Why straight and curved are different sales
A straight stairlift is a near-commodity. The user has a standard staircase, you fit a pre-cut rail, the unit is in within a week. Quotes are competitive and the buyer often shops two or three brands.
A curved stairlift is a custom fit. The rail is bespoke to the staircase, lead time is two to six weeks, and the ticket is two to four times higher. The buyer is less price-sensitive but more commitment-sensitive. They need confidence that you can actually deliver.
Lead economics in 2026
A qualified straight stairlift survey in the UK lands at £70 to £130 and in the US at $90 to $150. A qualified curved survey lands at £120 to £220 in the UK and $160 to $280 in the US, because the addressable market is smaller and the qualification is tighter.
Close rates on attended surveys are broadly similar (25% to 40%), but revenue per attended survey is dramatically different: roughly £700 to £950 on a straight survey and £1,400 to £3,500 on a curved one. That is why curved-capable dealers can comfortably absorb a higher cost per survey.
Cost-per-install by scenario
The number that matters is cost per install (CPL divided by close rate). Illustrative comparison:
- Straight at £100 CPL and 33% close = £303 cost per install on a £2,400 job (12.6% cost of sale).
- Curved at £180 CPL and 33% close = £545 cost per install on a £5,000 job (10.9% cost of sale).
- Curved wins on cost-of-sale efficiency even though CPL is 80% higher.
- US straight at $130 CPL and 33% close = $394 cost per install on a $4,500 job (8.8%).
- US curved at $220 CPL and 33% close = $667 cost per install on a $13,000 job (5.1%).
How we route leads at Acquiri
On the qualifying call we identify staircase profile (straight, curved, half-landing, multi-flight) before booking. Straight-only dealers get straight-likely leads. Curved-capable dealers can opt for an all-leads stream, a curved-only stream, or a blended cap.
- Straight-only dealers: lower cost per survey, faster install cycle, higher weekly throughput.
- Curved-capable dealers: higher cost per survey, longer install cycle, materially higher revenue per fit.
- Curved-only streams are available at a premium for dealers who want to fill bench time at the top end of the market.
Regional differences
Curved demand concentrates where housing stock is older:
- UK curved demand highest in: Yorkshire, Lancashire, North East, older Home Counties towns.
- UK curved demand lowest in: new-build South East, coastal bungalow belts.
- US curved demand highest in: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, older parts of California.
- US curved demand lowest in: Florida, Arizona, new-build Sun Belt suburbs.
Mistakes we see dealers make
The two patterns that lose dealers the most money:
- Quoting curved at straight-margin pricing because the surveyor was rushed. Curved jobs need a longer survey window and on-the-day pricing.
- Sending a straight-only fitter to a half-landing survey. The user re-books with a competitor who can do it.
- Not booking a longer time slot for curved surveys — 90 minutes is the right window, not 45.
Decision framework: which stream should you take
Match stream choice to your capability and bench time:
- No curved capability, one van: straight-only stream, high throughput, £70 to £130 CPL.
- Curved-capable, two-plus vans: blended stream, maximum revenue per week.
- Curved bench time under-used: curved-only stream at premium CPL, fills higher-margin capacity.
- National footprint, multiple installers: split into regional streams so each installer gets the mix they can service.