I'm writing about the work Access Elevator performed at my 94-year-old father's home on Fulton Boulevard in Chicago. My father is a disabled veteran. Under a VA-funded project, Access Elevator was selected as the vendor to provide an accessibility porch and vertical platform lift (VPL) at his front entrance. According to the Better Business Bureau, Access Elevator has received multiple complaints in the past three years, with four complaints closed in the last 12 months. I am now submitting an additional complaint through BBB and posting this review because of what happened at my father's home: demolition of his only lawful front egress and the absence of stamped construction drawings or a City of Chicago structural/porch permit for the work. At the initial site visit, Access sales representative Aimee Ferrell measured the front entrance and recommended an oversized 42" x 60" lift. After about ten minutes of measurements, she acknowledged the "math" didn't really work with our existing stairs and egress but told me she would "make it work." At no point during that visit did she disclose that a smaller, compliant 36" x 48" Bruno VPL was available and could potentially meet both VA needs and City of Chicago egress requirements more safely. I later learned about that smaller option on my own. We were relying on Access, as a VA-approved vendor, to recommend a safe, code-compliant solution. I believe the failure to disclose the smaller lift option was a serious omission. In a later conference call, a senior representative, Frank Wasilewski, told us that "Chicago-stamped construction drawings" existed for the porch at our address and he would email those stamped drawings to me. Despite multiple follow-ups, no stamped architectural/engineering construction drawings have ever been provided to us for this job. On August 13, 2025 Access then proceeded to demolish the existing front porch and landing, which was my father's only lawful front egress. After demolition, we were left with a 5 foot trench and broken concrete at the front entrance, a 12 foot drop at the base of the steps, and no safe, code-compliant landing or guardrails. To my knowledge - and based on conversations with the City of Chicago Department of Buildings - only an elevator installation permit was pulled, not a structural/porch permit. We were never given stamped architectural/engineering drawings for the porch reconstruction. My father's only safe front entrance was demolished under a project where there was no structural/porch permit and no stamped A/E drawings in place for the framing and reconstruction of the egress. Access provided a small 8.5" x 11" sketch as part of the award packet. That sketch was not proportional to the porch framing that their carpenter (Daniel) actually began building on site. What was being framed did not match the dimensions or clearances implied by the sketch. A few days after demolition, an independent Illinois-licensed architect, Don Leone Jr., AIA, inspected the site. He told us that the project required stamped architectural/engineering drawings and a City of Chicago structural/porch permit, that the framing he observed would not meet City code or pass a Department of Buildings inspection, and that the job should not proceed without proper drawings, permits, and a compliant design. Shortly after the concerns were raised, Access withdrew from the project, after the porch had already been demolished and partially framed in a way the architect said was non-compliant. Access later informed us and the VA that the permits it had obtained were "cancelled and inactive" and that any new contractor would have to start over with new drawings and permits under their own license. At no point did Access restore a safe temporary egress for my 94-year-old father before walking away. My father was left with a damaged, unsafe entrance that caregivers and emergency responders had to navigate daily We relied on Access Elevator as a VA-approved accessibility vendor to (1) accurately disclose lift options and limitations, (2) obtain appropriate permits, (3) provide stamped, code-compliant drawings, and (4) ensure my father's only front egress was never left unsafe. Instead, we were left with a demolished entrance, no stamped drawings, no valid structural/porch permit, cancelled permits after demolition, and additional out-of-pocket costs for architectural review and site measurements to correct the plan. Because of the seriousness of this situation, OSHA issued a complaint and formally notified the VA of the life-safety hazards created by the demolition. Additional oversight reports focus primarily on the VA's management, but they all document the same factual sequence described in this review. What I want from Access: acknowledgment of what happened at my father's home and meaningful changes in how they handle projects where structural demolition, permits, and the safety of elderly or disabled customers are at stake. read more

I am an 84-year-old woman living with my 62-year-old daughter who is physically disabled. We have a lift chair installed in our front entrance, which gives us access in and out of our home. Last night the chair became stuck at the bottom of the stairs, leaving our front door stuck open, and we could not close it. My daughter and son-in-law came over to help me troubleshoot for about three hours and we were unable to fix it, due to the equipment being so specialized with specialized tools necessary. When we contacted access this morning and spoke to Jennifer, we were told that we would have to wait throughout the holiday weekend for a tech to come and look at it. We explain that this is not acceptable as we are unable to close our front door. They said they do not have emergency services for anything like this and there's nothing else they could offer to help us. We called back again and left a message for the owner, John Tevz, but have not heard anything back from him or anyone else at the company. After calling for the second time, Jennifer told us that she spoke to a tech and IF one of them happens to become free later today, they could possibly come over, but there are no promises. I explained to her that this is still unacceptable answer as we cannot close the door and cannot go another night with our door unable to close. My daughter had to go down the stairs on her bottom this morning when she left the house and we are unsure how we will get her back up the stairs later today when she returns home. The customer service is horrible and the fact that they don't have a solution to help disabled individuals in this situation is absolutely unacceptable. read more

Don't trust them. They charge thousands over their competitors on ramps and don't tell the truth.

