When summer rolls around, or you’re relaxing in some paradise that stays warm year round, it’s nice to spend a day at the beach. Whether it’s lakeshore, riverside or oceanside, you’ll likely face one problem, steep slopes. For even the hale and the surefooted, these obstacles create a danger as well as an inconvenience, which is why people all around the world have turned to hillside elevators also known as hillside trams or hillside lifts. With lake trams, getting to and fro is simple, but how much do these ingenious machines cost?
What Goes Into the Cost of a Hillside Tram?
A number of things determine the cost of a tram, but here are eleven that can make a big difference.
Length of Travel – Some slopes stretch great distances, while other treks are short. Either way, the amount of track required to safely transport you, your friends and loved ones up and down a hill will affect cost. For longer treks, the material and labor costs are greater.
The Angle of Incline – The ease of installation also influences cost, and one of the biggest factors affecting installation is the angle of the slope. The greater the slope–Hill Hiker® has worked on cliffs as steep as 80 degrees–the greater the difficulty. If you require climbing gear to scale a cliff, workers will likely need the extra tools and machinery to complete the project.
Type of Soil – Rock, clay, sand and other soils all have unique properties offering special challenges and requirements that can affect the type of supports needed.
Capacity – Depending on how many people you want to be able to ride in the cart at one time, the cost will vary. Larger capacities will require bigger motors and gearboxes.
Application Type – Whether you’re looking at a residential hillside tram or a commercial hillside elevator, the price will vary. Different regulations govern the use of each, and if you’re thinking about installing a lakeshore lift for your place of business, it will likely need to be ADA handicap accessible, which will add to the cost of your lake tram.
Location – Depending on where your structure is, the cost will vary greatly. For example, we install many lifts in California, which has more regulations than many other states or countries. Factors like these affect the cost.
System Size & Type – Each lakeshore tram has a drive system consisting of a pulley or drum complete with cable, motor, brake, gearbox, and a full safety system. We use several different system types including winding drum, continuous loop traction drive and double cable winding drum systems depending on the demands of your location. Additionally, the size of the motor, gearbox, and drum or pulleys vary depending on the characteristics of the project such as the length of travel, the angle of incline, size of the car and rated capacity. This too will affect cost.
Finish – Whether your system is galvanized, painted or has a stainless steel finish will affect costs.
Car Size & Type – Hill Hiker, Inc. offers open cars and fully enclosed cars that vary in size from a small 3ft x 3ft platform area to over a very large 5ft x 8ft platform area.
Aesthetic Preferences – Hill trams aren’t always built to be purely functional items. Seeking extra flare, customers have requested unique car design styles, finishing and paint colors.
Add-Ons – There are a number of add-ons that aren’t necessary to the function of your lift like solar power sources, extra safety features, a roof over the cart and keyless security. Though these items aren’t required to meet most codes, many customers seek them for greater safety, security or comfort.
If you’re interested in browsing through the features available to you, please see our catalog of the customization options available to hillside tram customers here.
This isn’t a comprehensive list. The options for lake trams are many, but it is a start.
Cheaper Options?
Beware of inexpensive options form low bidders or systems that involve some type of DIY. Manufacturing and installing a hillside tram is a complex process orchestrated by engineers, skilled fabricators and licensed elevator mechanics. Any undertaking of a project should be done carefully by an experienced professional with the proper licenses and insurance coverage. Hillside lifts, known as Inclined Elevators in the code, are governed by ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. These strict national codes are designed to protect the users of hillside lifts and require permits and inspections. Going with a low, inexperienced bidder or trying to do it yourself may cause problems further down the line if you are going to sell your property or receive an inspection for your business. When moving people it is important to do it right and go with a quality product and company that can be trusted.
Looking for an Exact Price?
After over 20+ years in the elevator business, our team has priced out a lot of projects. With a few details about your specific hill and needs, we’ll be able to help you get an accurate idea of what it will cost to install a hillside tram on your site. Click here to contact us for a free estimate.
