The Elevator Consultants work only for building owners. We do not sell, install or service elevator equipment, so the recommendations you receive are not tied to work anyone stands to be paid for. The services below can be used individually or together, depending on what your building needs.
Elevator Maintenance Contract
Most owners have never had anyone read their maintenance agreement line by line to understand what is actually covered, and without elevator knowledge these agreements are difficult to understand in the first place. We review what is covered, where the shortfalls are, and what the terms and conditions mean for your operations. We establish what the contract actually obliges your contractor to do, write specifications that close the gaps, and run the bid so the numbers can be compared if a new service contract is needed.
- Maintenance contract audit
- Maintenance contract specifications
- Bid management
Elevator Audits
An audit is an independent account of the equipment you own and the service you are actually receiving for it. We examine each unit, the maintenance records, and the work that has been performed, against ASME A17.1, the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction, ADA compliance and performance standards. What you receive is a documented basis for maintenance and spending decisions, including deferred items that have not been addressed and work that should already have been covered under your contract. An audit does not replace a required regulatory inspection. We audit more than 2,000 elevators a year.
Elevator Modernization
Modernization proposals often arrive before anyone has established whether the equipment needs one. We assess the condition of the equipment, its remaining useful life, and whether the problems you are experiencing are a modernization question or a maintenance one. If modernization is warranted we write the specification, and we level the bids so you can see what each price includes and what it leaves out.
More on elevator modernization
New Construction, Design and Installation Specification
A specification provided by a manufacturer describes that manufacturer’s equipment, which narrows who is able to bid and what you end up owning. We write the specification around what the building requires, review the drawings for hoistway, machine room and structural requirements, and stay with the project through construction administration so that what is installed matches what was specified.
More on new construction and design
Elevator Due Diligence
When a property is being bought or sold, the condition of the elevators affects the value of the asset and rarely appears in the transaction documents. We document the condition of each unit, the code upgrades that will be required, deferred repairs, and the remaining useful life of the equipment, in time for it to be part of the negotiation rather than something discovered afterward.
More on elevator due diligence
Expert Testimony and Evaluation
For legal and insurance matters we review the equipment, the maintenance history and the records, produce a written report, and give deposition or trial testimony where it is required. We take engagements for both plaintiff and defense, and we do not represent elevator companies.
More on expert witness services
Elevator Inspections
Inspection requirements depend on the Authority Having Jurisdiction and on ASME A17.1, and they differ from one jurisdiction to the next. Our QEI-certified inspectors perform third party, safety and performance inspections, and we perform the City of Chicago Annual Inspection Certification. We can also confirm which requirements apply to the equipment at each of your buildings.
Elevator Repair and Upgrades
When a repair proposal arrives it is difficult to judge whether the scope is right and the price is reasonable without knowing what the work involves. We review the proposal against the condition of the equipment and what your contract already covers, and provide an independent cost estimate before you commit to the work.