The Cube Home Elevator in District of Columbia
The Cube brings easy, air-powered rides between floors to your District of Columbia home, with no pit to dig and no shaft to build.
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What happens next
- Tell us about your home
- A Cube Lifts specialist contacts you
- Book your free in-home consultation
The Cube, a square, air-powered home elevator, shown in a residential setting.
Stay on every floor of the DC home you love.
Independence at Every Level. Meet The Cube, the square home elevator powered by air.
Maybe the stairs got harder after a knee or hip surgery. Maybe your partner needs a rest halfway up, or you are renovating your District of Columbia home and want the next twenty years planned in. The Cube lets you keep your bedroom, your kitchen and your favorite rooms, all within a push of a button.
The Cube is a residential elevator for up to two people, designed for 2-story and 3-story homes. It stands on its own frame. In plain words, it needs no pit, no traditional shaft and no separate machine room. For a DC home that was never built with an elevator in mind, that means far less work and far less disruption to the rooms you live in.
Its square shape is a design choice, not a compromise. It sits neatly beside a wall or in a corner, and the clear panels give you 360 degree panoramic views as you ride. Your home still looks like your home.
In the District, a home elevator also comes with its own inspection rules. A PVE-certified dealer looks at your floors, ceilings and power first, then walks you through the steps before you commit. When you are ready, Schedule Your Free Consultation.
The cleanest home elevator on the market.
The Cube runs on the same kind of power as your washer and dryer and uses no harmful oils, gases or lubricants. In a DC home, that means a cleaner install and nothing messy to store or replace.
- 01Air lifts you up
Machinery on top of the cab changes the air pressure and The Cube rises.
- 02Gravity brings you down
Air is let back in and the cab descends gently. No oils, gases or lubricants.
- 03Runs on home power
The same 220 to 240 volt supply as a washer and dryer.
Self-supporting, with no pit, shaft or machine room.
- Powered by air
- No pit, shaft or machine room
- Installed in 2 to 3 days
- 360 degree panoramic views
- Assembled in the USA
One elevator. Made your way.
For most District households, The Cube is the place to start: a compact, square elevator for one or two riders who can walk on and off, in a 2-story or 3-story home. The Designer Series and Diamond Package let you match the look to your rooms. If someone in your home uses a wheelchair, tell your dealer first, because The Cube is not wheelchair accessible.
The Cube in Black
- Riders
- Up to 2 passengers
The standard finish: a black aluminum frame with clear or smoked panels and 360 degree views.
Explore The Cube in Black
The Cube in White or Beige
- Riders
- Up to 2 passengers
A lighter frame for bright rooms. The color is chosen when you order.
Explore The Cube in White or Beige
Diamond Package
- Riders
- Up to 2 passengers
Diamond-shaped exterior shaft panels for 2- and 3-stop homes.
Explore Diamond Package
Through-floor install
- Riders
- Up to 2 passengers
The Cube can rise through the floor into a loft or upper room, after a dealer reviews the site.
Explore Through-floor installThe Cube carries up to two passengers (450 lb). It is not wheelchair accessible and not ADA compliant.
Serving homeowners across the District of Columbia.
We help homeowners across the District, from two-story homes to three-story homes, plan an elevator that fits their house and their family. A PVE-certified dealer visits your home, looks at your floors, ceilings and power, and explains the DC permit and inspection steps in plain words. If you are helping a parent from out of town, we can arrange the visit with them. See How The Cube Fits Your Home with a free consultation.
- District of ColumbiaYou are here
Safe, simple and built to last.
Here is what The Cube brings to a District of Columbia home, and why it fits the way projects work here.
Stay in the home you love
You keep every floor in use, from the bedroom upstairs to the kitchen below. For many DC owners planning to age in place, that is the whole reason to start. It also makes it easier for a parent to visit or move in and still feel at home on every level.
No pit, no shaft
The Cube stands on its own frame, so your floors stay intact below and your rooms are not rebuilt around a shaft. That means less work in a home you are still living in, and fewer trades coming and going while you wait for your first ride.
