--- title: "Straight vs Curved Stairlifts | Honest Comparison & Prices" description: "Straight vs curved stairlifts: which is right for your stairs? Straight £1,995 fitted in 24–48 hours; curved £2,995 made to measure in 1–3 weeks. Full comparison inside." lang: en-GB json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "https://www.manchesterstairlifts.com/#business", "additionalType": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairlift", "name": "Manchester Stairlifts", "legalName": "TAMESIDE HOLDINGS LTD", "url": "https://www.manchesterstairlifts.com/", "telephone": "+441613305544", "email": "admin@manchesterstairlifts.com", "description": "Independent stairlift company serving Greater Manchester. Straight stairlifts from £1,995, curved from £2,995, reconditioned from £995. All prices include installation. 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Straight £1,995 fitted in 24–48 hours; curved £2,995 made to measure in 1–3 weeks. Full comparison inside. [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544) - 12-month warranty - Fitted in 48 hours - Acorn accredited - Transparent pricing ### Save an Extra 10% on Your Stairlift Cost & Installation There is a reason why hundreds of customers are happy to recommend us to others. 4.7 Who is the stairlift for? \* For MeA Relative Or call us directly on [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544). **Short answer:** if your staircase is a single continuous flight with **no turns and no landings**, you need a straight stairlift — fitted within 24–48 hours from **£1,995**. If your stairs **turn at any point**, include a **half-landing**, or have a **180° switchback**, you need a curved stairlift — made to measure in 1–3 weeks from **£2,995** (or 48 hours with our Emergency option). The difference matters because the rail is the most expensive part of any stairlift, and the two types are engineered very differently. ## How to tell which you have Stand at the bottom of your stairs and look up. - **Single straight flight, top of stairs visible from the bottom?** → straight stairlift - **Stairs turn at the top, the bottom, or both?** → curved stairlift - **Half-landing partway up where you change direction?** → curved stairlift - **180° switchback (two flights with a landing between)?** → curved stairlift - **Spiral staircase?** → usually a curved stairlift; some don't fit any lift — survey confirms See [is my staircase straight or curved](/is-my-staircase-straight-or-curved/) for diagrams. ## Side-by-side comparison Straight stairlift Curved stairlift Fitted price **£1,995** (new) / **£995** (reconditioned) **£2,995** (and up depending on turns) Lead time 24–48 hours 1–3 weeks (or 48 hrs Emergency) Rail Stock, cut to length on the day Manufactured to measure for your stairs Standard model [Acorn 130](/acorn-130/) [Acorn 180](/acorn-180/) Reconditioned option Yes — from £995 Rarely viable (rail is bespoke) Powered swivel Optional Standard Powered footrest Optional Standard Hinged rail option Optional Optional Install time on the day 2–3 hours 3–4 hours Warranty 12 months 12 months Weight limit (standard) 19 stone (120 kg) 19 stone (120 kg) Both are battery-powered, both keep working in a power cut, both fold away when not in use, and both meet BS EN 81-40. ## Why curved costs more A straight rail is stock. We carry common rail lengths in the van, cut to length on the day, and bolt to the treads. That's why a straight lift can be fitted within 48 hours of survey for £1,995. A curved rail is unique to your staircase. The surveyor uses a digital measuring system to capture every angle, turn and landing, and a 3D model is sent to the factory. The rail is then manufactured to fit your exact stairs — every join, every bend, every clearance. That's 1–3 weeks of manufacturing time, plus a more complex 3–4 hour fitting. The price reflects that. ## When the line blurs - **Single straight flight with a flat top landing where the seat needs to clear a door** — straight lift, with a hinged rail at the bottom (£150–£300 option). - **Straight flight that stops 1–2 steps short of the landing** — straight lift with an extended rail; usually no extra charge. - **Quarter-turn at the very bottom (winder) but otherwise straight** — usually a curved lift, because the rail has to follow the bend. Occasionally a straight lift with a short transfer step. The free home survey gives a definitive answer — we don't quote curved unless your stairs genuinely need it. ## Reconditioned: only straight We fit reconditioned straight lifts for **£995** because the rail is stock and the