A woman in a Bruno VPL wheelchair inside an outdoor platform lift on a wooden deck with white railings.

Access and Mobility: Why Buying Wheelchair Lifts and Stairlifts in Nashville, TN on Price Alone Will Cost You More

Every day, we receive calls from individuals who made the decision to buy a wheelchair lift or stairlift based solely on the lowest price. Sadly, many of these calls come with a common story: after purchasing a budget option, their lift breaks down and they’re left stranded with no one to service it.

If you’re considering a wheelchair lift or stairlift for your home in Nashville, TN., this guide you will explore the hidden costs of choosing price over quality and how making the wrong choice could impact your independence, safety and peace of mind.

Elderly woman holding a smartphone at a table with glasses.

Unforgettable Calls We Handle: Real-Life Stories of How Choosing Low-Cost Wheelchair Lifts and Stairlifts Leads to Service Nightmares

Each day, we talk to customers who have faced the unfortunate consequences of choosing cheap mobility solutions. These aren’t isolated incidents, this is the reality:

  1. Can you service my wheelchair lift? It’s been broken for three weeks, and I can’t get upstairs to my bedroom.
  2. My stairlift stopped working yesterday, and I’m trapped on the second floor. The company that installed it won’t return my calls.
  3. I bought a used wheelchair lift and had someone install it cheap. Now it’s broken and nobody will touch it.
  4. I found a great deal online, but now the lift won’t work and I can’t find anyone who carries the parts.
  5. The motor on my stairlift burned out, and the technician said they don’t make that model anymore.

These aren’t isolated incidents. These are daily conversations that break our hearts because we know how preventable they are. When you buy a wheelchair lift or stairlift based on price alone, you’re not just buying equipment—you’re gambling with your ability to access your own home.

Older man in a wheelchair talking on a phone indoors.

Why Service Matters: The Hidden Costs of Cheap Wheelchair Lifts and Stairlifts

Here’s what most people don’t realize until it’s too late: many companies that sell wheelchair lifts and stairlifts at rock-bottom prices don’t actually service what they sell. They might be based hundreds of miles away or they might be fly-by-night operations that install and disappear. When your lift breaks down, and it will break down, eventually you’re left completely on your own.

This problem is even worse for people who buy used equipment. Someone finds a “great deal” on a used wheelchair lift or stairlift, hires the cheapest installer they can find and think they’ve saved thousands of dollars. What they don’t realize is that they’ve just created a perfect storm of service problems. At that point, the original manufacturer warranty is void, the installer has no ongoing relationship with you, the customer, and the equipment’s service history is unknown.

Even worse, local companies that do provide service typically won’t work on equipment they didn’t install especially used equipment. They don’t carry parts for random brands, they’re not trained on unfamiliar systems, they don’t know how it was installed or maintained and frankly, they don’t want the liability of working on someone else’s questionable installation of used equipment.

Interior of a metal electrical junction box with multicolored wires and terminal block.

The High Cost of Finding Parts for Cheap Stairlifts and Wheelchair Lifts

Wheelchair lifts and stairlifts aren’t like cars where you can find generic parts at any auto store. Each manufacturer uses proprietary components, and if that manufacturer or installation company goes out of business or stops supporting older models, you’re stuck. We’ve seen people with “bargain” lifts that became expensive doorstops because replacement parts simply don’t exist.

With stairlifts, this problem is even more acute. The rail systems and safety sensors are all manufacturer-specific. When your installation company disappears or the manufacturer stops making parts, you’re often looking at a complete replacement rather than a simple repair.

A person working on a vertical rail system inside an unfinished wall section.Why Professional Installation Is Crucial for Stairlifts and Wheelchair Lifts in Nashville

A wheelchair lift or stairlift isn’t something you want to pick up at a big box store. Professional installation isn’t just recommended—it’s critical for safety and functionality. Stairlifts, in particular, require precise measurements, proper rail mounting, and careful attention to safety features. When you buy from a distant company, an unknown installer, or worse—buy used equipment and hire someone just to “get it installed”—you have no guarantee about the quality of the installation or whether anyone will stand behind their work.

Used equipment compounds these problems because you don’t know the maintenance history, how it was previously installed, or what modifications might have been made. The installer you hire to mount your used lift has no investment in your long-term satisfaction and likely won’t be available when problems arise.

Elderly couple looking concerned while examining a document.