A short install
Once site preparation is complete, installation takes 2 to 3 days. Your dealer then helps you line up the final inspection the District asks for before your first ride, so the last step does not catch you by surprise.
Gentle descent if the power drops
Should the power drop in the middle of a ride, The Cube brings you down slowly to the lowest landing and unlocks its doors, with no button to press. When it is parked at a landing, it waits there for you. That is one less worry for a parent who rides alone.
Clean and simple to live with
It uses household power like a washer and dryer, with no harmful oils, gases or lubricants. Maintenance is minimal compared with many traditional systems, and your dealer sets a service schedule that sits easily alongside the District's regular inspections.
Assembled in the USA
Every Cube is pre-assembled and factory tested in Miami, Florida, by PVE, the maker behind pneumatic home elevator technology. A PVE-certified dealer handles your site review, installation and support, so you have one team to call from the first visit onward.
The Cube at home.
What happens during installation?
Your installation plan should cover the work before the elevator arrives as well as assembly and testing.
- Review the home
Confirm the layout, the people using the elevator and the levels it needs to serve.
- Confirm the model and location
Check dimensions, landing access and the requirements for the selected configuration.
- Prepare the site
Complete the agreed structural and electrical work and arrange the required permits and inspections.
- Install and hand over
Assemble and test the elevator, complete required approvals, and explain operation and ongoing care.
Timing depends on site preparation, the selected model and local requirements.
Schedule your free consultationHome elevator cost in District of Columbia.
In the District, your total depends on the floors you connect, the floor opening and electrical work your home needs, the options you choose, and the permit and inspection steps DC requires. A free in-home consultation gives you the price for your own home, so you can plan with real numbers.
What affects your price
- StopsA 2-stop or a 3-stop home
- FinishBlack, Beige or White; Designer Series, Diamond Package
- Site workElectrical and structural prep, permits
- PlacementStandard or split-unit machinery mount
Questions DC homeowners ask before ordering
Can The Cube go in my DC home?
In many two- and three-story homes, yes. The Cube is compact and square, and it stands on its own, so it does not need a pit or a shaft built into your walls. What decides the fit is your ceiling height, the space between floors and a spot where it can sit beside a wall or in a corner. A PVE-certified dealer checks all of this during a free visit, before you commit to anything.
Is a home elevator inspected in DC the way an office elevator is?
In many cases, yes. The District requires every elevator and lift to be inspected and certified, and there is no confirmed blanket exemption for single-family homes. That is why we suggest you confirm with the DC Department of Buildings what applies to your house before the install. Your dealer can help you prepare for that conversation, so you know the steps and the paperwork from day one and nothing slows your project later.
Do we have to hire the inspector ourselves?
Yes, in the District the owner hires the inspection agency. It must be a third-party agency approved by the Department of Buildings. A new elevator needs a final acceptance inspection before you start riding, so it helps to book that agency early. Your dealer can tell you when the elevator will be ready, and you can line up the inspection to follow soon after, keeping the wait between install and first ride short.
Will there be paperwork after the elevator is in?
Yes, a little, on a regular schedule. The District asks for periodic inspections, and a copy of your current certificate is shown in the cabin unless your elevator is exempted. To renew the certificate, you upload your recent inspection reports through the city's online portal. If you keep each report in one place as it arrives, renewal is a short, simple task rather than a hunt through old emails.
Will we need to dig or build a shaft?
No. The Cube stands on its own frame, so there is no pit under your floor and no shaft to build. Your home does need an opening between floors and a dedicated power supply, which your dealer plans with you. Once that site preparation is complete, installation takes 2 to 3 days. That keeps the work short and lets you stay in your home throughout, sleeping in your own bed each night.
What if the power cuts out while I'm riding?
You come down gently. If the power fails while The Cube is moving, it lowers to the lowest landing at a controlled speed and the doors unlock so you can step out. If the cabin is parked at a floor when the power goes, it simply stays there. You do not need to do anything special. Your dealer can show you how it works during your free consultation, so the whole family feels at ease.
