A stair lift is a long job for something that looks like a chair on a rail. The work runs from the first call to the installer, through the measurement, the written scope, the install day, and the first ride. Each stage has one person who should own it and one piece of paper that should prove it happened. If you settle who those are before the installer arrives, you can run most of the process from your own phone while someone local does the lifting.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Before the first visit
Start with the stairs as they are, not as you remember them. Ask a local helper or your mother to count the steps, note whether the staircase turns or has a landing, measure the width at the narrowest point, and photograph the top and bottom. Note where the electrical outlet is, because the lift needs power near the bottom and possibly near the top. Ask whether anything is loose, such as a runner, a carpet edge, or a handrail that wobbles, since the installer will need to know.
Then decide who will be at the site visit. Ideally that is the person who will use the lift and one adult who can answer questions on the day. Confirm in writing who may make decisions at the visit, and make sure your mother has agreed to the scope before anything is signed. If you need someone in St. Louis to attend the visit for you, see Local Help for a St. Louis Parent.
Compare the quotes by the same list
Ask every installer to price the same list: the rail, the chair, the power supply, the installation, the removal fee if the lift ever has to come out, any permit or inspection, and the warranty length in writing. Ask whether the price includes the first service visit. If one quote is missing a line, ask for it to be added before you compare totals. Ask each company for proof of insurance and for the name of the license holder, and check your city or county website for what licensing or permits the job requires.
Ask how service works. Who answers the phone when the chair stops? How long until someone comes out? Is the service company the same as the installer? You want those answers in writing, because you will be the one calling from 500 miles away.
On install day
Clear the stairs before the crew arrives. Take up loose items, move any rug that is in the way, and make sure someone is in the house with a key who can let the crew in. Ask the installer to walk through the controls with your mother while she is seated, then have her run the full trip up and down twice with an adult standing nearby. Check the seat belt, the swivel, the footrest, the safety sensors, and the key switch. Ask what happens during a power outage and whether the chair has a battery backup that charges on its own.
Before the crew leaves, have them show you where the manual lives and mark the service number on the first page. Photograph the serial plate on the chair and the rail so you have the model information if you need to call.
The first ride and the paperwork
Stay on the phone or video for the first ride if you can. Ask your mother or the helper to describe what they feel at the top and bottom, and whether the seat stops where it should. Ask the installer to confirm in writing that the lift passed its test, and file that confirmation with the manual and the warranty. Keep one folder with the quote, the signed scope, the warranty, the manual, and the service line.
Tonight
Send the installer a list of the stairs with the measurements and photos. Ask for a written scope that matches the quote line for line. Ask one local person to walk the staircase and tell you about any loose carpet or handrail before the visit.
What to leave with the doctor
Ask your mother's doctor whether stair use is safe for her right now and whether any note is needed for the installer. If the installer asks for medical paperwork, ask the doctor's office for it directly rather than having your mother carry it. Mention any change in balance or stair use so the chair can be set for how she actually moves.