Dumb waiter style lift for disabled dog

[shd1970]

Due to a recent accident sustained by my dog, I’m looking at the possibility of designing and building a dumb waiter style lift.
This would be so she could sleep back upstairs where she is used to and so I don’t risk carrying her up and down the stairs due to my own dodgy back too
She is only 11kg so we’re not talking a big/heavy dog by any means

So my question is, are there any safety regulations to be aware of as in simple terms, my thought is to cut a hole in my living room plasterboard ceiling and use either a manual or perhaps an electrified pulley system, into an upstairs bedroom

Would this be seen as a fire risk, even if I had a loft style door/hatch ?

Odd request I know but I’m really interested to hear anyone’s thoughts before I start designing anything

TIA

 

[cross thread]

Would think to get enough width a joist would need altering ,bit bigger job than estimate.
Can you rig something over the banister?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Fit a secondhand stair lift? Someone on the forum uses their stair lift for their dog. @Harry Bloomfield

 

[robinbanks]

Any space to flip your house around and put your bed downstairs til she recovers ?

Would this be seen as a fire risk, even if I had a loft style door/hatch ?

It's minimal risk if the downstairs room isn't the kitchen. The bigger concern for me would be falling down the hole in a half asleep state, getting up to go to the bathroom

Can you post a floor plan of the house?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Normally such a thing would go in a cupboard downstairs, with a corresponding cupboard on the upper floor, so as to avoid such things.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Fit a secondhand stair lift? Someone on the forum uses their stair lift for their dog. @Harry Bloomfield

That's me! Yes, I would look on Facebook/ebay, for a stairlift, and adapt it. They fetch little money second hand, most are just wanting them removed from a home they have moved into. Easy if to find and install, if the stair is straight, with no bends. What I did, was added a board to the foot rest, so it hooks onto the uphill end of the plate, using a strip of Z shaped steel, bolted to the board. A bit of timber, bolted in place, then stops the board moving forward or becoming unhooked. Add a bit of glued on carpet, so the dog can get an easy grip on the board.

I was concerned about her catching her front paws between the leading edge of the board, and the nose of the step, because she laid on it at first. So I added a front toe board. As she became accustomed to using it, she stood on it, and danced up and down to get it to go faster, so my concern then was her falling off the rear end, so I moved the toe board to her rear.

She's now so used to using it, she jumps on it herself, then jumps up and down to try to make it go - she doesn't understand, that someone has to press a button, to make it go.

The lifts, or at least mine - have detection under the footplate, for anything getting trapped there, likewise detection for items laid on the track, then toggles at the track end, to slow then stop the carriage at the ends. A wireless remote control top and bottom of the stair, plus a control on the lift itself. It's powered by two 12v batteries in the seat, which are recharged by a small PSU, mounted at the top, or bottom of the track.

 

[^woody^]

You would need to maintain fire protection to the floor void and room above. At the moment, the plaster ceiling is doing this.

Also any structural alterations to the floor should be considered. I suspect this whole proposal would need building regulations approval.

 

[big-all]

have a look at stair trolley and see if it gives you any ideas

 

[shd1970]

Firstly, many thanks for all the replies, its really appreciated

To answer all the questions so far :

@cross thread - that's a possible but a fallback option at the moment

@freddiemercurystwin - my stairs go up 6 steps, around 2 to the left and then a further 6 steps to the landing so they aren't a single straight line so not sure if stair lifts can go around corners but i'll take a look

@robinbanks - we are currently sleeping downstairs but we're anticipating that her recovery might not be sufficient whereby she can walk up and downstairs on her own hence looking to put a solution in regardless.
My plan is to have the dumb waiter going from the lounge, through the ceiling with a loft hatch with a catch type solution for aesthetics, going up into a built in wardrobe in our smallest box room which is directly above. I'll need to get a few floor boards up, check joists and for pipes etc.
Its only myself and wife so no danger of either of us falling down it and anyway, I would look to put in safety/locking measures as a just in case

@freddiemercurystwin - we don't have any cupboards downstairs but have a large lounge which as mentioned, is directly below our box room so my initial thoughts is to target that. There is also a supporting wall right next to it should I need to fasten anything but as I say, she is only 11kg

@Harry Bloomfield - many thanks for the comprehensive reply and good on you !!!! I'll take a look but as mentioned, my stairs go around so not sure a stairlift would be suitable

@^woody^ - would a plasterboard loft hatch on a catch be suitable, it would the gaps around the edge be a problem ?
Also, excuse my ignorance but why would it be a problem, considering a staircase in a house is completely open, and doors between a lounge and hallway for example don't need to be fire doors ?
My hope is to not need to change any joists as I believe she would fit in a *tray/box* that I hope would fit between the existing joists (tbc once I get the floor up)

@big-all - thanks for the point...i'll take a look



Again, thanks all for the input so far.....much appreciated and food for thought

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Buy a bungalow? I'm not joking, you say you have a dodgy back so it could make sense all round.

 

[mattylad]

There are stairlifts that go round corners

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

There are stairlifts that go round corners

There are, and it would be doable, but providing the OP could get the rail parts needed. Getting the rail parts needed, would be difficult, and expensive - I would suggest taking it into the realms of needing a professional to install.

 

[mattylad]

If the OP looks on ebay/gumtree etc. there are 2nd hand stairlifts and one of those may well have the corners required.
No harm in looking.

Mind you, could just wait until the dog has healed to the point it can go upstairs itself, they are very good at getting about even when poorly.
perhaps planks down either side of the stairs and a basket on wheels may be a temporary fix?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Mind you, could just wait until the dog has healed to the point it can go upstairs itself, they are very good at getting about even when poorly.
perhaps planks down either side of the stairs and a basket on wheels may be a temporary fix?

The biggest problem I found, was getting the dog confident enough to ride on the lift. It's quite a drop, looking down the stairs, from the high side.

 

[mattylad]

My Akita cross was upstairs on my bed within a few days of having both her eyes removed.
They are resilient little cuddlemonsters