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Platform Lifts

Platform & Wheelchair Lifts

A platform lift carries a wheelchair or mobility scooter — and its rider — smoothly over steps or up to a raised entry, no transfer required. Ocel Builders installs vertical platform lifts, inclined platform lifts, and indoor and outdoor wheelchair lifts throughout Minnesota.

Roll on, ride up, roll off

For a full-time wheelchair or scooter user, transferring to a stair-lift seat isn’t always possible — and that’s exactly what a platform lift solves. You roll your chair onto the platform, press and hold the control, and the lift carries you and the chair together. It’s the simplest way to conquer a raised entry, a split-level landing, or a flight of steps.

Ocel Builders installs and services the full range of platform and wheelchair lifts across the Twin Cities, indoors and out, under our Minnesota Elevator and Builders licenses.

Types of platform & wheelchair lifts

Platform lift or ramp? Let’s do the math

Ramps are wonderful for low rises. But because a safe ramp needs roughly one foot of run for every inch of rise, a porch that’s 3 feet up would need a 36-foot ramp — often more than a yard can hold. A vertical platform lift delivers the same barrier-free access in the space of a small landing. When a ramp does fit, we’ll tell you — see our wheelchair ramps options.

Built and serviced by a licensed team

Every lift we install is sized to the rider and the site, installed to code, and backed by our own service and warranty support. As a CAPS-certified, Minnesota-licensed contractor and registered Medicaid provider (NPI and UMPI), we can also help you fund the project through DHS waivers, VA grants, or financing.

Frequently asked

Questions about platform & wheelchair lifts

What is a vertical platform lift?

A vertical platform lift (VPL), also called a porch lift, is an open platform that rises straight up to carry a wheelchair user over a set of steps or up to a raised deck, porch, or entryway. It's a lower-cost alternative to an elevator when you only need to travel a short vertical distance.

Should I get a platform lift or a wheelchair ramp?

If the rise is more than a few steps, a ramp can become very long — ADA guidance calls for 12 inches of ramp per inch of rise — and may not physically fit the yard. A vertical platform lift solves the same problem in a compact footprint. We help you weigh cost, space, and daily use.

Can platform lifts be installed outdoors?

Yes. Outdoor platform lifts are built with weather-resistant finishes and drainage for Minnesota winters, and are a popular way to reach a porch, deck, or garage entry.

What's the difference between a vertical and an inclined platform lift?

A vertical platform lift travels straight up and down over steps or to a raised landing. An inclined platform lift folds against the wall and rides along the staircase itself — useful indoors when there's no room for a vertical shaft.