Quick answer
Yes, a lift can be installed without a separate machine room, and often in a building with limited height above the top floor. The main options are a machine-room-less (MRL) lift, a lift with the machine placed beside or below the shaft, or a low-overhead design planned around the space. The right choice depends on the load, the number of floors and the exact height available.
Many buildings in Pakistan were designed without thinking about the lift. The roof slab is already cast, there is no room for a machine room on top, or the height above the last floor is too low for a standard lift. This guide explains your options in plain language, with a real project where we fitted eight freight elevators under a 12 ft overhead.
What is a machine room, and why does it matter?
A conventional traction lift has its motor, brake and control panel in a small room, usually on the roof directly above the shaft. That room adds height to the building and needs its own slab, access and ventilation. If the room cannot be built, the lift has to be designed differently.
What is lift overhead?
Overhead (or headroom) is the clear height from the finished floor of the top landing to the underside of the shaft roof. The cabin, its frame and the safety clearance above it all have to fit in this space. Faster lifts and taller cabins need more overhead, so a slower goods lift can often work in less height than a fast passenger lift.
Your options when height is limited
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Machine-room-less (MRL) lift | A compact gearless machine sits inside the top of the shaft, and the control panel is placed beside a landing door | Apartments, offices, plazas and homes with no roof room |
| Machine room beside or below the shaft | The machine is moved to the side of the shaft or to the lowest level instead of the roof | Buildings where the roof cannot take a room |
| Low-overhead design | Machine position, cabin height and clearances are planned to suit the height you have | Factories, warehouses and older buildings |
| Hydraulic lift | A piston pushes the cabin from below, so little is needed at the top | Low-rise buildings and short travel |
Each option has trade-offs in cost, speed and maintenance access, so the decision should follow a site survey and not a brochure.
Real example: 8 freight lifts under a 12 ft overhead
At the Cola Next plant in Multan, the height above the top landing was only 12 feet from the finished floor, and that had to include the machine room. Hub Elevator installed eight Eker freight elevators there: four rated at 5 tons and four at 2 tons, running at 0.7 metres per second and fully automatic. Read the full Cola Next Multan case study.
Not sure if a lift will fit your building?
Send us the height above your top floor, the number of floors and the load you need to carry. An engineer will tell you which option works and arrange a free site survey.
What to measure before you call
- Overhead: the height from the top floor to the roof slab of the shaft.
- Pit depth: how far you can dig below the lowest floor.
- Shaft size: the clear width and depth inside the walls.
- Travel: the number of floors and the floor-to-floor height.
- Load: the number of people, or the heaviest goods in kilograms.
Photos and a rough sketch on WhatsApp are enough for a first opinion.
MRL lift or machine room lift: which is better?
- MRL lifts save the cost and space of a machine room and suit most low and mid-rise buildings.
- Machine room lifts are easier to service because everything is in one room, and they are common for very heavy loads and high-rise towers.
- For cargo and freight lifts, the decision depends on the load and the building. See our cargo and freight elevators.
- For homes, compact lifts without a roof machine room are now the usual choice. See the lift guide for a 3-storey house.
Frequently asked questions
Can a lift be installed without a machine room?
Yes. A machine-room-less (MRL) lift keeps its machine inside the shaft, and other designs place the machine beside or below the shaft. The right option depends on your building.
How much overhead height does a lift need?
It depends on the speed, cabin height and design. Slower goods lifts can work with less height. Hub Elevator installed freight elevators at Cola Next Multan with only 12 ft of overhead, machine room included.
Is an MRL lift more expensive?
The equipment can cost a little more, but you save the cost of building a machine room. The overall difference depends on the project, so ask for both options in your quotation.
Can a cargo lift be installed in a low-height factory building?
In many cases, yes. The lift is designed around the available height. Hub Elevator did this for eight freight elevators at the Cola Next plant in Multan.
Does Hub Elevator survey buildings before quoting?
Yes. Site surveys are free in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan and nearby cities. Call or WhatsApp 0333 2024498.
Talk to an engineer about your building
Free site survey and a written quotation for home, passenger and cargo lifts.
