From Marietta and Smyrna out to Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell, a lot of Cobb County houses were built in the decades after World War II, when the county grew into a metro Atlanta suburb. Many are ranch and split-level designs with a split entry, a sunken living room, or a stepped-up garage and foyer level. That means short interior stair runs between levels, and that is the kind of stair we look at most often here.
The ground matters too. Cobb sits in Georgia's upper Piedmont, on the southernmost extensions of the Appalachian Mountains, and Kennesaw Mountain is the highest point in the suburban Atlanta area. Lots with real grade changes pushed builders toward multi-level houses, so a parent who can no longer manage the garage-to-kitchen steps is a common reason families call us.
A split entry usually has two short flights going in opposite directions from the front door. Each flight is often straight, so a straight stair lift on each run can work, though some families prefer one curved lift that follows the turn. We measure both options before recommending either.
Sunken living rooms and stepped-up foyers may only have a few steps. For those, a short straight rail or a platform lift is sometimes a better fit than a full stair lift. The right answer depends on whether the person can transfer from a wheelchair or walks with a cane.
Because so many lots around Kennesaw, Marietta and Vinings slope, the main entry is often well above the driveway or the garage sits a level below the living floor. If the hard part is the steps from the garage or up to the porch, an outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift may solve the daily problem better than an indoor unit.
Outdoor lifts are built for weather and need a covered or well-drained route where possible. During a visit we look at the slope, the footing for the rail, and where power can be run.
Cobb also has plenty of townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, especially around Smyrna, Fair Oaks and the area near Kennesaw State University. Townhouses often stack bedrooms two floors above the kitchen, which can mean a long straight run or a curved lift if the stair turns at a landing.
In a walk-up apartment or shared stairwell, the building owner has to approve any installation, and the stair has to stay usable for everyone else. Get that permission in writing before you order equipment.
Many longtime owners are staying in multi-decade-old houses rather than moving, which is why a lift for an existing stair is often more practical than a renovation.
Veterans can start with the Marietta - Cobb Multi-Specialty VA Clinic at 1263 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta, phone (770) 852-3400, to ask what VA benefits apply to their situation.
Several programs list home modifications as a covered service, including the Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP), the Georgia Home Access Program and disABILITY LINK. None of them name stair lifts item by item, so ask directly whether your project qualifies.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. Other programs below focus on repairs or general services and do not mention stair lifts, but calling Empowerline at (404) 463-3333 is a good first step to get screened for what you may qualify for. The full list is below.
A Medicaid waiver for Medicaid-eligible adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury, and home modifications are a listed covered service. Call (800) 982-0411.
A state grant for accessibility home modifications for people with a documented disability who own the home, with no income limit stated. Apply through your Center for Independent Living or call SILCGA at (770) 270-6860.
The Center for Independent Living serving Cobb County offers home modification services, with a plan built alongside a Housing Specialist. Call (404) 687-8890.
Medicaid waivers for frail elderly or disabled adults who meet a nursing-facility level of care and want services at home; the listed services do not mention home modifications or stair lifts. Call the statewide ADRC line at (866) 552-4464.
The regional aging and disability information line covering Cobb County, which screens older adults and people with disabilities and refers them to funded programs; stair lifts are not specifically mentioned. Call (404) 463-3333.
A city grant of up to $15,000 for Marietta homeowners 62+ or disabled with extremely or very low income who have lived in the home at least 3 years. It covers repairs like roofs, HVAC and plumbing, and stair lifts are not mentioned.
An income-qualified repair program for Cobb homeowners and veterans below 65% of area median income, covering items such as roofs, plumbing and accessibility modifications to ADA standards; stair lifts are not named. Call (404) 351-3889.
A lifetime VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes, but it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with severe qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home; the VA does not mention stair lifts either way for this grant.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and the home may belong to the veteran or a family member; stair lifts are not mentioned either way.
Older adults
229 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, 30303
Veterans
1263 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta, 30062
Yes, possibly. The Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves Medicaid-eligible adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities and lists home modifications as covered. Call (800) 982-0411.
Not always. Two straight lifts can work, or one curved lift can follow the turn. We measure both runs before suggesting either.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so ask the Marietta - Cobb Multi-Specialty VA Clinic at (770) 852-3400.
The ELD Grant offers up to $15,000 to homeowners 62+ or disabled with very low income, but the city page lists repairs like roofs and HVAC and does not mention stair lifts.
Call Empowerline at (404) 463-3333. It screens older adults and people with disabilities in Cobb and refers them to programs, and disABILITY LINK at (404) 687-8890 handles home modification requests.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
