Mission accomplished: solving the accessible puzzle with a half-height home lift (Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire)
31 Mar 2026Overview
Gaurav Shoor is a man who achieved his mission. After several years of adapting to life as a wheelchair user following a car accident at the age of 19, he applied all that he’d learnt to the design of his newly purchased home. Adding features that would strengthen his independence, and which came together in a synonymous way were key to this vision.
As he wheels around his home, you can see his pride and pleasure in what he has achieved. Open plan living spaces so he has a clear path around fixtures and fittings, a home gym which caters to his requirements, a roll-in shower room, a kitchen with lower height worktops, and the final piece of the accessible jigsaw – a lift giving him access to all floors of his home.
“It makes my life easier having everything adapted in the way I need it,” explains Gaurav. “After my injury I needed time to learn exactly what that was and I had four years living in my previous home that wasn’t as adapted as well to do that.”
The installation of a lift, however, proved harder to solve than the other accessible features. With lower height ceilings on the upper floor, the numerous lift companies he contacted all said the same thing – it couldn’t be achieved in his home. Until a recommendation from an architect led him to Gartec.
“I was struggling to put the lift exactly where I wanted it,” says Gaurav. “I’d been in touch with a lot of companies, but when I spoke with Gartec, I got to have it in the exact position I wanted it because I was told it could go in an old cupboard space which was not going to be used because of the restricted headroom in that position.”
Gaurav wanted a lift to the first floor so he could use the whole of the property, situating his bedroom, workspace and shower on this level. In his previous home where the adaptations had to be made post his accident, he couldn’t access the first floor, so removing all barriers to his new home was an important factor in his design.
Why Aritco?
The Aritco HomeLift Access provided the solution. With its multiple platform sizes and self-contained design with no need for a separate machine room, it was the best fit for the space, and a half height gate was installed on the upper landing where the headroom was lower.
“The Gartec lift was the only fit for my home,” says Gaurav. “It looks a lot nicer than other lifts and I think I signed the paperwork the same day Gartec came out to visit me. It has made doing my day-to-day tasks easier and works around the height restrictions in my home that other companies couldn’t offer.”
Matt Akerman, Gartec Home Sales Director, added:
“What’s great about this home is that Gaurav had a blank canvas to add features which would allow him to enjoy his whole living space. His tenacity in finding the best deal and not accepting solutions that didn’t’ work for him has meant that he has been able to create a home that he can thrive in.”
Specification
Lift: Aritco HomeLift Access
Bespoke features: Half height gate on upper landing
Technical details:1100 x 1480mm platform lift with automatic doors finished in white (RAL 9016)
Reasons for purchase: Wheelchair access to first floor
