Elevators in Floor Plans: How to Correctly Plan Space, Dimensions, and Lift Solutions

Planning an Elevator in a Floor Plan: How Much Space a Lift Really Needs

Anyone planning an “elevator in a floor plan” faces a typical question:
How much space does a lift really need – and where can it be sensibly integrated into stairwells, hallways, and apartments without disrupting the floor plan?

Current technical articles on elevator planning show that the decisive factors are shaft dimensions, car dimensions, door widths, and maneuvering areas in front of the elevator. At the same time, standards such as DIN EN 81-70 and DIN 18040 or corresponding Austrian regulations must be observed if the elevator is to be accessible.

Table of contents

• What does “elevator in a floor plan” mean in practice?
• Standards & Minimum Dimensions: How Large Must an Elevator Be?
• Elevators in Floor Plans for Single-Family and Multi-Family Houses
• When Space Is Limited: Platform Lifts Instead of Conventional Elevators
• Avoiding Planning Errors: 5 Points for the Floor Plan
• Conclusion: Consider Mobility Before Building Starts
• FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About “Elevators in Floor Plans”

Standards & Minimum Dimensions: How Large Must an Elevator Be?

Anyone planning an elevator in a floor plan quickly encounters two worlds of standards:

• DIN EN 81-70 (or ÖNORM EN 81-70) – Accessibility to elevators, elevator types, and cabin dimensions.

• DIN 18040-1/-2 – Accessible construction in public buildings and residential areas, including requirements for elevators and maneuvering areas.

Key parameters mentioned in many technical sources:

• Accessible Elevator (Type 2)

  • Lift car at least 1.10 m × 1.40 m

  • Clear door width at least 90 cm

  • Transport of a wheelchair user with an accompanying person possible.

• Maneuvering area in front of the door

  • According to accessible construction standards, a maneuvering and waiting area of at least 1.50 m × 1.50 m must be planned in front of elevator doors.

• Door and shaft heights

  • Car and shaft doors should reach a height of approximately 2.10 m to allow for comfortable use.

For the floor plan, this means:
You are not just planning the cabin, but always the shaft (including wall thicknesses) and a sufficiently large area in front of it.

In residential construction, these minimum dimensions are often combined with the requirements for wheelchair-accessible circulation – for example, if an apartment is to be officially offered as accessible or wheelchair-friendly.

Elevators in Floor Plans for Single-Family and Multi-Family Houses

House providers and architects regularly address exactly this point in their guides:

When Space Is Limited: Platform Lifts Instead of Conventional Elevators

This is precisely where the solutions from Lehner Lifttechnik come into play:

Lehner offers vertical platform lifts and platform stairlifts that alleviate many floor plan problems because they:

• require a smaller footprint than a full passenger elevator,
• in many cases function without a massive shaft (freestanding structures, lightweight enclosures),
• can be installed on stairs, landings, or balconies in both indoor and outdoor areas.

Examples from the Lehner portfolio:

• Sigma – vertical platform lift for lifting heights up to 8 m, with a slim drive tower, optional cladding, and access ramp; ideal when several levels need to be overcome without building a conventional elevator shaft.
• Liftboy & Elevex – compact lifting platforms for smaller height differences, such as at the entrance or between landings; also suitable for outdoor installation.
• Platform stairlifts (e.g., Omega, Delta, Stratos) – travel along the stairs and do not require their own shaft; exciting when no separate elevator core can be accommodated in the floor plan.

In planning, it looks like this:

Instead of anchoring a large elevator shaft in the floor plan, a slightly smaller platform area is often provided – either inside the building or as an outdoor solution. For many single-family houses or smaller properties, this is sufficient to achieve full accessible circulation.

Avoiding Planning Errors: 5 Points for the Floor Plan

Technical guides for accessible construction repeatedly show similar error patterns – many of which can be avoided with clean floor plan planning.

1. Insufficient maneuvering areas in front of the lift
At least 1.50 × 1.50 m should remain clear in front of the elevator door. This applies particularly if the lift is to be wheelchair-accessible. Doors placed close to the stair run without sufficient space in front make use extremely difficult.

2. Elevator exit directly opposite a staircase
Normative guidelines prohibit or regulate downward-leading stairs directly opposite elevator doors. If it is not possible otherwise, safety distances are required. Better: connect the lift laterally to a landing.

3. Cabin too small for intended use
If a wheelchair with an accompanying person is to be transported later, a mini-lift is usually insufficient. It should be clear from the floor plan whether at least the dimensions of a “Type 2 elevator” are met.

4. No clear circulation logic
A lift that ends “somewhere” but has no direct connection to apartment entrances or important rooms will hardly be used in everyday life. Important: The elevator must be thought of as equivalent to the stair run in the floor plan logic.

5. Retrofitting not considered
Especially in new buildings without an immediate need for a lift, elevator provision in the floor plan is worthwhile – or the deliberate planning of space for a later platform lift (indoor or outdoor). This keeps options open without breaking the budget.

Conclusion: Consider Mobility Before Building Starts

“Elevator in the floor plan” is not a detail that you somehow draw in at the end – it is a central theme of building planning.

External technical sources show:

• Accessible elevators need defined cabin and door dimensions.

• Generous maneuvering areas must be provided in front of the doors.

• Location in the floor plan, connection to the stairwell, and accessibility of the apartments determine everyday suitability.

Lehner Lifttechnik adds an important option to this perspective:
With vertical platform lifts and platform stairlifts, elevator solutions can be realized that often require less space in the floor plan and are particularly suitable for existing buildings, single-family homes, and compact stairwells.

The next step is always a specific project:
With plans, photos, and a few key data points, Lehner partners can assess which type of lift fits your floor plan – from an indoor platform lift to an outdoor solution on the facade.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About “Elevators in Floor Plans”