Can wheelchair ramps be rented? US

Wheelchairs can give people with mobility issues, much better access to many places. This is true for both manual and electric wheelchairs. However, they do still pose a problem for accessing certain areas. This is usually due to obstacles such as steps or getting in and out of vehicles.

Most of these obstacles can be removed by adding some form of ramp in place to help with access.

One question you may have is, can wheelchair ramps be rented? Or would you be better buying one?

Small wheelchair ramps can sometimes be rented for between $10 and $20 per week. This is usually a service offered by local mobility companies. But not all these companies rent ramps. The types of ramps you can rent will usually include portable ramps to help with small steps, thresholds and accessing the back of a vehicle.

For larger modular ramps, that are fixed in place for a longer period, the price can be significantly higher.

The price will depend on the size. However as an example we got quotes from 2 different ramp hire companies. The quote was for a ramp that would provide access for a 23cm high door entrance. This consisted of 1 ½ steps at the entrance of a house and the prices ranged between $110 and 225 per week. This didn’t even include delivery or installation.

Reasons you might need a wheelchair ramp

There are many situations when you could need a wheelchair ramp. Some of the most common will include:

• Bridging the threshold of a door entrance
• Creating access for changes in level. This could be rooms in your house with different levels, or perhaps your garden.
• Accessing a vehicle.
• Getting up steps. This could be a small amount of steps. All the way up to a full flight of stairs.

When you only need a small change in level, there are plenty of affordable options available. In most cases you can purchase smaller ramps from as little as £$0. For larger ramps that are still portable you could pay as much as $500.

Different types of wheelchair ramps

Curb threshold ramps

Curb threshold ramps are the simplest and most affordable type of ramp available. You are very unlikely to find this type of ramp for rent or hire. This is simply because they are extremely cheap.

You can buy a rubber threshold ramp for around $50 or less and they can be used for any similar type of rise. So, things like thresholds, curbs etc.

Bridge threshold ramps

This is another type of threshold ramp. The only difference is this bridges the threshold rather than butting up to it. They can be very handy if you have a step on either side. Such as the entrance to a property.

Folding wheelchair ramps

Folding ramps come in many shapes and sizes. They are designed to fold up for convenient storage and transportation and can be useful for a variety of different situations including:

• Thresholds
• Small steps
• Vehicle access

Channel wheelchair ramps

Another option that has similar uses to the folding ramp is a pair of channel ramps. These are usually folding or telescopic. So again they are very good for storing and transporting in a vehicle.

They also come in a variety of lengths and sizes so are suitable for everything a folding ramp could be used for.

Modular ramps (usually fixed in place)

This is a less common option and will usually be needed for more complex situations. This type of fixed ramp will usually need delivering and installing. The advantage here is that they can be modified to fit almost any situation. The disadvantage is this solution is not going to be cheap.

Generally with this type of ramp you will need 1 foot of ramp per inch of change in level.

When should you rent or buy a ramp?

So we have established that in some situations you can rent a wheelchair ramp. But when should you consider renting rather than just buying your own?

There are a few situations where renting could be the best option.

For smaller ramps, this is probably going to be if you only need a ramp for a short period of time. For example, this could be due to a relative visiting, where you only need the access during their stay.

If you can find somewhere locally, that will hire you a decent ramp for a short period, then this may be the best option. One thing you may want to consider is how regularly you will be hiring? If this is something that will happen on a regular basis. You may just be better off buying a ramp and storing it till the next time it is needed.

For larger ramps that will be fixed in place there are also some situations where hiring could be the best option. These types of ramps can cost thousands of pounds to buy. So you may benefit from hiring if it is over a shorter period of time.

One area where hiring this type of ramp can get very expensive is delivery and installation. This will usually be added on top of your weekly hire price and the overall cost can add up quickly.

Generally, this type of ramp is hired on a commercial basis. It is quite uncommon for this type of ramp to be hired for personal, or residential use.

Can you build your own wheelchair ramp?

There is one more option if you are looking into wheelchair ramps and that is building your own. This can be a very cost effective way of adding a new ramp.

Wheelchair ramps can be built from a number of different materials. But the most common are usually wooden ramps. or concrete ramps.

Both of these types of ramp can be used for various different situations. The one thing you will need to consider, is if you want a permanent ramp or one that can be dismantled and removed later.

For permanent ramps concrete will probably be your best solution. You will just need to find someone who is experienced at working with concrete that can pour the ramp for you.

Similarly if you decide on a wood frame. Then you will just need to find a decent local joiner. This type of wooden ramp will usually be built with timber and plywood. So, you will be paying for the materials and labour.

Conclusion

So, can wheelchair ramps be rented? The answer is yes, sometimes they can. The real question is should you be renting a wheelchair ramp. In our opinion the answer to this is usually no.

There are some situations that renting could be an option. However, in most circumstances we believe that it is not a good solution. Whether you are looking for a simple ramp or a more complex form of access. Either buying outright or on credit is usually more cost effective.

You can see our top recommendation for a basic wheelchair ramp by clicking here.

We hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.