Why Partner With an Elevator Consultant
For property owners and facility managers, relying solely on an elevator vendor to evaluate their own pricing, repair recommendations, and contract terms creates an inherent conflict of interest. Determining whether a major capital investment is actually necessary is nearly impossible without independent expertise. Left unchecked, vendor blind spots lead to inflated repair costs, unperformed maintenance, and long-term contracts stacked against your building.
Partnering with an independent elevator consultant like ATIS levels the playing field. Because third-party consultants have no financial ties to manufacturers or service contractors, our recommendations are completely unbiased, free from upsells or preferred vendor quotas. Beyond driving significant cost savings and extending equipment lifespan, an expert consultant ensures your portfolio strictly complies with critical safety standards like ASME A17.1 (Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators), protecting your property from legal liability, unexpected fines, and operational downtime.
What Does an Elevator Consultant Do?
An elevator consultant is an independent expert who represents your interests instead of the elevator contractor's. Rather than selling or servicing equipment, a consultant provides technical guidance, oversight, and strategic planning for your property's vertical transportation systems. Consulting services typically include:
Maintenance audits and contract reviews: These reviews uncover hidden costs and unfavorable terms in your current service agreement.
Modernization planning: Consultants help determine whether component replacements are truly necessary and how to prioritize them based on your budget.
New construction and design consulting: Consulting services for new construction projects enable efficient design and code compliance starting from the earliest stages of construction.
Due diligence assessments: Consultants evaluate existing elevator systems ahead of a property transaction.
Risks of Not Working With an Elevator Consultant
Choosing not to work with an independent elevator consultant can have significant consequences, including failed inspections, maintenance surprises, contracts that favor vendors, and unplanned modernization costs. When weighing whether the investment is worth it, consider the following risks.
Failed Inspections
Elevator safety codes continuously evolve to address new operational standards and emerging risks. What was compliant yesterday may fail inspection today, leaving your property exposed to unexpected fines or liability. Without independent oversight, you risk:
Lapsed inspection intervals: Missing a required inspection window can lead to red-tagging, which shuts down elevator operations.
Rejected documentation: Incomplete records that don't satisfy the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) can result in a failed certification.
Unauthorized modifications: Simple changes, such as altering finishes or installing a camera, can lead to violations.
Failed inspections can lead to financial penalties at both the state and local levels. Independent elevator consultants like ATIS can perform assessments ahead of the mandated inspections, so you can correct issues as needed. They also monitor elevator testing and review service reports for independent oversight.
Deferred Maintenance Surprises
Deferring maintenance means letting known elevator issues go unaddressed. If incidents occur, budget constraints generally won't hold up as a defense. This practice also works against the maintenance control program (MCP) required under ASME A17.1. The MCP sets interval requirements for cleaning, testing, examinations, lubrication, and component adjustments.
While MCP violations can result in elevator shutdowns, unaddressed issues also exacerbate your equipment's aging. Small issues that compound over time can lead to costlier repairs and replacement down the road.
Checking for deferred maintenance issues can be especially significant when purchasing a property. A consultant can identify existing issues, so you're not unknowingly inheriting a hidden problem. If you're switching maintenance vendors, a consultant can also hold your current provider accountable for deferred maintenance activities before the switch.
Overpriced Vendor Markups
Elevator vendors and OEMs often add margins on top of base pricing, parts, and labor into a contract. Some also push proprietary equipment or default to stocked components for repairs and replacements, limiting your options when the time comes for a repair. Some contracts even prohibit third-party audits, leaving you at the mercy of your vendor.
Those costs compound when you manage multiple elevator systems and properties. An independent consultant like ATIS can ensure that contracts protect you by negotiating pricing, eliminating hidden fees, and clearly spelling out obligations before you sign.
Change Orders During Modernization
Modernization costs can easily snowball due to unexpected change orders. Without independent oversight, a contractor can underbid a project up front, knowing they can recover the difference later by citing “unforeseen conditions.” A consultant mitigates this risk by requiring contractors to account for site conditions in their bids and then reviewing proposed change orders to confirm they're legitimate.
How to Know if You Need an Elevator Consultant
To know whether you need an elevator consultant, consider the following scenarios:
You're weighing modernization against full replacement: Both options carry a high price tag, so you'll need to decide which is worth the investment. Hiring an elevator consultant for a modernization project can help you determine if the strategy makes sense or if you're better off with a full elevator replacement.
Your elevator has problems with no clear cause: Persistent issues despite an active maintenance contract can point to a vendor's poor service or a lack of technical expertise. An elevator consultant can help determine the underlying causes.
You're signing or renewing a contract: A consultant can help ensure your contract serves your best interests rather than the vendor's, and they can negotiate better pricing.
You're purchasing a new property: As part of due diligence, a consultant can evaluate existing elevator systems, so you know what you're inheriting before you close.
How to Choose an Elevator Consulting Firm
While elevator consulting firms ensure that contracts, pricing, and recommendations serve your best interest, some firms are better than others. When choosing a company, consider the following qualities:
1. Independent From Manufacturers
An independent consultant has no financial stake in which elevator products or vendors you choose. Confirm that any firm can work alongside your existing service provider and that there's no conflict of interest. The consultant should take no commissions from manufacturers. The main benefit of hiring an independent elevator consultant is that their only obligation is to you.
2. Builds a Long-Term Trusted Relationship
A strong consulting relationship adds value to your elevator's design, bidding, compliance, and inspections. Staying involved throughout your elevator's life cycle helps ensure you're maintaining and modernizing existing equipment only when necessary and aren't overspending in the process. That should include regular reviews of your maintenance plan, proactive management that catches issues early, and long-term capital planning.
3. Has Claims Backed by Experience
Real experience separates a credible consultant from an unproven one. Before signing on, ask how many elevator projects a firm has handled, whether they've worked on similar property types, and if they can share references from other property managers.
Case studies can showcase a firm's expertise. For instance, we've helped a shopping mall client exit a 30-year-old, auto-renewing manufacturer contract with annual escalations that cost $315,000. After running a competitive bid, we've reduced the client's base maintenance cost to $87,000 annually. The switch generated close to $220,000 in annual savings and more than $2.2 million over the 10-year contract term, a return exceeding 15 times our consulting fees.
Why Choose ATIS as Your Elevator Consultant
ATIS brings inspections, consulting, and managed services together under one partner, so your compliance program, capital plan, and vendor decisions are driven by what's best for your portfolio, not anyone else's agenda. We evaluate maintenance quality, reduce downtime, and help you catch overcharges before they eat into your budget.
We've supported property owners for over 60 years, with more than 100,000 elevators and escalators under our management. We also employ more than 185 Qualified Elevator Inspectors across North America. Before you sign another elevator contract or approve another equipment upgrade, contact us.
