Case study

Acacia Care Home, Southport

An ageing chain-driven home lift replaced with a modern Aritco Compact, delivered as a complete turnkey package inside a working care home.

The project

Client: Bloom Care
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Product: Aritco Compact platform lift
Project type: Lift replacement

Premium Lifts Ltd was appointed by Bloom Care to replace and modernise the existing lift at Acacia Care Home in Southport. The old installation was an H&C chain-driven home lift with traditional shutter gates, and the brief was simple: a modern, reliable and easy to use lift that would improve access for residents, visitors and staff.

The project was delivered as a complete turnkey package, including removal of the existing lift, builders' works, structural steelwork, installation, testing and commissioning.

Acacia Court Care Home in Southport, a red brick Victorian building

An unexpected 1,800mm deep pit

Once the old lift and shutter gates were removed, our engineers found the original lift pit was around 1,800mm deep. The new Aritco Compact needs a finished pit of just 50mm, so the existing arrangement could not simply be reused.

Rather than treat that as someone else's problem, we designed a bespoke structural solution that let the new lift be installed in exactly the same location.

Bespoke structural steelwork

Purpose-built steelwork was designed, fabricated and installed to support the new lift and transform the 1,800mm pit into the required 50mm arrangement. All of it was finished in black rust-resistant protective paint for a durable, professional result.

Everything handled in-house

All the associated builders' works were carried out by our own engineers: preparation and alteration of the lift area, pit works, steelwork installation and making good. For Bloom Care that meant a single point of responsibility from first survey to handover.

Working inside an operational care home takes planning, communication and tidiness. Before starting on site, our engineers sat down with the care home management team and agreed exactly how the project would run.

The finished result

An ageing chain-driven lift with shutter gates has been replaced by a modern Aritco Compact with centre-opening automatic doors, a bright interior, non-slip flooring, a handrail and simple controls. A practical, clean accessibility solution built around life in a busy care home.

Job sheet

Scope of works

Removal of the existing chain-driven lift and shutter gates
Investigation of the existing shaft and pit
Design and fabrication of bespoke structural steelwork
Conversion of the 1,800mm pit to a 50mm arrangement
All builders' works by our own engineers
Installation of the Aritco Compact with automatic doors
Electrical and mechanical works
Testing, commissioning and handover

Project photos

The original deep lift pit uncovered during the strip-out — The original 1,800mm deep pit uncovered during the strip-out

The finished Aritco Compact lift with centre-opening automatic doors — The finished Aritco Compact with centre-opening automatic doors

Glass lift doors closed at the upper landing — Glass doors closed at the upper landing

Bright modern lift cabin with handrail and simple controls — Bright modern cabin with handrail and simple controls

In their words

They are a credit and so professional and helpful. They are organised, and Oliver and Ali came and sat with me before work commenced so we could make a plan. The process so far has been seamless, and I can't thank them enough for their hard work and tidiness within the home. They have worked so hard especially in this hot weather and they really deserve appreciation for the way they work as a team.

Lyndsey Rafferty

Registered Manager, Acacia Court

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