With so much choice available in the market, looking at the price of an electric wheelchair may be crucial to helping you decide on your final purchase. However, there are often so many variables that it is not always immediately clear why some chairs cost a certain amount, and why prices can differ so widely between various electric wheelchair models and brands.
There are five main things to take into account when you are looking for the price of an electric wheelchair, which can give you insight into why the price range can be as low as under £1000 and as high as £30,000. Keeping price factors in mind will also help you assess which wheelchair is right for your needs and budget.
1/ Brand
There are a number of suppliers and distributors in the UK, and they all have their own position in the market. Some will be focused on all parts of the market and will therefore have a range and pricing levels to suit. Others may only focus on the more basic requirements and be more price focused, whereas a number of them will be very focused on higher quality, adjustable products and offer a more premium service and support level alongside the chairs.
2/ Type
There is a huge range of chairs available nowadays. These can all offer different functions or how they will be used.
Basic foldable or take part chairs are often more budget orientated as they are primarily for occasional use and transported in vehicles.
Indoor only chairs will often again be more budget orientated because they generally cost less to produce as they have less testing and regulations to meet.
Outdoor chairs will cost more due to more stringent testing and regulations. They also need to be more robust for the type of use they will have and usually have larger batteries and more powerful motors as standard. Most of these chairs will also offer a lot more adjustability in their seating systems and powered adjustment options available, like seat tilt as an example.
Off-road or all terrain chairs will take this outdoor use to the next level and as such will cost more due to the amount of robust and heavy duty options needed as standard to allow them to perform to the required levels.
3/ Upgrades & Options
If you need or want additional options and upgrades on your chair, then the price can vary quite considerably from the ‘standard’ configuration price.
There are a lot of options that can raise the price, not limited to:
Larger batteries
A bigger battery enables that you can drive for longer between charges.
Faster speeds
Most chairs are priced as 4mph. This can be upgraded to 6mph or 8mph depending on the model. You’d also need to consider the additional pricing of lights and a more advanced joystick.
Powered seating adjustments
For instance, seat tilt, seat lift, backrest recline, elevating legrests and standing facility are all options on their own or in combination with each other. Again, you’d also need to consider the additional pricing for a more advanced joystick.
Seating
You will often have the choice to pay extra for more comfortable, supportive or pressure relieving seat cushions and backrest cushions can be added. Additional support items are also available on most adjustable chairs. Complex seating needs can often require unique solution, sometimes even bespoke items.
4/ Second hand v’s new
Second hand chairs are often an opportunity for major savings compared to purchasing a chair that’s brand new. If you can find something that is suitable for your needs and wishes and comes from a trusted source, this can often work out well. However, it’s vital that you consider how suitable the chair will be, taking into account that you won’t get an assessment or demo from the supplier, whether you will have any warranty or service support, and how long you’ll need the chair for.
With the right supplier, a brand new chair can enhance and even change your life. A full assessment and demonstration should allow you to try different models and options, so that you can be sure it will be the best chair for you, and how you want to use it. You will get warranty and service support, as well as maintenance and ongoing support throughout the chair’s lifetime.
5/ Personalisation
Everyone has their r own likes and tastes. Thankfully, nowadays there is plenty more choice around colours and designs on chairs to allow you to make your chairas personalised as you want it to be — and stay within your budget.
Simply put, most chairs aren’t just boring colours anymore (unless of course you prefer something understated). Most chairs will come in a range of different frame colours to choose from as standard, but some now let you select a RAL car paint colour that your chair frame can be painted. In addition to this, some suppliers can also offer certain parts of the chairs to be ‘hydro-dipped’, which gives the user a multitude of different patterns and finishes to choose from.
With these details in mind, you should have a more thorough understanding of what determines the pricing of electric wheelchairs, what you might get out of the additional expense, but also what you can afford to save money on. For any individual needs and factors that you may need to consider, please feel free to get in touch with us today. One of our Product Specialists will be happy to contact you and answer any of your questions.
