Old-fashioned open-caged elevator

I'm wanting to provide access to a large, finished attic, but there's just not much room for stairs. The space will either be a play room for the kids or a kid's bedroom. We've looked at spiral staircase kits, but I had a (creative?) thought re an alternative.

Is it possible to find an old-fashioned, open-caged, one-person elevator? Manually-operated would be great--the simpler the better. Leading to a third-floor kids' space, an old-fashioned elevator might be just the right "fun" way to go up, and it wouldn't take much floor space on the 2nd floor where space is tight.

Any ideas, suggestions, comments would be MOST welcome.

Bedrooms have some very specific safety requirements, one of which is two means of egress, and one of them can't be an elevator requiring power. Converting spaces like an attic to living spaces is sometimes tough, and not practical. The ceiling joists are often not sized to support a floor and living space either. You might need to rethink this.

Thanks for the input. Excellent point re egress. Elevator idea aside (i.e., if we used a spiral staircase or a loft ladder), would an emergency trapdoor + drop down ladder be sufficient as a second egress? There's no way, practically speaking, to add a window.

The attic is already finished--walls, carpet, ceiling fan, AC/heat. It was that way when we bought the house. Currently, there is a pull-down attic ladder for access. If it weren't already such a nicely finished space, I wouldn't consider it. But as is, all it needs is a nicer way to go up.

You need to ask your local inspector.

An elevator will have a ton of specifications, one which will be a sealed top to prevent air flow between floors while not in operation. The open staircase does not apply to this standard but any device built into a closed room has to have a top to seal off. This also doubles as a safety concern for wherever this comes up to the second floor level so no one can fall down into the elevator.


My older age will be a condo with no steps. That's a fact jack.

access

Some foreign parking garages have a moving belt with platforms on them. You get on the platform as it goes up, and then get on it on the other side of the belt as it goes down. The kids would probably love it.

my parents are thinking of making a removable platform that they can then use to lift items up and down to/from the basement using a chain hoist. I am thinking the normal elevator rules would not apply in this case.

My dad jokingly said he was thinking about making an elevator, but that would then get back to all the same legal issues.

jadnashua said:

You need to ask your local inspector.

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What he doesn't know won't hurt you....

Jason

Well, Jason, it just might kill you. And, make the house unsaleable in the future until fixed, at potentially large expense. Whether you like the local inspectors or not, unless they're crooks, their job is to help prevent you from creating an unsafe situation for both you and the public.