The lift installation process, stage by stage

In short: the lift installation process runs in seven stages: survey, design, approvals, ordering, builder’s work, installation and testing, then handover. Most of the time goes on the stages before the lift arrives on site, especially design, approvals and the lift being made to order. Getting those right, and involving the lift company early, is what keeps a lift installation on time and on budget.

This guide is for building owners, developers, architects, managing agents and facilities teams who want to know how to install a lift in a UK building, what happens at each stage and what you need to do. We install passenger lifts, platform and through-floor lifts, goods lifts, service lifts and dumbwaiters, and our lift installation page shows the lifts we fit.

The 7 stages of the lift installation process at a glance

1. Survey and brief
2. Design and specification
3. Approvals
4. Order and manufacture
5. Builder’s work and preparation
6. Installation, testing and commissioning
7. Handover and aftercare

Each stage is explained below, with what happens and what you need to do.

Choosing the right lift before the lift installation process starts

The biggest decision comes first, because it shapes every later stage:

• Passenger lift: the usual choice for regular use between several floors in offices, flats, hotels and public buildings.
• Platform lift: slower, for step-free access over a short rise or a few floors, built to BS EN 81-41. Usually less building work.
• Through-floor lift: serves two floors through an opening in the floor, using little space.
• Goods lift: for loads, trolleys and pallets rather than people.
• Service lift or dumbwaiter: small lifts for food, drink and stock in restaurants, pubs and hotels.

Then the drive: traction lifts suit taller buildings and frequent use; hydraulic lifts suit lower rises; machine-room-less designs put the drive in the shaft to save space.

Stage 1: survey and brief

What happens: we visit the building to understand how the lift will be used, by whom and how often, and to check the space, structure, power supply and access. We talk through the options, such as a passenger lift, platform lift or goods lift, and what each would need.

What you do: tell us who will use the lift, which floors it must serve, what it needs to carry, your timescale, and any constraints, such as a listed building or an occupied site. Share any drawings you have.

Stage 2: design and specification

What happens: the lift is specified to suit the building and the relevant standards: BS EN 81-20 and BS EN 81-50 for new passenger and goods lifts, BS EN 81-70 for accessibility, BS EN 81-41 for platform lifts, and BS EN 81-72 and BS EN 81-76 where firefighting or evacuation lifts are needed. We confirm the car size, capacity, speed, drive type, doors and finishes, and the shaft, pit, headroom and power the lift needs.

What you do: agree the specification and finishes, and make sure your architect or builder designs the shaft and builder’s work to suit.

Stage 3: approvals

What happens: the right approvals are put in place. Most lift installations involve Building Regulations; Approved Document M covers access in new buildings and material alterations. Some need planning permission, and a listed building usually needs listed building consent for alterations that affect its character. In leasehold blocks, Section 20 consultation with leaseholders may be needed before major works.

What you do: allow time for approvals in your programme. They can take longer than the installation itself.

The government publishes Approved Document M, which sets out the access requirements for new buildings and material alterations in England, and the HSE explains the duties for lifting equipment used at work in its guidance on lifting equipment at work. Both are worth reading early in the lift installation process.

Stage 4: order and manufacture

What happens: once the specification and approvals are settled, the lift is ordered and built to order. There is a lead time before it can be delivered, which varies with the lift and its finishes.

What you do: confirm the order early so the lead time runs alongside the builder’s work rather than after it.

Stage 5: builder’s work and preparation

What happens: the building is made ready for the lift. Depending on the project, this can mean forming the shaft or enclosure, digging the pit, making openings in each floor, providing a power supply and lighting in the shaft, and fire separation. In existing buildings this is usually the largest part of the work.

What you do: make sure the builder’s work is finished to the lift’s drawings and dimensions before the lift team arrives, and agree access, storage and working hours for the installation.

Stage 6: installation, testing and commissioning

What happens: the lift team installs the guide rails, the car, the drive, the doors, the controls and the wiring, then tests and commissions the lift. Where safety depends on how lifting equipment is installed, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) require a thorough examination before it is first used. New lifts are placed on the market under the Lifts Regulations 2016, and the installer provides a declaration of conformity.

What you do: keep the area around the lift clear and secure, and plan how people will move around the building during the work.

Stage 7: handover and aftercare

What happens: you receive the declaration of conformity, the operating and maintenance instructions, keys for the machine room or control cabinet, and the logbook. Building staff are shown how the alarm works and what to do in a breakdown. The lift then moves onto a maintenance contract.

What you do: put a maintenance contract in place from day one, and arrange LOLER thorough examinations, normally at least every six months for lifts that carry people and are used at work. We arrange LOLER thorough examinations, carried out by an independent examiner, so every examination stays impartial.

How long does the lift installation process take?

There is no single answer, and anyone who gives one before a survey is guessing. The time depends on:

• Approvals, which can take longer than the installation.
• The lift’s lead time, as lifts are made to order.
• Builder’s work, especially forming a shaft and pit in an existing building.
• The type of lift: a platform lift is usually quicker to install than a passenger lift serving many floors.
• Access and working hours on the site.

After the survey, we give you a programme for each stage of the lift installation process, so you can plan around it.