In July of 2023, I purchased a stair lift from Access Elevator, 1995 E Norse Ave, Ste A, Cudahy, WI 53110. The Stair lift was used and we were told that there would be a 6 month warranty but not to worry because they follow up on problems. Note: This chair and home made lift they made (which has its own problems} cost approximately $6,500. Come the 7th month of possession, things started going wrong. The latest service call was on Friday, February 2, 2024, at which time I was told the circuits board in the chair and other switches were all deteriorated and need to be replaced. I was contacted by Jennifer, Administrative coordinator and informed it would be approximately $1,500 to fix. I asked what kind of warranty is on the circuit board and was told maybe 30 days but their supervisor of this sort of thing was not in the office.She would check it out. Jennifer, stated the chair cover was ripped and I replied yes, it was hardly used and deteriorated in 6 months. I now purchased a grill cover to replace Bruno's below standard covers. Jennifer replied, yes, they've had previous complaints about them. I realize this was purchased used but cant help but feel that this chair was defective and not inspected prior to installation. The manufacturer is Bruno Stairlifts and if their circuit boards deteriorated every 30 days, they would be out of business. Regarding the home made platform they built (because what was ordered wouldn't hold the chair), Here are the issues: * The entire weight of the stairs rests on a 1" x 6" board, which is screwed into the stringers and the posts. This board rests (uncentered) on a broken/partial piece of sidewalk that is approximately 16" wide. Both of these 4" x 4" posts rest on grass/dirt. * Every post that is supporting the deck rests unevenly on unlevel concrete. There are visible gaps (as much as a 1/2") under every post. *Nearly every baluster is loose to the touch; these need to be securely attached. *The posts have neither base plates nor post fasteners to anchor them securely to the concrete. * Rail on stairway does not run perpendicular to the stringers; there is a 2" difference in height from the top of stairs to the bottom (from 37" height to 39"). * There is only a 23" clearance between chair (with it folded up) and the stair rail. My stepson spoke with original salesman, Brian, regarding the porch problems months ago and was told concerns would be attended to. Nothing since. Jennifer has Not returned my call regarding any warranty on the service.. The service call was February 2, 2024. It is now Febrary 14, 2024. I cant afford to pay $1,500 every 30 days I cant leave the house to take care of medical conditions. Access Elevator needs to replace this chair and solidify the stairs as both are obviously defective. read more

It appears this company is scamming the elderly and handicap. My aunt purchased a used lift so that she could get into her home. About a month later it stopped working so the service people came out and supposedly took photos of the inside mechanics and showed her pics of chewed wires due to a mouse infestation. She hired an exterminator company because she believed what they had showed her. She called several times after that asking them to fix the chewed up wires because the extermination company completed their job. Access elevator never called back. I called asking for a service date and was told they didn't know how to address the mouse issue and never scheduled. She desperately needed the lift to work so her nephew opened it up only to see that there was nothing wrong no chewed up wires no mouse infestation. He reset the GFI and it worked. Received a bill 2 weeks after he fixed it stating that they came out and replaced the stuck conductor. If she was told there were chewed up wires and a mouse infestation in September how come in October they never fixed wires but they replaced a stuck conductor allegedly. All Lies! The pictures that were produced were not of her lift. Now they expect to be paid $430 for work they never did. read more

I'm 84. Went in to buy a lift chair. Had 3 models on floor. Tried them all. Was told they don't have chairs "in stock" and would have to order it. $1642 + a $100 delivery fee. Waited 4 weeks. When it was delivered on a Tuesday, it wasn't as comfortable as I thought it would be as the leg part was shorter than I was told it would be. Called immediately and spoke with Veronica. Went in to store the following day, they said a "foot extension" could be ordered and added but that wouldn't work for me because of the gap between the chair and the extender not providing support. I asked to return it. They said there'd be a 25% restocking fee ($435.50 + $25 pick up fee). I asked to speak to owner and was given his voicemail on Thursday. On Monday I called the store back because I hadn't heard from the owner. Veronica informed me that she spoke to the owner who told her the chair can't be returned "because it is custom". Veronica stated "it's out of her hands". She offered that I could talk to the owner and transferred me..... to leave another voicemail. It has been almost 4 weeks, 3 unanswered phone calls to him and this has still not been resolved! I have been a customer of this store for 12 years, purchasing thousands of dollars of items: a motorized scooter, then a motorized wheelchair and a lift to get it in and out of my van, then the lift was just replaced in February, and now this chair. All total, about $10,000 of stuff. And this is how the owner and his staff treats a long-standing customer. Beware! read more