Truth About DIY Self Installing & Do It Yourself Stairlift Installations.
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by Richard Spafford,
3 min reading time
Over the past 8 years, I have received many phone calls asking if we would service or help out Do it Yourselfers and Self Installers with their stairlifts. Usually they purchase them from the second hand market and or they know someone getting rid of one. Like all our competitors and USA Medical Supply, we will not help or participate in those instances. Yes, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars buying stairlifts on facebook classifieds or craigslist but I always tell people, "You get what you pay for". Did you know most companies should offer a buyback program when you no longer need the stairlift and they should be able to tell you how much you will get back? The main reason we will not help do it yourselfers and self installers is the liability part of it. Did the person you buy it from disassemble it correctly, did you assemble it correctly, what was the history of parts and service on that model, were any recalls addressed on that model, etc.. My company will not even buy a stairlift that we didn't sell to a consumer even if it's a name brand we carry! It's not worth it to us. Same goes if our competitor installed your model. I don't know their hiring or training process and I won't trust that. I know my hiring and training process at USA Medical Supply and I back that 100% with a spotless record. Think about it. You have you or a loved one on a chair with mobility issues, what would happen to that person if the chair completely malfunctions or breaks off the rail? Also, how will you know if there is a major warranty or recall on that stairlift like an automobile where you have a potential safety hazard that you don't even know about? An authorized dealer such as USA Medical Supply in West Springfield, MA would get notifications on those recalls. If those issues were ever to happen a reputable stairlift company like USA Medical Supply could address the problem immediately. What about getting parts such as chargers, contact strips, rocker switches, new seats, new carriage, new rail, circuit boards, etc... The manufacturers such as Bruno & Harmar won't sell to you direct. Most companies won't sell you anything more than a charger or remote. You can't go to Home Depot and buy these parts either. How about diagnosing a circuit board issue or testing the charger vs. the battery charge. Stairlifts will eventually break down and need service by a professional. That is a guarantee. Stairlift installations and service often take hundreds of hours of on the job training and education for someone to be a pro. When it comes to do it yourself projects, stick with things around the house. When it comes to installation and servicing of the stairlifts make sure you hire a professional. Do your research on the company you are hiring. When you do hire that company, make sure you ask if they have a buy back program, how much service calls are, warranty and extended warranty issues, and most of all please read their reviews online by other customers. Usually many reviews by customers paint the picture of what you are really getting into. I wish all of you the best and if you would like to leave comments, please put them in the comment section. Thank you. You can email me at info@usamedicalsupply.com if you would like a Free Stairlift Assessment or have any questions.
