With respect to the actual elevator service contract, there are generally three different types, and your choice will depend on a number of factors. The type of your building and the type of occupancy are important factors to help you choose. They may determine when service visits are required and how quickly you expect an emergency call to be answered.
1. Fully comprehensive with preventative care visits
This is the premium type of elevator service contract and includes coverage for all major parts and labor, regular preventative visits to the elevator with planned maintenance, and annual tests with inspection support. This type of contract is generally recommended for elevators with medium to high use, and where the elevator is critical for the building operation. Normally the highest price.
2. Partially comprehensive with preventative care visits.
Compared to the full contract, this type may only include coverage for minor parts and therefore it is generally recommended for elevators that are low to medium use. It can be a more cost-effective contract for newer elevators because they are unlikely to need major parts. Annual tests and inspection support may not be included. Generally priced 20-30% lower than the full contract.
3. Breakdown service only with annual safety checks.
As the name suggests, this type of contract provides limited service and is only recommended for low use elevators or where the contract price is the primary factor. All requests for service will be billed separately including the cost of parts and the labor to visit and repair the elevator. Generally priced 40-60% lower than the full contract.
In some cases, the elevator service provider may also offer performance-based SLAs and KPIs that can be tracked to ensure you are getting the correct level of service.
The type of elevator service contract you choose will depend on a number of factors which may include:
Preventative care visits.
Similar to getting your car oil change after a certain number of miles or a specific time frame, elevator service companies will visit your elevator to make sure everything is working correctly and make adjustments if needed. Check their contract to understand how often the elevator will be visited each year.
Major parts coverage.
This can be a major expense if it is not included in the service contract. This is especially useful for older elevators when major parts like door operators, machine motors, hydraulic pumps, and drive systems may start to fail and need repair.
Service time commitments.
Elevator service companies will generally quote two response times for passenger entrapment and elevator breakdown. Passenger entrapment response time is generally about 1 hour and will depend on the company’s coverage. Elevator breakdown response time may be about 4 hours, within normal working hours. The service company will generally charge extra for elevator breakdown calls outside of their regular working hours.
Risk tolerance and budgets.
Your choice of service contract may depend on your risk tolerance for elevator service budget predictability. The full contracts are more expensive, but you can expect low additional costs. The breakdown only contract is the least expensive, but you may have to pay more for parts and labor if the elevator breaks down. It can be useful to review a history of elevator service and calls in order to make the right contract type decision.
Telephone monitoring.
All elevators are required to have a method for a passenger to contact someone outside the elevator by voice. New codes are being implemented that will also require video and text communication. It is important that the contract includes coverage for this and that there is a method to confirm the communication method is fully operational, 24/7.
Summary
Careful consideration of these factors will help you choose an elevator contract that is best for your building and tenants.
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