dimensions of the lift car, capacity, shaft clearances, pit provisions and other safety-related information
How Should You Plan Space Before Home Lift Installation Singapore?
Measure Every Relevant Floor
Record the elevation of each area that will be elevated with the proposed lift. Note the floor-to-floor heights, dimensions of floors, wall locations, doors, stairs and nearby services.
Also mark any potential problems, either in or below the proposed shaft. This will help the project team to have a better sense of what vertical routes are available.
Compare the Site With Manufacturer Drawings
After a lift model has been shortlisted, compare the technical drawings of the lift model with the actual site. Verify landing area, overhead clearance, equipment access, pit requirements and shaft footprint.
This prevents making assumptions about generic lift sizes. This also enables potential issues to come to the fore before construction work starts.
Coordinate With the Architect and Qualified Professionals
The design of lift planning must be related to architectural and structural design. The electrical requirements and access to services will also need to be considered during planning.
In the case of a home that is landed, the homeowner will need to work with the relevant qualified person in the event of building work that may require a professional assessment or submission. Registered architects and professional engineers are identified by BCA as qualified persons for the relevant building works.
What Should You Check Before Choosing a Home Lift?
Lift Capacity and Intended Use
Think about the number of people who are going to use the lift and what they might be carrying. For wheelchair access, household items, luggage, and mobility requirements, this can impact the cabin size that is necessary.
If you’re looking for a larger cabin, you might need a bigger overall footprint. So, capacity and space planning should be linked.
Footprint and Vertical Clearance
Don’t just look at the cabin size; look at the complete footprint. Include the landing doors, pit, headroom and equipment requirements. This way, homeowners will have a more realistic idea of the space required for the home lift installation singapore.
Installation Requirements
Look at the structural work, electrical requirements, access, maintenance space and technical documentation. Request drawings of the model for which the installation is being planned prior to making installation decisions.
The installation team should also ascertain that there are any site conditions that could alter the original space plan.
Singapore Compliance
The proposed installation should comply with the requirements and standards of Singapore. The Building Control Act applies to new lifts, and BCA guidance notes include compliance with the prevailing standards in the Act.
Homeowners of landed properties ought to also review the relevant controls of the URA. The URA Landed Housing e-Advisor offers guidance on alterations to landed houses and identifies relevant development-control considerations.
Conclusion
Space planning isn’t just about locating an empty space for the lift cabin. These factors include the shaft, landing, pit, headroom, doors, equipment, structural elements and maintenance access for homeowners. The planning controls also influence lift placement in landed properties in Singapore. Thus, it is essential to start with the right dimensioning of the site and the technical drawings of the model when doing home lift installation singapore. Communicating with architects, engineers, installers and the relevant authorities early can help to understand what space is available and to determine if there are any conflicts that need to be resolved before construction and/or renovations begin.
FAQs
What is the amount of space required for a home lift in Singapore?
Each residential lift has its own unique footprint. Space required is dependent on the cabin, shaft, doors, pit, headroom, equipment, capacity and manufacturer specification.
Do you need a pit for your home lift?
Depending on the system design, either a traditional pit or a reduced pit or an alternative pit design is used for residential systems. The selected manufacturer is to confirm the exact requirement.
What is the minimum amount of lift for a home?
The amount of headroom will vary with the lift configuration and system design. Homeowners should refer to the manufacturer’s technical drawings and the relevant requirements in Singapore prior to the construction.
What could be done to use a home lift in an old landed house?
Yes, it is possible to fit a lift to an existing landed house, after a suitable assessment. The project should take into account available space, structural requirements, the alignment of the vertical structure, planning controls and relevant technical requirements.
Do the home lifts require a lift shaft?
The majority of enclosed residential lift systems will have a specified lift shaft or enclosure. The planning should be based on the manufacturer’s specification, though the design and dimensions differ depending on the system.
