And how are you planning the required fire separation between the garage and home with a giant ingress for carbon monoxide and fire located directly between them? That won’t be allowed, BTW.

If the project is in the US, the document governing the elevator design will likely be ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators (CSA B44 in Canada) or the state elevator code.

I designed one from a garage to an upstairs hallway years ago but I recently threw the elevator code book out.

You can buy it online for $390

You would be better off asking a building inspector, an elevator manufacturer or an architect who owns the applicable standards.

Meeting these standards is not difficult with conventional construction but it could be difficult with a glass shaft and cab. What is the reason for that choice?

Have you priced out elevators? Something simple is still going to be around $25,000+

I don't think a car will fit in that elevator.

I would do that in a heartbeat if I had a straight shot up!

Are you asking a question?

If the glass shaft enclosure is required to be fire-rated, I suspect the cost will be prohibitive.

Good idea assuming the stairs and elevator are in a separate area from the garage and not directly in the garage.

Least expensive option would likely be to have a hallway/foyer off of the garage where the elevator and stair are located in order to provide code required separation between garage and occupied space.

Why do you need the elevator? Why are stairs not sufficient?

There are 36 inch wide doors from our basement garages into a short hall, and just inside is the door to the elevator. This set up is still convenient for whoever needs the elevator. As a private residence the house wasn't designed to strict ADA standards, so there is not a full 60 inch turning radius in front of the elevator, but the hall opens to a large space just two feet beyond the elevator.

Elevators aren't just for infirm elderly folks. There are many reasons why they're useful. We'll never buy or build another multi-level house without one.

Mostly this "Then stairs as backup of course if anything happens to the elevator." that caught my attention.

The U.S. is the least healthy, most sedate and most overweight population of all developed countries. We have the highest rates of preventable chronic disease. We spend almost twice as much per capita on healthcare as other developed countries and yet have the lowest life expectancy.

My wife and I have an elevator so I am not at all against them and some people do indeed need them. Ours however is for days when it's critical for my wife - it's our backup. Stairs are are our primary way of getting from floor to floor... including when we're hauling lots of stuff or are sore from something or just tired.

Similar to how Americans will drive a short distance instead of walking or riding a bicycle, that someone would consider an elevator as their primary route and stairs as backup, indicating that they can go up and down stairs, kind of speaks volumes about Americans and our poor health.

I have an elevator that also opens into the garage and basement. IMO if you plan any elevator, one should try to make it hit both garage and basement because why not?

It's the same as the garage-to-house door - it needs to be fire rated and have a closer (or sprung hinges) but can be decorative if you want. Flat steel door is cheaper.

My favorite part of our elevator is when we travel, we can pack our bags on the 2nd floor... throw them in the elevator, then it's right there in the garage next to the truck.

The most common requirement in the US for doors shared by a garage and any part of a house that isn't a bedroom is:

1) solid wood doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness,

2) solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or

3) 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a self-closing device."

The cheapest option is # 1.

The above fire rating only applies to the door, not the frame, so the door not actually a "fire-rated assembly" but its OK because the wall is not fire rated either. In professional fire protection terms this is called a "smoke door".

However, the applicable elevator code might require elevator doors and enclosure walls to be fire rated assemblies with design numbers from testing agencies.

I do a lot of residential elevators in vacation homes. They're super useful when vacationers show up with a ton of luggage and groceries for a horde of people. I don't view them as a primary way of getting from floor to floor.

Talk with an elevator company about what will be required in your area.

We are doing something similar, as our lot is on a hillside with topography that requires a lowest level garage but our son is a wheelchair user. It isn‘t hard to design correctly, but you’d need to have your architect or engineer verify the code compliance issues with the specific venting and shaft design.

Positive pressure ventilation in the elevator shaft, a fire shutter that is activated when a fire is detected as part of the fire suppression system, or installing your elevator down a hall or behind a fire rated door are all options. Putting it behind a door and down a small hallway or vestibule to the garage instead of directly in it is probably easiest.

This appears to be a case of post and run.

not at all I'm reading every post and taking into account what everyone is saying. unless your a pro, Huzz doesn't let you reply to each comment.

I suggest if you want the glass enclosure, that you put that on the upper floor, and follow up on area fire code restrictions for the simplest and sturdiest way to construct this elevator on the garage level.

Wait a sec, I not a pro and I can reply to each comment. Has something changed? Is it because it is your thread? I have started threads and replied several times to the thread.

Since you are still here - is there a question? Awfully fancy elevator for a garage. Do you worry about dusting it? We have a pretty clean garage - but it still isn't as clean as the house.

My wife voted no to a basement garage. Even with an elevator, it isn't ideal. Sure, you can load groceries into an elevator but kind of a pain compared to just walking through a door. Is this your only reasonable option? Do you just have groceries delivered? How many days a week to you shop at a grocery store? Have you ever lived with a basement garage? Discussed it with anyone with similar lifestyle and has a basement garage?

it's not fancy, it's an manual closing door that just had glass in the door.

After reading the comments, showing my girlfriend all these comments and talking to local builders and local codes (building codes, safety codes) I've decided to put in a basement garage with room for storage. Yes the elevator will have space between parked cars and elevator and fire extinguishers (safety code bylaws with space required).

As for bring up things like groceries from lower level to main level I plan and moving other things I can just have a utility cart so I can move everything in one trip. The elevator will let out in the kitchen close to the door leading to outside deck.

This will be one big room, open concept including kitchen, dinning and living room all in one.