Our son uses a wheelchair. Will The Cube work for him?
No, The Cube is not the right choice for a wheelchair user. It is not wheelchair accessible and not ADA compliant, and it is designed for one or two people who can walk on and off. It suits parents with sore knees, someone back home after surgery or a couple aging in place. Tell your dealer about your family's needs early, so the advice you get fits your home and the people in it.
Who can service our elevator in the District?
Only licensed or certified elevator mechanics and contractors may maintain or repair elevator equipment in DC. That is the law here, so it matters who you buy from. A PVE-certified dealer handles your site review, installation and ongoing support. The Cube needs minimal maintenance compared with many traditional systems, and your dealer sets a service schedule that fits your home and the District's inspections.
Built for the way District of Columbia lives.
- Who it helps
- Owners aging in place in 2-story and 3-story homes
- Who oversees it
- DC Department of Buildings (DOB)
- Before first ride
- Final acceptance inspection by a DOB-approved third party
- Install time
- 2 to 3 days once site preparation is complete
A meaningful share of people in the District are 65 or over, and many of them want to stay right where they are. If that is you, an elevator is often the change that lets you keep the upstairs bedroom and the home you know. If you are planning for a parent, it can mean they visit, or move in, without the stairs deciding for them.
The District takes elevators seriously, and that includes homes. Under DC rules, every conveyance, from elevators to wheelchair lifts, must be inspected and certified before it runs. The District's elevator code follows the national elevator safety standard, with its own amendments. For your project, this means planning the inspection steps from the start, not after the install.
Do not assume a private home is left out. There is no confirmed blanket exemption for single-family homes in the District, so it is wise to confirm with the Department of Buildings what applies to your house. Your dealer can help you prepare the questions, and DOB's Office of Construction and Building Standards answers them by email at [email protected].
Plan for the inspection, not just the install.
The good news is that you deal with one agency. Since the fall of 2025, the DC Department of Buildings oversees conveyance inspections and certifications, and it now issues certificates instead of licenses. A new elevator permit ends with a final acceptance inspection. You hire a DOB-approved third-party inspection agency to do it, so build that booking into your timeline.
Who does the work matters here too. The DC Board of Industrial Trades licenses elevator contractors and mechanics, and a DOB permit asks for copies of the master electrician and elevator contracting licenses. Only licensed or certified mechanics may maintain, repair or alter elevator equipment in the District. Repairs are permitted work as well, and a repair permit also ends with a final inspection. Before you sign, ask who will install and service your elevator and how their licenses fit these rules.
Once your elevator runs, the paperwork keeps a steady rhythm. The District sets regular periodic and more detailed inspections by a qualified inspector, and a copy of the current certificate is shown in the cabin unless exempted. To get or renew the Certificate of Inspection, you upload your recent third-party reports through the Citizen Access Portal. Keep those reports in one folder and the renewals stay simple.
Inside the house, The Cube keeps the work light. Because it stands on its own frame, there is no pit to dig under your floor and no shaft to build through your rooms. Your dealer plans the floor opening and the power, and once site preparation is complete, installation takes 2 to 3 days. If you later change or upgrade the elevator, a certificate may be paused until a new final inspection, so plan any options at the start.
Power is the other part of getting your home ready. The Cube needs its own dedicated circuit, the same kind of power a washer and dryer use. Because a DC permit asks for a master electrician's license, a licensed electrician should run that circuit before install day. If your electrical panel is older or already full, mention it at the first visit, so your dealer can plan for it and your schedule holds.
Looking for something different?
Ready to plan your DC elevator?
Tell us about your home, who will ride and how many floors you want to connect. A PVE-certified dealer will reach out to set up your free in-home consultation and walk you through the District's steps.
877-814-7028- Head office
- 4151 West 108th Street, Suite #1, Hialeah, FL 33018
- Phone
- 877-814-7028
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Mon – Fri 8am – 4pm EST · Sat – Sun closed
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