Common delays in the lift installation process, and how to avoid them

• Approvals arriving late. Apply early and build approval time into the programme.
• Builder’s work not matching the lift drawings. A shaft a few centimetres too small, or a pit too shallow, can stop the installation. Check dimensions before the lift team arrives.
• Power not ready. Make sure the supply to the lift and the shaft lighting are in place on time.
• Changes after ordering. Changing the car size, doors or finishes after the lift is ordered can add weeks. Agree the specification before ordering.
• Access problems. Plan deliveries, storage and working hours in advance, especially on tight sites.
• Occupied buildings. Agree working hours and how people will move around the building before work starts.

Documents in the lift installation process

• Survey report and quote, setting out the lift and the scope of work.
• Drawings, showing the shaft, pit, headroom and builder’s work.
• Approvals, such as Building Regulations, and planning or listed building consent where needed.
• Risk assessments and method statements for the installation.
• The declaration of conformity under the Lifts Regulations 2016.
• Operating and maintenance instructions.
• The report of the thorough examination, where one is needed before first use.
• The logbook, started at handover.

Most of these delays can be avoided with a clear programme agreed at the start, and regular checks between the builder and the lift company.

Installing a lift in a new building

When a lift is planned from the start, the lift installation process is simpler. The shaft, pit, headroom and power are designed in, the builder prepares them to the lift’s drawings, and the lift team fits the lift when the shell of the building is ready. Involving the lift company at design stage avoids costly changes later, such as a shaft that is too small for the car the building needs.

Installing a lift in an existing building

To install a lift in an existing building, the survey matters even more:

• Space: is there room for a shaft, or would a platform lift, through-floor lift or external shaft suit better?
• Structure: can the floors and walls take the openings and loads?
• Pit and headroom: can a pit be dug, and is there headroom at the top, or is a low-pit, low-headroom design needed?
• People: how will residents, staff or visitors move around during the work?

Keeping disruption down during a lift installation

• Plan noisy work for times that suit the building, such as early mornings or weekends in offices, or daytime in residential blocks.
• Keep people informed about when the lift area will be closed and how long each stage will take.
• Protect the building: floors, walls and finishes along the route for deliveries.
• Keep the work area secure, with the shaft and landings protected at all times.
• Agree deliveries in advance, especially where parking and loading are limited.
• Phase the work in buildings with more than one lift, so one stays running.

Lift installation in different types of building

• Offices: passenger lifts sized for busy periods; noisy work planned around tenants.
• Blocks of flats: residents need access throughout, so the work is phased and well communicated; leaseholder consultation may be needed.
• Hotels: guest lifts with high-quality finishes and service lifts for housekeeping; work planned around guests.
• Restaurants and pubs: dumbwaiters and service lifts fitted around the kitchen and bar, often outside opening hours.
• Schools, healthcare and public buildings: accessible lifts built to BS EN 81-70 and BS 8300, with work planned around term times or opening hours.

After handover: the first year

• Planned maintenance starts straight away, with visits at the agreed frequency.
• LOLER thorough examinations follow at the required intervals for lifts used at work.
• Snagging: any small issues found after handover are put right.
• Warranty: check what warranty the installer gives, and what it requires, such as regular maintenance.
• The logbook records every visit from day one, which helps every engineer who works on the lift afterwards.

Who does what in a lift installation

• The building owner or client: sets the brief, approves the specification and budget, and arranges approvals and consultation.
• The architect or designer: designs the building around the lift, including the shaft, pit and headroom.
• The builder: carries out the builder’s work, such as the shaft, openings and making good.
• The electrician: provides the power supply and shaft lighting.
• The lift company: designs, supplies, installs, tests and commissions the lift, and hands it over.
• The independent examiner: carries out the LOLER thorough examination.

Safety during the lift installation process

Lift installation involves work at height, open shafts, heavy loads and electrical work. A competent lift company will:

• Assess the risks and plan the work safely before starting.
• Protect open shafts and landings at all times.
• Control access to the work area.
• Follow safe working practices on lifts, such as BS 7255.
• Hold the right accreditations. We hold SafeContractor and SMAS Worksafe accreditation.

Lift installation process words explained

• Shaft (or well): the enclosed space the lift travels in.
• Pit: the space below the lowest floor that most lifts need.
• Headroom: the space needed above the top floor.
• Guide rails: the steel rails the car runs on.
• Builder’s work: the construction work around the lift.
• Commissioning: testing and setting up the lift before it goes into use.
• Declaration of conformity: the installer’s statement that a new lift meets the Lifts Regulations 2016.

Questions to ask a lift installer before you start

• Will you survey the building before quoting, and explain the options?
• Which standards will the lift meet, and who handles Building Regulations?
• What builder’s and electrical work is included, and what must we arrange?
• What is the programme for each stage, and what could delay it?
• How will you keep the site safe and limit disruption to people using the building?
• What will we receive at handover, and who carries out the first thorough examination?
• Can you maintain the lift afterwards? We maintain all makes, including the lifts we install.

Planning your lift installation

• Decide who will use the lift and what it must carry.
• Book a survey early, before the design is fixed.
• Allow time for approvals and the lift’s lead time.
• Agree who does the builder’s work and when.
• Plan maintenance from the start.

We offer a free lift survey and quote. Our lift installation cost guide explains what decides the price, and our lift installation in London guide covers London’s listed buildings, evacuation lifts and tight sites.

Questions people ask