01 / Overview
What a Symmetry VPL is, and isn't
Symmetry Vertical Platform Lifts (VPLs) are wheelchair-accessible platform lifts manufactured in the U.S. by Cibes Symmetry. They serve floor-to-floor travel up to 168 inches in residential and commercial buildings.
They are not elevators. They run at 10–20 fpm under constant-pressure controls, require no machine room, and conform to ASME A18.1 (the standard for platform lifts and stairway chairlifts), not ASME A17.1 (passenger elevators). Five model variants — unenclosed, enclosed, plexiglass-enclosed, shaftway, and hybrid — cover everything from low-rise outdoor porch access to fully enclosed commercial buildings.
Mobility123 is an authorized Cibes Symmetry dealer serving New Jersey statewide. Three NJ-licensed elevator mechanics on staff handle every install. This guide compresses what Mobility123 has learned across hundreds of VPL projects.
02 / Models at a glance
Five configurations, side by side
A quick orientation for spec'ing. Deep dive in §03.
| Model | Enclosure | Max travel | Indoor / Outdoor | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPL-UL (Unenclosed) | Open platform | 60″ public · 168″ private | Indoor / Outdoor | Low-rise, cost-driven, minimal site mods |
| VPL-EL (Enclosure) | Steel enclosure | 168″ | Indoor / Outdoor | Commercial, weather exposure, full-height travel |
| VPL-ELP (Plexiglass) | Plexiglass infill | 168″ | Indoor / Outdoor | Public spaces, design-forward, retail |
| VPL-SL (Shaftway) | Field-built shaft | 168″ | Indoor | Built-in look, integrated finish |
| VPL-Hybrid | Built shaft, residential-elevator car | 168″ | Indoor | Retrofits, churches, small commercial |
All standard models — Rated load 750 lb · Speed 10–20 fpm · Power 120 VAC / 20 A / 60 Hz · Standard ASME A18.1. VPL-Hybrid offers a 1,000 lb capacity option.
03 / Model deep-dive
When each model is the right call
Unenclosed lift
Open-platform lift for porches, decks, stages, and public-side accessibility where an enclosed hoistway isn't needed. Lowest cost and fastest install of the five. Public-side travel is capped at 60″ (5 feet) per ASME A18.1 §5.3.5.
Enclosure lift
Steel enclosure travels up to 168″, indoor or outdoor. The workhorse for commercial sites, weather-exposed installations, and full-height travel. The enclosure becomes the hoistway — no separate shaft to construct.
Plexiglass enclosure
Same protective envelope as the VPL-EL but with plexiglass infill panels for visibility and lighter visual presence. Public-space and retail favorite — the user remains visible during travel.
Shaftway lift
Drops into a contractor-built shaft for a fully integrated, built-in look. Common where the building has space for a dedicated hoistway and the design intent calls for the lift to disappear into the surrounding finish.
Hybrid lift
Looks and feels like a residential elevator but operates as a vertical platform lift — full-height car, swing doors at each landing, fire-rated shaft option. Fills the gap between a VPL and a LU/LA elevator. Favored for retrofits, churches, and small commercial buildings.
- Wood or metal car
- Hydraulic drive
- Fire-rated shaft option
- Up to 1,000 lb
04 / Structural Requirements
Floors, walls, pits, and hoistway prep
The structural prep is what most often catches a project off-guard. None of it is unusual for a competent GC, but the numbers need to land in the spec early.
Floor & wall
- Stationary load
- 3,200 lb floor support required at the mast base
- Wall pull-out
- Per bracket bolt as indicated on Cibes Symmetry's plan set
- Outdoor slab
- 4″ reinforced concrete @ 3,200 psi with drainage
- Wall support
- Double 2×4 studs OR concrete / brick / CMU
Pit
- Standard
- 3″ recommended for clean ramp-free entry
- Low-profile
- 1.5″ minimizes excavation; small entry ramp included
- No-pit
- Available with access ramp at lower landing
- Outdoor
- Drainage required regardless of depth
Hoistway
- Geometry
- Plumb, level, square — mast cannot be twisted
- Overhead
- Min 80″ headroom above the upper landing
- Lintels
- Above doors/gates must be sized for gate bracket load
- Anchoring
- Mast secured to structural support wall (wood or masonry)
The wall the mast attaches to is doing real work. On stick-frame retrofits, the standard answer is double 2×4 studs at the mast bracket locations, sistered to existing studs. On masonry walls, expansion anchors per the bracket spec. The "no-pit" option matters for slab-on-grade retrofits where saw-cutting concrete adds cost and schedule.
