The Right Elevator Consultant

How to make the right decision when choosing an elevator consultant

Any good elevator technician can witness the code-required testing of an elevator and know his or her way around the machine room and the differences between equipment, different jump numbers, etc. When it comes to a good elevator consultant, the rules change; you must think outside the box and adapt to the situation.

By far, any good elevator consultant would need a solid base of knowledge that only years of experience can teach; knowing the “do’s and don’t’s” and being able to foresee the consequences, as well as long-term effects of recommendations. However, the consultant would also need to know how to manage time, manpower, material and, most importantly, money. Acting as part of the management team is critical when an elevator modernization is underway or when discussing extended shutdowns due to unforeseen major repairs. Several issues that may arise are:

• Dealing with building needs
• Tenant/shareholder satisfaction
• Traffic flow
• Effects on a fully occupied building
• Different management ideas and circumstances

All of the above must be considered so that overall satisfaction is achieved. Good consultants should also act as if they, themselves, are owners. Costs, pricing and dealing with negative implications must all be considered. Knowledge of codes and their updates and adoptions, and how to implement and enforce them is another major consideration. For example, dealing with the latest code adoption by the New York City Department of Buildings proved challenging for many. A lot of companies were taken by surprise when it came to which new code changes would be implemented. In such cases, ample time must be taken to review the codes in detail, and manage and assemble teams to deal with the new changes to avoid being shaken due to lack of preparation.

Overall, an elevator consultant specializes in all aspects of elevators/escalators, including new construction, modernization, maintenance, inspection, testing, design, project management, codes, local laws, compliance, pricing and timeframe.