When our lift provider suggested a full replacement at a cost of $260k, the committee engaged an independent lift consultant. After assessing the equipment, the consultant confirmed that replacement was necessary.
However, the consultant also identified specific maintenance failures that had been causing the frequent breakdowns. Following their intervention with the service provider, call-outs were reduced to zero.
At the consultant’s suggestion, the committee further engaged them to tender the project to several companies and manage the selection process. They subsequently reported back with an assessment of the bids based on their professional experience with each firm.
Based on this advice—taking into account cost, estimated construction time, building design, and the consultant’s track record with the bidders—we accepted a tender that was $100k less than the one provided by our existing lift company (even though their new bid was significantly lower than their original quote).
The project was managed by the consultant and completed six months later, including a two-month period where the building was without a lift. Notably, the new system eliminated the need for the lift motor room above the top floor. This reclaimed space may now be used to house batteries for solar panels—but that’s a story for another time.