Ramps
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Old Faithful
Reliability born of simplicity is probably the most significant advantage a ramp has to offer. With no moving parts there is little that can go wrong. Assuming a ramp has been built using the proper materials and techniques it should provide many years of trouble free service. Today you can even build a ramp using a synthetic lumber like TREX that requires less maintenance and lasts longer than traditional pressure treated lumber.
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But there's a catch...
Despite its reliability a ramp has one big disadvantage that often prevents it from being a viable option. That disadvantage is its size. Building and accessibility codes generally require that wheelchair ramps be 12" in length for every inch they rise. If you have a 12" rise then your ramp should be 12' in length for a 24" rise the ramp grows to 24'. It is particularly difficult to build ramps in urban settings where 30' wide lots are the norm. Its often difficult to find room for for straight runs that are more than 10' in length so you are forced to build multiple switchbacks. Before long you have a ramp that looks like the one pictured here. Just clearing snow and ice from a ramp this size is going to require a major effort.
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A rule of thumb
A quick way to estimate how long a ramp you need is simply to count the number of risers in the stairway leading to your porch or doorway. Most risers are going to be 7" to 8" high so if you have a 6 riser stairway like the one pictured here your vertical rise from the ground to the porch is probably between 42" and 48". Applying our 12" of length per inch of rise requirement we find that our ramp is going to be 42' to 48' long. Given the space we have to work with here a ramp is just not going to work. In this case a porch lift is the right solution.
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Ski Jump or Wheelchair Ramp?
Here is a ramp at a Chicago home that the owner asked EHLS to take a look at. We included this picture because it is a good example of the poorly designed and/or built ramps we encounter all too often. Unfortunately some do-it-yourselfers and even some contractors don't have the knowledge or the skills necessary to build a ramp properly. In this case we don't know who built this structure but their mistake was trying to build a ramp at all given the space available and the vertical rise. To make everything fit they had to build a section with a slope more appropriate for a ski jump than a wheelchair ramp. The client told the EHLS rep how getting her father's wheelchair up the steep section required both her and her daughter to push and pull his chair. If either one slipped her father might have rolled down out of control. EHLS ended up replacing the ramp with a vertical platform lift.
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How Much Do Ramps Cost?
The cost to build a ramp will depend on the size of structure and the materials used. A ramp's minimum size is determined almost entirely by the vertical rise it must traverse - higher rises mean bigger ramps and the bigger the ramp the higher its price. Aluminum ramps cost more than wood ramps and synthetic lumber like TREX costs more than pressure-treated natural wood. Given the number of variables it is impossible to calculate an exact cost without visiting the site and preparing a proposal. That said a typical natural wood ramp with a 5'x5' level platform, a 36" wide 14' long sloping section and handrails generally costs around $2,100.00. For an exact price call our office and we'll be happy to schedule a free site visit by one of representatives.
