Lift installation Vienna the fourth floor becomes accessible again.

Lift installation Vienna: from the building contractor that does the work — not from a broker.

Lift installation Vienna: retrofitting a lift in an existing building in Vienna costs €150,000 to €400,000. In the stairwell void €150,000–260,000, in an adjoining room €200,000–320,000, as a courtyard or external extension €250,000–400,000. This includes structural engineering, shaft, lift unit and reinstatement. Construction time 6 to 14 months.

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A lift in a Viennese period building costs €150,000 to €400,000. Installing it in the stairwell void is the cheapest option at €150,000 to €260,000, a dedicated shaft in an adjoining room costs €200,000 to €320,000, and a courtyard or external extension €250,000 to €400,000. The lift unit itself accounts for only €60,000 to €120,000 – the larger share goes on structural engineering, shaft construction, foundations and reinstating the stairwell. As part of a subsidised comprehensive refurbishment (Sockelsanierung), up to 40 % of the eligible costs can be funded.

✓ Feasibility study before planning✓ Structural design and permit application coordinated✓ Building stays occupied✓ Funding as part of a comprehensive refurbishment✓ One contract for construction and lift

Lift installation Vienna: costs 2026

Guide prices excluding VAT, as of 2026, binding after the feasibility study and structural design.

Location	What it requires	Net price	Construction time
Stairwell void	Steel-and-glass shaft, relocate the balustrade, adapt the stairs	150.000–260.000 €	6–10 months
Adjoining room or wet rooms	Openings on every floor, solid shaft, structural design	200.000–320.000 €	8–12 months
Courtyard extension	Foundation, external shaft, connection to the landings	250.000–380.000 €	10–14 months
Street-side extension	additional MA 19 procedure, usually not approvable	280.000–400.000 €	12–18 months
Renewing an existing lift	replace the unit, the shaft stays	60.000–140.000 €	2–4 months

Lift installation Vienna: the prices from the table at a glance, as of 2026, excl. VAT.

Where the money goes

Item	Net price	What is included
Feasibility study	2.500–7.000 €	Survey, options, first cost estimate
Structural and detailed design	8.000–25.000 €	Shaft, foundation, openings, reinforcement
Submission to MA 37	4.000–12.000 €	via a licensed partner company
Foundation and lift pit	18.000–55.000 €	Excavation, underpinning if needed, concrete tank
Solid shaft construction	45.000–110.000 €	Reinforced concrete or masonry over all floors
Steel-and-glass shaft construction	55.000–130.000 €	Structure, glazing, fire protection
Openings per floor	€3,500–9,000 each	Lintel, reinforcement, reinstatement
Lift unit	60.000–120.000 €	Car, drive, controls, doors, installation
Electrical connection and emergency call	6.000–18.000 €	by a licensed electrical contractor
Reinstating the stairwell	15.000–45.000 €	Balustrade, plaster, terrazzo, painting, lighting
Acceptance and commissioning	3.000–8.000 €	TÜV or accredited body, inspection report
Site set-up	12.000–35.000 €	Scaffolding, protection, skip, parking bay

Worked example · 19th-century building, 5 storeys, lift in the stairwell void

Feasibility, structural design, permit application€31,000

Foundation, lift pit, steel-and-glass shaft€84,000

Lift unit, electrics, emergency call, acceptance€92,000

Stairwell, site set-up, reinstatement€38,000

Total around €245,000 excl. VAT. With an approved comprehensive refurbishment and 35 % funding, about €159,000 remains – and spread over ten to fifteen years through a procedure under § 18 MRG, the sums look quite different from the gross figure.

The four locations compared

Stairwell void

The shaft is placed in the middle of the staircase, usually in steel and glass. The cheapest option, with no intervention in the flats. It requires a stairwell void of at least 1.20 × 1.20 m – which many Viennese Gründerzeit buildings have. Drawback: the width of the stair flight is reduced, which must be checked against building regulations.

Adjoining room or wet rooms

A room stacked on every floor becomes the shaft – often former bathrooms or storerooms. This requires those spaces to be available, which usually means an agreement with the flats affected. More expensive, but the staircase remains untouched.

Courtyard extension

A separate shaft in the inner courtyard, connected to the stair landings. No restriction in the stairwell, but it needs a foundation, external walls and insulation. It needs space in the courtyard and consent if common areas are affected.

Street-side extension

Practically never approvable in protected zones because it changes the appearance of the building. Possible outside protected zones, but the most expensive option with the longest approval procedure.

