Colorado houses are built to follow the land. A sloping lot gives you a walkout basement with a patio below and a deck off the main floor above. It is a great way to live outdoors, and it means food, drinks, firewood and laundry are constantly moving between levels. A home dumbwaiter takes that job over.
Popular routes
- Garage or basement to kitchen. Groceries arrive at counter height.
- Kitchen to lower-level bar or patio. Trays go down and dishes come back.
- Basement to main-floor hearth. Firewood without the mess on the stairs.
- Bedroom level to laundry. Baskets travel on their own.
How it works
A car runs in a shaft on guide rails, driven by an electric motor. Each level has a door and a call button. Interlocks keep every door shut unless the car is there.
Finding the space
- A pantry above a basement storage room
- Stacked closets
- A corner beside the stairwell
- An exterior wall chase
The shaft needs roughly the footprint of a small closet and a clear vertical run.
When to install
- During a new build, when framing is simple
- During a basement finish or kitchen remodel
- In a finished home, where a route can often still be found
What it is not
A dumbwaiter carries goods only. If you need to move people between floors, look at a stair lift or a home elevator.
Who values it most
- People who entertain
- Anyone with a bad back, knees or shoulders
- Older owners who want their hands free for the handrail
See where one could go
Visit our dumbwaiters page. Call Nationwide Lifts of Colorado on (303) 942-0810 or request a site visit.