05 / Electrical System
Power, lighting, and backups
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Mains power | 120 VAC, 20 A, 60 Hz dedicated circuit |
| Disconnect | Fused or breaker disconnect at the lift, code per AHJ |
| Lighting | Cab lighting on a separate circuit (VPL-EL, VPL-ELP, VPL-SL, VPL-Hybrid) |
| Battery backup | Standard. Provides ~5 cycles after power loss, lowers to nearest landing |
| Phone / call station | ASME A18.1 §3.16 compliant; analog POTS or VoIP per local code |
A standard residential 20A circuit is enough. Outdoor installs need a weatherproof disconnect mounted within sight of the lift per NEC.
06 / Entrance & Exit Configurations
Gates, ramps, and access angles
Gate & door specs
- Lower landing
- Per ASME A18.1 §3.6 — typically 42″ minimum where there's a fall hazard
- Upper landing
- Full-height door for VPL-EL/ELP/SL/Hybrid; gate or knee-height for VPL-UL
- Clear opening
- Minimum 32″ for wheelchair access (A18.1 §3.7)
Ramp options
- Slope
- Per ICC A117.1 §405 / §406 — never steeper than 1:12 (8.33%)
- Use case
- No-pit and low-profile installations to bridge platform-to-floor
Entry / exit angles
- Straight-through
- 90° entry / 90° exit — most common
- Same-side
- 90° / 180° when space planning forces same-side
- Adjacent
- Available on some configurations — confirm during site visit
07 / Outdoor Installations
Built for the elements
Foundation
- Slab
- 4″ reinforced concrete pad at 3,200 psi with drainage
- Footprint
- At least lift footprint + access apron
- Aging substrate
- Over-pour with new pad rather than risk pull-out failure
Weatherproofing
- Electrical
- IP-rated enclosures + stainless hardware on outdoor variants
- Drainage
- Cab roof sheds water; gates have lower-landing weather seals
- Coastal package
- 316-grade stainless + marine powder coat for shore projects
Ventilation
- Indoor enclosed
- Passive ventilation per ASME A18.1 §3.10
- Standard
- Gate gaps satisfy passive ventilation in default config
- Powered ventilation
- Rarely required for residential / light commercial
For NJ shore projects (Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean counties) and any salt-air-exposed installation, specify the outdoor stainless package. The cost premium is small compared to replacing carbon-steel hardware after a hurricane season.
08 / Compliance & Safety
Standards Symmetry VPLs meet
| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| ASME A18.1 | Safety standard for platform lifts and stairway chairlifts (the primary code) |
| ICC A117.1 | Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (clear floor space, controls, signage) |
| ADA | Federal accessibility requirements; A18.1 + A117.1 conformance generally satisfies ADA |
| NJUCC | New Jersey Uniform Construction Code — adopts the ICC codes with NJ amendments |
| NJ Elevator Subcode | NJAC 5:23-12; governs elevator and platform lift permits and inspections |
| NEC | National Electrical Code — disconnect, dedicated circuit, GFCI where applicable |
Mobility123 carries NJ Elevator License #17EM00177000, NJ HIC #13VH06391700, and PA HIC #PA094724. NJ permit applications are filed under the elevator subcode and inspected by the NJ DCA elevator unit.
09 / Common Use Cases
Where Symmetry VPLs work
Residential homes
- Most common
- Front-porch access
- Other
- Garage-to-foyer, deck access, split-level entry
- Best models
- VPL-UL, VPL-EL handle the bulk of residential
Public spaces
- Settings
- Houses of worship, schools, libraries, town halls
- Best model
- VPL-ELP — visibility is a design choice
- Why ELP
- User remains visible to attendants; doesn't visually wall off space
Commercial buildings
- Settings
- Retail entrances with grade changes, small office lobbies
- Other
- Restaurant entrances, light commercial mezzanines
- Best models
- VPL-EL and VPL-Hybrid handle most commercial work
10 / Technical Specifications
At a glance — field specs
| Item | Standard | VPL-Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Rated load | 750 lb | 1,000 lb option |
| Speed | 10–20 fpm | 10–20 fpm |
| Drive | Acme screw or hydraulic | Hydraulic |
| Power supply | 120 VAC / 20 A / 60 Hz | 120 VAC / 20 A / 60 Hz |
| Phase | Single | Single |
| Battery backup | Standard | Standard |
| Max travel | 168″ (60″ unenclosed public) | 168″ |
| Standard | ASME A18.1 | ASME A18.1 |
11 / Field-ready checklists
Field-ready checklists
Use these against your floor plan, electrical service, and finished-floor heights before the unit ships.