What Happens When You’re Stranded

The Immediate Crisis

When your wheelchair lift or stairlift stops working, you don’t just lose convenience—you lose access to parts of your home. Maybe you can’t reach your bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. Maybe you can’t get to your car to leave the house. For stairlift users, a breakdown might mean being trapped on one floor of your home, unable to safely navigate the stairs. The independence you’ve worked so hard to maintain vanishes overnight.

The Desperate Search for Repair

You start making calls. The company that sold you the lift doesn’t answer, or they tell you they don’t service the Nashville area. Local companies tell you they don’t work on that brand. You search online for parts and find nothing, or discover that parts cost almost as much as a new lift.

The Expensive Reality

Weeks or months later, you realize you have to replace the entire system. Not only are you paying for a new lift, but you’re also dealing with the cost of removing the old one, potential damage to your home, and all the time you’ve lost being unable to fully access your living space. That “great deal” just became the most expensive mistake you’ve ever made.

Cityscape with a bridge over a river and modern buildings in the background against a blue sky.

The Nashville Advantage: Why Access and Mobility, a Locally Owned Company Offers Better Service for Wheelchair Lifts and Stairlifts

When you choose Access & Mobility, you’re not just getting a lift; you’re securing peace of mind. As a full-service company in Nashville, TN, we specialize in installing, maintaining and repairing a wide range of lifts from stairlifts to wheelchair lifts. We are an authorized dealer for trusted manufacturers like Bruno, Savaria and Handicare.

Our family-owned business is known for its high-quality reputation, proven on-time track record and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Unlike companies that disappear after the sale, we stand by our products with comprehensive maintenance and repair services, making sure you’re never left stranded. Focused on the Brentwood and Franklin areas, we’re also proud to be a VA-approved vendor. With Access & Mobility, you can be confident that your home’s accessibility is in expert hands.

Why Access & Mobility Stands Out:

  • Someone will answer when you call because we’re right here in your community.
  • Chain of command is narrow which results in quick decision-making – our streamlined team makes service fast and efficient.
  • Parts are available because we stock what we sell to avoid unnecessary delays.
  • Service is guaranteed because our reputation depends on it. We treat every installation like it’s our own, because our reputation and your safety depend on it.
  • You’re not alone when something goes wrong. With Access & Mobility, you get more than just equipment — you get a trusted partner dedicated to your safety, independence and peace of mind.

Owner of Access and Mobility smiling in different settings, each occupying a separate section of the image.

Because Someone You Love Will Use This Lift!

Ask the Right Questions Before You Buy:

  • Who will service this lift when it needs repair?
  • Where is the company located, and how long have they been in business?
  • What parts do they keep in stock locally?
  • What does their warranty actually cover, and who performs warranty work?
  • Can they provide references from other customers in the Nashville area?
  • For stairlifts: Is this a current model that will be supported for years to come?

Consider the Total Cost

That cheap lift might cost $3,000 less upfront, but what happens when you need to replace it entirely because you can’t get service? What’s the value of weeks or months without access to your home? What’s the cost of the stress, inconvenience, and loss of independence?

A wheelchair lift in use at the entrance of a brick house.

Secure Your Safety with Smart Choices” or “Because Someone You Love Will Use This Lift

A quality wheelchair lift or stairlift from a reputable local company might cost more initially, but it comes with something priceless: the assurance that you’ll never be stranded. When you need service, parts, or support, help is just a phone call away.

The Bottom Line

Every day, we talk to people who learned this lesson the hard way. They saved money upfront—whether buying the cheapest new equipment or purchasing used lifts—and paid dearly for it later. Not just financially, but in stress, inconvenience, and lost independence.

The most heartbreaking calls come from people who thought they were being smart by buying used equipment and hiring someone cheap to install it. They saved thousands upfront, only to discover that nobody will service their lift when it inevitably breaks down. What seemed like a bargain becomes a nightmare of inaccessible living spaces and expensive replacements.

Don’t Let a Bargain Price Risk Your Mobility

When you depend on a wheelchair lift or stairlift to move freely and safely in your home, reliability and service are not optional — they’re essential. That’s why choosing a local, trustworthy company matters.

At Access & Mobility, we stand by our customers long after installation day. We’re here to provide the ongoing support and service you need, ensuring your lift remains a reliable part of your daily life.

Your independence is worth far more than a discount price tag.

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A young girl in a yellow harness using Guldmann GH3 Ceiling Lift System assisted by a woman with a remote control.