Technology: which lift suits a period building

Drive	Unit price	Characteristics	In period buildings
Machine-room-less traction lift	70.000–120.000 €	energy-efficient, quiet, no separate machine room	standard for retrofits
Hydraulic lift	60.000–95.000 €	needs less headroom above the shaft, higher power consumption	when headroom at the top is lacking
Traction lift with machine room	65.000–110.000 €	proven, needs space above the shaft	rare, usually no space
Home lift, low speed	35.000–70.000 €	smaller unit, few stops	single-family houses, not for apartment buildings

Shaft headroom and pit depth are the critical dimensions. Conventionally, a traction lift needs 3.50 m above the top stop and 1.10 m below the lowest. Reduced designs manage with less but cost extra.
Car size for accessibility: at least 1.10 × 1.40 m according to ÖNORM B 1600 so that a wheelchair fits. Smaller cars are possible but do not meet accessibility requirements – and that is often a condition for funding.
Door width of at least 90 cm clear opening for accessibility.
Stops at landing level or floor level. Half-landing stops are common in Gründerzeit buildings – then a few steps remain despite the lift, which limits accessibility.
An emergency call system with a permanent connection is mandatory, plus maintenance by an authorised company at fixed intervals.

Legal matters: who decides, who pays

Constellation	Who decides	Basis
Apartment building in sole ownership	the owner	tenants must tolerate the works under § 8 MRG
Condominium ownership	Owners' meeting	majority resolution, financed from the reserve fund
Refinancing in a rental building	via the rent reserve	if it is insufficient: procedure under § 18 MRG
Useful improvement	can be passed on	§ 4 MRG, spread over 10 to 15 years
Accessibility conversion for one person	entitlement under § 9 MRG possible	the tenant may have alterations made at their own expense
Running costs after installation	can be passed on to tenants	maintenance, electricity, inspection as service charges

In practice, the resolution is a bigger hurdle than the technology. That is why we provide documents for owners' meetings that allow a decision: location options, costs per option, level of funding, effect on service charges and on market value.

Funding

Comprehensive refurbishment through wohnfonds_wien: as part of a subsidised overall refurbishment, the lift installation is partly eligible for funding, up to 40 % of the eligible costs. As a standalone measure, considerably less.
Accessibility: if the lift is built to ÖNORM B 1600, this improves eligibility and is a prerequisite under some funding schemes.
Apply before construction starts. Anyone who awards the contract beforehand loses the entitlement completely – with a construction budget of €245,000, that can quickly be €85,000.
Combining pays off: submit the lift, façade, roof and risers together. Scaffolding, approval procedure and site set-up are only needed once, and the funding rate is higher for the overall project.

How a lift retrofit works

1 · Feasibility studySurvey of the stairwell void, check of adjoining rooms and courtyard, headroom and pit depth, outline structural assessment. The result is two to three options with a cost range, €2,500 to €7,000.

2 · Decision and resolutionIn a condominium the owners' meeting decides, in an apartment building the owner. We provide documents ready for a decision with options and cost implications.

3 · Design and structural engineeringShaft, foundation, openings, reinforcement, fire protection. Via licensed partner firms under § 94 no. 5 GewO, €8,000 to €25,000.

4 · Permit application to MA 374 to 12 months for the procedure, in protected zones additionally MA 19. The funding application runs in parallel.

5 · Site set-upScaffolding, protection of the stairwell, skip, parking-bay permit from MA 46, information for neighbours and a notice in the building.

6 · Foundation and lift pitExcavation in the basement or ground floor, underpinning of adjacent foundations where necessary, concrete tank with waterproofing.

7 · Shaft and openingsFloor by floor upwards, with lintels and reinforcement according to the structural design. The stairwell remains usable throughout – in sections and with dust protection.

8 · Installing the liftGuide rails, drive, car, doors, controls. By the lift manufacturer, coordinated by our site management.

9 · Acceptance and commissioningInspection by an accredited body, inspection report, handover briefing, maintenance contract. Only then does the lift go into operation.

10 · Reinstating the stairwellBalustrade, plaster, terrazzo, painting, lighting. The part residents see every day – and the part that shapes their impression of the whole project.

