Which Home Lift Fits You Best? Let’s Find Out!

In the recent years, the Malaysian home lift market has seen a surge of options, with prices and promises plastered across social media, home expos and online ads. While some suppliers claim owners can install a home lift as little as RM50,000, these offers often come with a hidden caveats.

In this article, we will highlight some of the points of considerations to help you make an informed decision.

1. Price vs Proven Reliability

• Affordable Home Lift - Too cheap to be true?

  In recent times, we've received a growing number of inquiries from customers asking whether its truly possible to acquire a home lift for as little as RM50,000. While the short answer is "yes", it often comes with significant caveats.

Such pricing is typically seen when the unit is directly imported from overseas via aggregator websites such as Alibaba, with costs that exclude taxes, logistics, insurance and installation. Buyer will bear the responsibility to ensure the safe arrival of the unit and the trouble of paying import duty to the custom. Further to that, the standard market rate for a lift installation starts from RM 8,000 onwards. Such cost will heavily dependent on the lift contractor you hire and the height of the building.

More importantly, these units may lack proven performance record and reliable and established after-sales support.

In contrast, established home lift vendors with a solid track record in Malaysia typically price their lift systems from RM100,000 onwards - reflecting not just the lift itself but also professional installation and dependable long-term service.

2. Understanding the Different Lift Systems

   
   

   The home lift market offers various systems - each with its own advantages and limitation. Here are some of the breakdowns of the systems for your further understanding:

   
   

System Type	Descriptions & Pros	Considerations & Risks
Hydraulic Lifts	Uses piston-driven system, proven system over decades	Requires pit, machine room, more space and substantial civil works. Requires frequent maintenance.
Machine Room-Less (MRL) W.E. Cabin Series	Compact, no separate machine room needed; uses cable or chain with counterweight	Require overhead space and pit, depending on the sizes. Involves moderate complexity and civil works.
Chain-Driven/ Cable Driven	Similar to commercial traction systems; proven system over decades.	Requires shaft and machine room. Requires frequent maintenance.
Screw and Nut	Motor turns screw to mode car; reliable, safe, minimal maintenance. System proven over decades.	Relatively novel compared to hydraulic and traction system. Limited travel height of 18000mm.
Pneumatic Vacuum	Transparent tube-style, space-saving, no shaft or room required; fast installation.	Limited capacity. Novel components may lack long-term data. Motor is required to install at attic, may not be suitable for tropical countries.

3. After-Sales Maintenance

   When it comes to after-sales maintenance, two key factors deserve close attention. First and foremost is whether the company supplying and installing your lift has a competent, well-equpped after sales service team. Without skilled technicians and a reliable response system, even minor issues can lead to prolonged downtime.

   
   

   Second is the cost structure of maintenance. In Malaysia, these typically fall into three categories: annual comprehensive maintenance packages, annual non-comprehensive packages and ad-hoc service arrangements.

   
   

   Understanding these options is critical, as a lift with proper maintenance and normal usage can deliver decades of reliable service. On the other hand, neglecting maintenance or not being supported in after-sales support can lead to costly repairs and significantly shorten the liftspan of your investment.