Imagine a home over several levels on a difficult site where you can drive straight into the garage and have your home lift waiting to take you and your shopping up to the kitchen, the living area or the bedroom.

Building or renovating these days more often than not includes state-of-the-art full automation systems during the building stages, and the home elevator has become an extension of this, another means of future-proofing the home.

A home lift also sets a property apart and adds to its resale value, particularly in coastal areas where prime sites near the water often have access problems.

Then there's the trend to buying or building a holiday house on the coast with the idea of retiring there down the track. Most of these are two or more levels to take advantage of the views and to fit as much living space as possible on small blocks. When you have the home you've worked for all your life, a home elevator will help you live there comfortable for as long as possible.