The eight mistakes that make a lift retrofit fail

Planning without a feasibility study. Headroom, pit depth and the size of the stairwell void determine everything else.
Overlooking the width of the stair flight. A shaft in the stairwell void narrows the flight – the permitted minimum width must be checked before planning.
Not thinking about accessibility. A car smaller than 1.10 × 1.40 m does not meet ÖNORM B 1600 – and that is often exactly the condition for funding.
Ignoring half-landing stops. If the lift stops between floors, steps remain and accessibility is lost.
Applying for funding too late. Once the contract has been awarded, there is nothing left.
Not passing the resolution properly. In a condominium, a formally flawed resolution can sink the whole project.
Comparing only the lift unit. It accounts for 25 to 40 % of the costs. Two quotes usually differ in the shaft construction, not in the lift.
Forgetting to reinstate the stairwell. €15,000 to €45,000 that otherwise arrives as an extra claim.

How to check a lift quote

Are construction work and lift unit itemised separately?Shaft, foundation, openings on one side, the lift unit on the other. Only then can two quotes be compared.

Which car dimensions?1.10 × 1.40 m and a 90 cm door width for accessibility under ÖNORM B 1600.

Which drive and what headroom?Reduced designs cost extra – that should be stated.

Are structural design and permit application included?€8,000 to €25,000 plus €4,000 to €12,000 that would otherwise be added.

Is reinstating the stairwell included?With items for balustrade, plaster, terrazzo, painting and lighting.

Who pays for acceptance by the accredited body?And is a maintenance contract offered, with what intervals and costs?

How does the stairwell stay usable?With what protection, in which sections, over what period.

Is there a "not included" line?For a project of this size it is a must.

What a lift does for the building

Living value

Upper floors without a lift are harder to let in Vienna and valued lower. With a lift, this discount disappears – especially on the fourth and fifth floors.

Staying in the building

Older residents can stay in their flat. For many owners' associations that is the real argument, not market value.

Loft conversion

From five storeys upwards, the building code generally requires a lift for new flats in the attic. Anyone planning a conversion needs one anyway – see loft conversion Vienna.

Accessibility

Built to ÖNORM B 1600, the building becomes genuinely accessible – provided the access from the street and the stops are right as well.

When you do not need us

If your building has three storeys and the stairwell void measures less than one metre, a conventional lift is usually not feasible – stairlifts or platform lifts are then the realistic option, and there are specialist providers for those.

If a comprehensive refurbishment is due in the building in two years anyway, the lift belongs in that project and should not be awarded as a standalone measure: the funding rate is higher and the scaffolding goes up only once. And if a resolution in the owners' association is hopeless, save yourself the planning costs until there is a majority.

Retrofitting a lift in a detached or terraced house

Not every lift installation concerns an apartment building. Often it is a detached or terraced house on two or three levels, where the stairs become an obstacle over the years. A so-called home lift is usually the answer there: a smaller unit with low speed and few stops, built for private use. According to the table above, the unit itself costs €35,000 to €70,000 excl. VAT; the construction work comes on top.

That construction work determines whether the project is simple or complex. In the best case there are storerooms or cloakrooms stacked above one another through which a shaft can run. The floor openings are then cut, the edges structurally secured and a light shaft of drywall or steel is erected. If there are no such spaces, often the only option is an extension on the outside of the house with its own foundation.

Before deciding, an honest comparison with alternatives is worthwhile. With a straight staircase and only one person with limited mobility, a stairlift is often quicker and cheaper; see the page on stairlifts. If the whole house is to be adapted for old age, with bathroom, door widths and thresholds, the lift belongs in an overall concept, see age-friendly conversion.

How costs are shared in a condominium

In a condominium, cost sharing is often the real hurdle, not the technology. As a rule, expenses for the building are borne according to co-ownership shares. That means the owner of the ground-floor flat pays too, even though she hardly uses the lift. This point causes resistance at many meetings.

A different allocation key is possible, for example staggered by floor. This requires either a written agreement of all owners or, where the possibility of use differs considerably, a court decision upon application. Which route suits the specific building is clarified by the property management and legal advisers; we supply the technical documents for it.

In practice, a comparison showing several options helps: location, total costs, share per flat under the existing key and under a staggered key, expected running costs per year. With figures like these on the table, a debate on principle becomes a concrete weighing-up. If the lift is part of a larger refurbishment of the building, see apartment building refurbishment.

Construction in an occupied building: what residents notice

A lift retrofit takes many months, but not every phase is equally disruptive. Noisy and dusty work mainly means the openings in the floor slabs, excavating the lift pit and, where necessary, underpinning foundations. These works are bundled within permitted hours and announced in the building in advance so that nobody is caught by surprise.

The stairwell usually remains usable but is narrowed in sections. Balustrades, steps and floors are protected, letterboxes and access to the basement and bin room are secured. Delivering the shaft components and the lift often requires a no-parking zone in the street and sometimes a permit to use the pavement; both are applied for with the city and belong in the schedule.