chair has been workshop-refurbished. Reconditioned curved is rarely viable — the rail from one staircase almost never fits another. If you have curved stairs and a tight budget, our **£2,995 fixed price** for a new curved lift is usually the best route, with VAT relief if eligible. ## Lead time: when curved Emergency makes sense Standard curved manufacturing is 1–3 weeks. For urgent cases — hospital discharge, end-of-life care, rapid mobility decline — our **Emergency option** compresses that to **48 hours**. There's an additional manufacturing surcharge; we quote the all-in price on the day of the survey. If the user can manage stairs for a couple of weeks while a standard curved lift is made, standard timing is more cost-effective. If they genuinely can't, Emergency is the right call. ## Which one we'd recommend, in plain terms - **Single straight flight, permanent need** → new straight at **£1,995** fitted - **Single straight flight, tight budget or short-term need** → reconditioned at **£995** fitted - **Any turns, half-landings or switchbacks** → curved at **£2,995** fitted - **Curved stairs, urgent fit needed** → curved with the **Emergency** option ## Book a free survey Call **0161 330 5544** or [request a callback](/contact-us/). The surveyor will measure on-site, confirm whether your stairs need straight or curved, and quote a fixed all-in price on the day. No pressure, no obligation. See also: [straight stairlifts](/straight-stairlifts/) · [curved stairlifts](/curved-stairlifts/) · [reconditioned stairlifts](/reconditioned-stairlifts/) · [straight vs curved stairlift cost in the UK](/straight-vs-curved-stairlift-cost-in-the-uk/) ## More in Stairlifts - [Straight vs Curved in Stairlifts](/stairlifts/straight-vs-curved/) - [Supplier in Stairlifts](/stairlifts/supplier/) - [Supplier Data Pack in Stairlifts](/stairlifts/supplier-data-pack/) ## Nearby areas we cover - [Stairlifts in Slackhall](/slackhall/) - [Stairlifts in Smithy Bridge](/smithy-bridge/) - [Stairlifts in Sparrowpit](/sparrowpit/) - [Stairlifts in Stockport](/stockport/) ## Related guides - [Stairlifts for narrow staircases](/stairlifts-for-narrow-stairs/) - [How long does a stairlift last?](/how-long-does-a-stairlift-last/) - [New vs reconditioned stairlifts](/new-vs-reconditioned-stairlifts/) - [Stairlift grants in Manchester](/stairlift-grants-manchester/) ### Not sure which stairlift you need? Book a free no-obligation home survey. A local engineer will measure your stairs and recommend the right lift — usually within 48 hours. [Request a free survey](/contact-us/) [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544) Related pages - [Straight stairlifts](/straight-stairlifts/) - [Curved stairlifts](/curved-stairlifts/) - [Reconditioned](/reconditioned-stairlifts/) - [Stairlift rental](/stairlift-rental/) - [Installation](/stairlift-installation/) - [Servicing & repairs](/stairlift-servicing-manchester/) Helpful guides - [Installation cost guide](/how-much-is-it-to-get-a-stairlift-installed/) - [Stairlift cost comparison](/cost-comparison-of-stairlifts/) - [Rent or buy a stairlift?](/is-it-better-to-rent-or-buy-a-stairlift/) - [Financing second-hand](/best-options-for-financing-second-hand-stairlifts/) - [Second-hand stairlifts](/second-hand-stairlifts/) - [Acorn 130 review](/acorn-130/) - [Acorn 180 review](/acorn-180/) - [Refurbished in Salford](/refurbished-stairlifts-in-salford/) ### Save an Extra 10% on Your Stairlift Cost & Installation There is a reason why hundreds of customers are happy to recommend us to others. 4.7 Who is the stairlift for? \* For MeA Relative Or call us directly on [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544). [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544)[Contact Us](/contact-us/) Manchester Stairlifts Trusted Acorn-accredited stairlift specialists serving Greater Manchester for over 10 years. Family-run, local, and dedicated to keeping you safe at home. 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All rights reserved. Acorn Accredited Partner · Serving Greater Manchester [0161 330 5544](tel:01613305544)[Contact us](/contact-us/) ![](https://bat.bing.com/action/0?ti=295026357&tm=gtm002&Ver=2&mid=47976b57-bb88-4fc5-b888-00e1c7a4a09c&bo=1&sid=563a0640a98211f195283396156ffed5&vid=563a4280a98211f1af1dbf1821cef235&vids=1&msclkid=N>m_tag_source=1&pi=918639831&lg=en-US&sw=800&sh=600&sc=24&nwd=1&tl=Straight%20vs%20Curved%20Stairlifts%20%7C%20Honest%20Comparison%20%26%20Prices&p=https%3A%2F%2Fstairlift-shine.lovable.app%2Fstairlifts%2Fstraight-vs-curved%2F&r=<=438&evt=pageLoad&sv=2&cdb=AQAQ&rn=248493)