How hiring a lift consultant can save your building money
LookUpStrata
by Rex Henning, Equity Elevator Management.
19 September 2016
My business partner and I recently participated in a strata industry
owner’s event where we enjoyed fielding lots of interesting questions.
There was one question, in particular, that stood out:
“How much does it cost to hire lift consultants?”
Too often, the concepts of costs and investments are confused. Sure,
you need to consider the costs of engaging lift consultants, but it’s
also worthwhile knowing that as a general rule, the consultant will
save the strata plan money – and usually within a fairly short time
frame.
Here’s how:
Reduced service costs
Lift service agreements automatically escalate annually. If your
contract has been in place more than three years, chances are it is now
above the current market price. By leveraging their relationships with
the lift companies, consultants can negotiate better rates and better
terms. They can generally reduce annual costs significantly, and often
by more than 50%.
Improved preventive maintenance impacting lift safety and reliability
Lifts are designed “fail safe” but if yours breaks down more than a few
times a year the maintenance is not up to scratch. Lift consultants
provide service audits to identify what needs fixing and use their
influence to make sure the lift company replaces worn or faulty
components at their cost, as per their service contract.
Saving your time and client dissatisfaction
An old or faulty lift generates heaps of phone calls and exhausting
email trails. If a lift needs fixing, upgrading or replacing, your
consultant takes the burden off you by communicating directly with the
Strata Committee, specifying what needs to be done, organising tenders
then supervising the work.
Enhancing Property Value
A shabby and unreliable lift drags down the property’s value and can be
a high safety risk too. A professional assessment of your lift will
reveal if proper preventative maintenance is getting done or if an
upgrade may be necessary. Rule of thumb, property value improves 2 x
per dollar invested in the lift.
Conclusion
Lift consultants add value and save money – so engaging one is usually a pretty good investment.
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