Things get quieter once the shaft is up: installing the guide rails, car and controls is comparatively quiet. Finally, the stairwell is reinstated with plaster, paint and new balustrade sections where needed. All trades are coordinated by site management.

Frequently asked questions about lift installation in Vienna

What does a lift in a period building cost?

€150,000 to €400,000, depending on the location. Stairwell void €150,000–260,000, adjoining room €200,000–320,000, courtyard extension €250,000–380,000. The lift unit itself accounts for only €60,000 to €120,000.

Why is the lift unit only part of the costs?

Because the shaft has to be built: foundation with pit, load-bearing structure over all floors, openings with lintels, fire protection and reinstating the stairwell. That makes up 60 to 75 % of the total.

How long does installation take?

6 to 14 months of construction, depending on the option. Plus 4 to 12 months for design, structural engineering and permit application. From the first site visit to commissioning, one to two years is realistic.

Which location is best?

The stairwell void, if it is large enough – it is the cheapest and does not intrude into the flats. It requires at least about 1.20 × 1.20 m and a stair flight width that is still permissible afterwards.

How large does the stairwell void have to be?

An accessible car of 1.10 × 1.40 m needs a shaft of about 1.60 × 1.90 m – only a few Gründerzeit buildings have that. Smaller cars fit smaller voids but do not meet accessibility requirements. The feasibility study clarifies this with a survey.

What if the stairwell void is too small?

Then adjoining rooms, a courtyard extension or, in rare cases, relocating the staircase come into question. Each option has its own costs and procedures – which is why the feasibility study always delivers two to three options.

Will the staircase become narrower?

With installation in the stairwell void, yes. The remaining flight width must meet the minimum requirements of the building code – this is one of the first checks, because entire projects fail on it.

Which car size is accessible?

At least 1.10 × 1.40 m with a 90 cm clear door width according to ÖNORM B 1600. That way a wheelchair fits in and can get out again. Smaller units are permitted but do not count as accessible – and that is often the condition for funding.

What are half-landing stops?

In many Viennese Gründerzeit buildings the landings lie between the floors. If the lift stops there, a few steps remain for each flat – so the building is not step-free. Stops at flat level are more complex but make the decisive difference.

Which drive is the right one?

The machine-room-less traction lift is standard for retrofits: energy-efficient, quiet, no separate machine room needed, €70,000 to €120,000. A hydraulic lift needs less headroom and makes sense when space at the top is lacking – but uses more electricity.

What are shaft headroom and lift pit?

The space above the top stop and below the lowest stop that the lift technically needs: conventionally 3.50 m at the top and 1.10 m at the bottom. Reduced designs manage with less but cost extra. In period buildings, these two dimensions often decide feasibility.

Does digging have to be done in the basement?

For the lift pit, yes, €18,000 to €55,000 including excavation and concrete tank. If foundations are adjacent, underpinning may be needed – see foundation strengthening Vienna.

Lift installation: do I need a building permit?

Yes, from MA 37, because the load-bearing structure is affected. In protected zones, MA 19 is also involved for extensions visible from outside. The procedure takes 4 to 12 months, longer for buildings in protected zones.

Is an extension on the street side possible?

In protected zones practically never, because it changes the appearance of the building. Far more is possible on the courtyard side. MA 19 clarifies this – before the cost estimate is finalised.

Lift installation: who decides in a condominium?

The owners' meeting by majority resolution, financed from the reserve fund. Experience shows the resolution is a higher hurdle than the technology – for that we provide documents with options, costs, level of funding and the effect on service charges and market value.

Lift installation: who pays in a rental building?

The owner, covered from the rent reserve. A lift is a useful improvement under § 4 MRG and can be refinanced through a procedure under § 18 MRG, spread over ten to fifteen years. Running costs for maintenance, electricity and inspection are service charges.

Do tenants have to agree?

No, but they must tolerate the works under § 8 MRG and must be notified in writing in good time. Significant disruption may lead to a rent reduction – good notice and short work sections reduce this considerably.

Is the lift eligible for funding?

Partly, as part of a subsidised comprehensive refurbishment through wohnfonds_wien, up to 40 % of the eligible costs. As a standalone measure considerably less. An accessible design to ÖNORM B 1600 improves eligibility.

Lift installation: when must the funding application be submitted?

Before awarding the contract and before construction starts, with the permit in hand. Anyone who awards the contract beforehand loses the entitlement completely – with a construction budget of €245,000, that can quickly be €85,000.

Does the stairwell remain usable during construction?