Site construction
- Concrete pad poured, cured, level (outdoor)
- Mast support wall structurally sound (double studs / masonry)
- Pit dimensions match plan set
- Drainage installed (outdoor)
- Path to install location wide enough for crating
Hoistway requirements
- Plumb, level, square
- Overhead clearance ≥ 80″
- Lintels sized for gate brackets
- Floor structure rated ≥ 3,200 lb at mast base
Electrical requirements
- Dedicated 120 VAC / 20 A circuit
- Disconnect within sight of lift
- GFCI on outdoor circuits
- Phone / call station line pulled if required by AHJ
Entrance configuration
- 32″ clear opening at all gates / doors
- Ramp slope ≤ 1:12 if used
- Knee-height vs. full-height barrier per model
- Entry / exit angle confirmed against floor plan
12 / Project costs
The variables that move the cost number
- Model selection — VPL-UL is roughly 60–70% of a VPL-Hybrid for the same travel.
- Travel height and landings — single-story lifts cost less than 168″ runs; each additional gate adds cost.
- Indoor vs. outdoor — outdoor adds slab + drainage + IP-rated electrical + weatherproof finish.
- Site preparation — pit excavation, masonry work on the support wall, electrical service extension.
- Permits and code review — straightforward in most NJ jurisdictions; complex AHJs add weeks.
- Customization — finish color, gate style, cab interior on VPL-Hybrid, accessories like phone hood and key switches.
For NJ residential porch retrofits, turnkey cost typically lands in the $25,000–$45,000 range. Commercial VPL-EL projects with longer travel and weather exposure are typically $45,000–$75,000. VPL-Hybrid projects with full-height car and fire-rated shaft are typically $75,000–$110,000.
These are real-project ranges. A site visit is the only way to land a number on a specific project.
13 / Process timeline
From first call to first ride
01
Consultation
Phone call to scope the use case (user, building, travel height, indoor/outdoor).
- 15–30 min
- Frames the model conversation
- Sets expectations on permit + lead time
02
Site visit & planning
Mobility123 elevator specialist measures the site, takes photos, marks structural and electrical scope.
- 60–90 min on site
- Photos + measurements
- Initial scope and budget range
03
Permits & code review
Mobility123 files the NJ elevator permit and coordinates with the local AHJ.
- 4–10 weeks depending on jurisdiction
- Filed under NJAC 5:23-12
- We handle plan review questions
04
Manufacturing & install
Cibes Symmetry production lead time: 6–10 weeks. Install: 1–3 days for VPL-UL/EL/ELP, 5–7 days for VPL-SL or VPL-Hybrid.
- Production ~6–10 weeks
- Onsite install ~1–7 days
- NJ DCA inspection scheduled at completion
05
Service & maintenance
Annual safety inspection and service contract through Mobility123.
- NJ-licensed mechanics on staff
- Annual inspections per NJAC 5:23-12
- Same-week response on service calls
Total wall-clock from signed quote to finished install is typically 3–5 months in NJ. Permit timing dominates.
14 / FAQ
Questions we hear most
What's the typical lead time on a Symmetry VPL?
Manufacturer production runs about 6–10 weeks from order. NJ permit review adds 4–10 weeks depending on the jurisdiction. Plan on 3–5 months from signed quote to finished install in NJ.
How do New Jersey permits work?
VPLs are filed under the NJ elevator subcode (NJAC 5:23-12) regardless of whether the building is residential or commercial. Mobility123 handles the application, plan review, and final inspection. Homeowners do not need to engage an architect for the permit unless other work on the project requires one.
Do residential and commercial codes differ?
Yes. Public-occupancy installations are subject to additional requirements under ASME A18.1 (full-height enclosure for travel >60″, accessible call station, signage, surveillance per AHJ). Mobility123 spec'd for the highest-applicable category on the site visit.
What about service after install?
Mobility123 carries a service team and offers annual maintenance contracts. NJ elevator law requires annual safety inspection by a licensed elevator mechanic — that's our team.
What's the warranty?
Cibes Symmetry's manufacturer warranty is 2 years on parts. Mobility123's installer warranty covers labor for 1 year on workmanship. After year 1, parts and labor are covered under the maintenance contract.
Can we change finish later?
Powder-coat finishes can be refreshed in-place or the panels can be removed for refinishing. Plexiglass panels (VPL-ELP) are field-replaceable. Stainless hardware never needs refinishing.
Have an NJ project in scope?
We'll come look at it.
Phone-scope in 15–30 minutes, on-site visit within the week. NJ elevator permit, structural prep, electrical, install, and final inspection all handled in-house.