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  • Outdoor Platform Lifts
  • Fast response for new projects, from design to installation
  • Energy-efficient, compact, and easy-to-install designs
  • Both residential and commercial lifts available, made bespoke to your building’s needs
  • Range of DDA access lifts, including wheelchair lifts and vertical platform lifts
  • Compliant with Part M of the Building Regulations
  • Reliable installations with 24/7 callout service for urgent repairs
  • Ongoing lift maintenance for smooth operation
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The UK’s Leading Choice for Outdoor Platform Lifts

As the leading supplier of lift installation services in Manchester and London, we’re proud to be the first choice for architects and property managers across the UK.

So, you’re looking to address accessibility issues within a commercial or residential building? Not a problem. At Sheridan Lifts, we have a range of standard vertical platform lifts of pre-set specifications or can quote you for a completely bespoke lift to fit your unique requirements.

No matter which you choose, we guarantee a fast turnaround on new projects, ensuring you’re assigned a specialist team of engineers who will talk you through the best lift for you.

Take the first step towards a safe, accessible, and functional space – get in touch today. 

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Sheridan Lifts

What are Outdoor Platform Lifts?

Outdoor platform lifts are common in both residential and commercial buildings. Sometimes referred to as vertical platform lifts or mobility lifts, their chief purpose is to improve accessibility for buildings that have steps leading up to the entrance.

Rather than a standard lift, which transports people through multiple floor levels inside your building, a platform lift would typically be installed outside the building and cover a shorter distance, i.e., from the bottom of the stairs to the entrance level. They provide those with mobility issues – be it wheelchair users, parents with prams, delivery workers, etc. – an alternative to the stairs.

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Choose from Our Range of External Wheelchair Lifts

 

Commercial Platform Lifts for Shops, Hospitals, Libraries & More

When it comes to commercial lifts, you can rely on Sheridan Lifts to provide you with a quality platform lift that does not disrupt normal commercial operations.

Whether that’s for wheelchair users and/or carrying goods, we can help design your ideal elevator-like mobility solutions.

Lifts We Stock

  • Step Lifts: An alternative to steps and staircases in public buildings and shared spaces, these make for great outdoor lifts for disabled or pushchair use. We stock 1m or 3m ranges with weight capacities of up to 280kg and 500kg, respectively.
  • Dumbwaiter lifts: While they are similar to other platform lifts, their specific design and size make them the smallest platform lift, restricting their use to goods transportation only. Common as kitchen lifts in restaurants, or as hospital lifts, dumbwaiters are effective for boosting overall operational efficiency.
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Residential Platform Lifts for Homes & Apartment Buildings

For homeowners, our apartment lifts are ideal for improving accessibility, especially if you or someone you live with has impaired mobility.

Although a ramp can also be considered, a platform lift is more compact and doesn’t require much property space to install. In our range, homeowners or property owners can choose between both internal and external lifts for homes.

Lifts We Stock

  • Outdoor Platform Lifts: Our range of lifts includes wheelchair lifts and enclosed vertical platform lifts. These are engineered to be weather-resistant and durable, allowing users to operate them independently in various outdoor conditions.
  • Through Floor Lifts: Sometimes called a home elevator, this lift transports individuals between levels by moving vertically through an opening in the floor. As you’d expect, this lift is only compatible with certain building designs.
  • Stair chair lifts: Stair chair lifts, or simply stairlifts, are installed on a track system that follows the path of a staircase. You’ll have the choice of the track being mounted to either the stairs itself or the wall, depending on the specific design and configuration of your home.

Across our range of lifts, we know that accessibility is of the utmost importance. That’s why we also offer ongoing lift maintenance services and urgent lift repairs should you experience any problems for years after installation.

For lifts that are as innovative as they are spacious, sleek, and dependable, turn to your local Sheridan engineers. 

modern platform lift

Why Choose Sheridan Lifts?

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We are a fully affiliated member of LEIA (Lift & Escalator Industry Association), and we carry all required certification to undertake approved lift installation works.

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All of our lifts are completely open protocol, ensuring the ease of future maintenance and fault finding.

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We can install a customer lift or create a platform lift that is bespoke. No matter your choice, we offer extended warranties of up to 5 years.

Do You Need Planning Permission for an External Lift?

The type of lift you choose will determine whether you need planning permission or not.

If the building is considered ‘listed’ or the lift is built as an external extension, you may need planning permission from your local authority or council. For more information and advice, see our case study on lift installations in Grade II listed buildings.

Planning Permission for a Home Lift

For platform lifts install inside your home, you’ll likely only need conditional planning clearance only. As long as your lift meets the following criteria, installing a lift inside your home will be pretty straightforward.

Criteria for Installing a Lift without Planning Permission

The lift must:

  • Be intended for personal use, not commercial.
  • Not result in any changes to the external appearance of the building.
  • Not exceed the specified dimension limits.
  • Remain out of sight from public roads.
Sheridan Lifts

FAQs

The lifespan of a platform lift is around 20 to 25 years. That said, undertaking maintenance and servicing of the lift will go a long way towards ensuring that the lift lasts for as long as it can.

We recommend regular maintenance and checks to reduce the likelihood of lift breakdowns and damage to your lifts. In doing so, it can maximise the lifespan of the lift, and thus optimise its performance and cost-effectiveness.

The cost of an outdoor platform lift depends on various factors such as platform sizes, extra features, lift location, design and aesthetics, weight capacity, and much more. This means that it is difficult to provide a ‘standard’ price for an outdoor platform lift, as there are many aspects that influence the price.

Have an idea about the type of outdoor platform lift you’re after? Contact us today and we’ll put together a quote. We can work together to come up with a suitable solution that meets your requirements at a price that you’re comfortable with and meets.

If the lift breaks down when someone is using it, certain types of platform lifts may require an alarm device – or emergency communication system – to be fitted within the lift. This will make it easy for any trapped users to call for assistance from the building management or rescue service.

If you have an internal platform lift, an alarm or autodialer must be connected to a phone line OR GSM via a mobile network contract to allow 2-way communication. The response system for outdoor platform lifts will differ. Not all require a telephone line but may have alternative built-in technology to ensure users are safe, such as wireless communication.

Since the Equality Act 2010, organisations must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. This ensures that those with a disability are not discriminated against when trying to access your premises, services, or information.

In the UK, the data backs up why accessibility is so important. Of the current numbers of those that experience mobility issues, Statista reports:

  • 16% children
  • 64% state pension age adults
  • 43% working-age results

Not only does this show the public need for outdoor lifts for disabled use, but organisations that do not meet the accessibility requirement or fail to provide a satisfactory response as to why not will be in breach of the Equality Act.

Yes – external platform lifts are able to be installed outside of a house. They are widely considered to be simple to install and do not require much construction compared to interior lifts. Architectural restraints may also prevent an indoor lift from being installed in your house, so an outdoor lift may be a better alternative.

Looking to Install an Outdoor Platform Lift? Let’s Talk

Sheridan Lifts is a leading independent lift company in the UK, having provided a range of services such as lift installation, lift refurbishment, as well as lift maintenance and repairs for more than 40 years.

Our team of specialist engineers have been contracted to install lifts across projects big and small. Be it for commercial use or residential, we’re fully stocked with the lift solutions to each and every floor of your building grants easy access to those who need it.

If you are interested in our services or would like further information, please contact our team, and we’ll get to work.

Sheridan Lifts office

Case Studies

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