Yes, throughout. Work is carried out in sections with dust protection, escape routes stay clear and handrails are secured. The openings are the noisy part – we announce these phases in the building.

Can residents stay in their flats?

Yes. The installation affects the stairwell and the shaft, not the flats – except with the adjoining-room option, where openings are needed in the units concerned.

What does it cost to run a lift?

Maintenance €1,800 to €3,600 a year, electricity €200 to €800 depending on drive and use, plus recurring inspection by an accredited body. These costs can be passed on to tenants as service charges.

How often must a lift be inspected?

Regularly by an accredited body, plus routine maintenance by an authorised company at contractually agreed intervals. The records belong to the property documentation – they are requested when the building is sold.

How long does a lift last?

25 to 35 years with regular maintenance. Controls and doors are usually due before the drive and shaft. Renewing the lift unit in an existing shaft costs €60,000 to €140,000 – a fraction of a new installation.

Does a lift increase the value of the building?

Yes, especially for upper floors. Flats on the fourth and fifth floors without a lift are harder to let in Vienna and are valued at a discount. With a lift, that discount disappears – with several units this adds up considerably.

Do I need a lift for a loft conversion?

Above a certain number of storeys, the Vienna building code generally requires a lift for newly created flats in the attic. Anyone planning a conversion needs one anyway – which is why both projects are usually designed and submitted together.

Lift installation: does Skyline Bau carry out the work itself?

Demolition, openings, shaft construction, screed, plaster and reinstating the stairwell are done by our own people. Structural engineering, permit application, electrics and the lift unit itself are handled by licensed partner firms and the lift manufacturer, who are named in the quote. You have one contract and one site management.

What does the feasibility study cost?

€2,500 to €7,000 for the survey, assessment of two to three options, an outline structural assessment and a cost range for each option. It is the basis for every resolution and every funding application – and prevents planning costs from going into an option that cannot be built.

How quickly will I get a first assessment?

A site visit within five working days anywhere in Vienna. Whether a lift is feasible in principle can often be said on site – the size of the stairwell void, the headroom and the basement situation are the three decisive points.

Do ground-floor owners contribute to the lift installation?

In principle yes, because costs in a condominium are shared according to co-ownership shares. A different key, for example staggered by floor, is possible by written agreement of all owners or, where use differs considerably, by the court upon application. The property management can advise on this; we supply the cost breakdown per option.

Is a home lift in a detached house a better choice than a stairlift?

That depends on the staircase, space and needs. A stairlift is cheaper and quickly installed on a straight staircase, but is hardly suitable for wheelchairs, shopping or several people. A home lift costs considerably more and needs a shaft, but can be used by all residents and permanently increases the usefulness of the house.

Which works are the noisiest during a lift installation?

The openings in the floor slabs, excavating the lift pit and, where necessary, underpinning the foundations. These phases usually last a few weeks and are bundled and announced. The later installation of rails, car and controls is much quieter. Quiet hours in the building are respected.

Related services

◆ Partner company · Bling Premium Cleaning

Lift in? The stairwell needs cleaning.

The installation leaves dust and debris throughout the stairwell. Bling Premium Reinigung takes care of stairwell cleaning and, on request, ongoing building maintenance. More at bling-bling.at.

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Legal note: Skyline Bau is the brand name of the construction and renovation division of Bling Bling GmbH and is not a separate legal entity. The sole contractual partner is Bling Bling GmbH — a restricted construction trade business under § 99 GewO, GISA number in the legal notice. It is not a licensed master builder.

Under § 99 (5) GewO, the title “Baumeister” (master builder) is reserved exclusively for businesses licensed under § 94 no. 5 GewO. Regulated trades — master-builder services (§ 94 no. 5), electrical engineering (§ 94 no. 16), gas and sanitary engineering (§ 94 no. 25), tiling (§ 94 no. 38) — are carried out exclusively by authorised, licensed partner companies. On request, you receive their proof of authorisation before signing the contract.

Bling Bling GmbH · Skyline Bau brand · Company details in the legal notice

Note: Skyline Bau is the brand name of the construction and renovation division of Bling Bling GmbH and is not a separate legal entity. The sole contractual partner is Bling Bling GmbH. Bling Bling GmbH is a restricted construction trade business under § 99 GewO (Austrian Trade Regulation Act) and not a licensed master builder (Baumeister). Under § 99 (5) GewO, the title “Baumeister” is reserved for businesses licensed under § 94 no. 5 GewO. Regulated trades — master-builder services, structural engineering, gas and sanitary engineering, electrical engineering — are carried out exclusively by authorised, licensed partner companies.