Portland’s West Hills, Lake Oswego, West Linn and Happy Valley share a kind of house you do not see on flat ground. It is entered from the street at the top or the bottom and spreads over three or four floors down a wooded slope. The views are the reward. The stairs are the cost.
Top-entry homes
You park and walk in at street level. The kitchen is on that floor or one below, and the bedrooms are lower still. Everything you bring home goes down, and you climb back up to leave. An elevator from the entry level to each floor below removes the climb.
Bottom-entry homes
The garage is at the street and the house rises above it. An elevator from the garage is the most direct route for people and groceries alike.
Which elevator
- Pneumatic. No pit to dig into the hillside, and clear walls that keep the trees in view.
- Traditional. A larger cab, concealed behind doors.
- Glass. A statement in a modern home.
What makes hillside projects different
- Structural engineering is nearly always needed
- Landslide and steep-slope rules may affect any work that changes the foundation
- Delivery on narrow, winding streets has to be planned
- Homes of the 1960s to 1980s, common in these areas, often have open plans that suit a freestanding elevator
Where it usually goes
- Beside the main staircase
- In a stack of closets or bathrooms
- At the corner of the garage, rising through the house
Also worth considering
- A dumbwaiter from the garage to the kitchen
- An outdoor stair lift on long exterior stairs
Staying in the hills
Many owners here assumed they would have to move to flat ground one day. An elevator often makes that unnecessary.
Arrange a visit
Nationwide Lifts of Oregon will look at your home and explain what is possible. Call (503) 545-6586 for a free quote.