When should you hire a vertical transportation consultant?

You might be planning a new tower, or running an older building whose elevators break down more every year. Either way, the moment you bring in a vertical transportation consultant affects what the project costs, how long it takes and how well the elevators work afterwards.

Many developers and owners call a consultant too late, or not at all. They then pay for design changes, live with elevators that underperform, or end up in a dispute with a supplier. These are the five moments when independent advice is worth the most.

1. Early in the design of a new building

The best time is the concept or first design stage. This is when the building's core, the shaft sizes and the structure are being decided, and those decisions limit which elevator systems are possible later.

Why it matters: once the structure is fixed, elevator shafts cannot easily be moved. A consultant makes sure enough space is set aside, the right type of system is chosen, and the design leaves room for the future. That avoids redesign during detailed drawings or, worse, during construction.

What we do at this stage:

• Estimate how many people will use the building, and when
• Work out a first sizing: how many elevators, how big, how fast
• Agree the core layout with the architect
• Estimate the budget for elevators and escalators

2. Before you go to tender for elevators

Buying elevators is specialised. The specification has to be precise, the way offers are compared has to be fair and technically sound, and the contract has to protect the owner.

Why it matters: without independent advice, owners often use a specification written by a manufacturer, which naturally favours that manufacturer's products. A consultant writes a specification that favours no brand, runs the tender, compares the offers objectively and negotiates the contract on your side.

What we do at this stage:

• Write a detailed specification based on the performance you need
• Run a competitive tender
• Assess each manufacturer's offer technically
• Support you through contract negotiation

3. When your elevators are underperforming

Long waits, frequent breakdowns and complaints from tenants all tell you something is wrong. The cause is not always obvious. It could be worn parts, poor control settings, weak maintenance, or a system that was never designed for the way the building is used today.

Why it matters: before you pay for expensive repairs or replace equipment early, an independent assessment can tell you whether the problem lies in the equipment, the maintenance or the settings. The right diagnosis saves a great deal of money and disruption.

What we do at this stage:

• Monitor the real traffic and collect data
• Compare performance with industry standards
• Find the root cause
• Recommend fixes in order of priority, with costs and benefits

4. When you are planning a modernization

Elevators typically run for 20 to 25 years before their main components need replacing. When that time comes, owners face difficult decisions about how much to do, in what order, with which technology and for what budget.

Why it matters: there is no single right way to modernize. The best plan depends on the building's condition, your future plans, what tenants need and what you can spend. Working in phases causes less disruption but can cost more overall. Shutting everything down at once can be faster and cheaper, but people still need a way to reach their floors.

What we do at this stage:

• Assess the condition of the existing equipment in full
• Compare the options: upgrade or replace, in phases or all at once
• Forecast costs over the life of the equipment
• Write the specification, support the purchase and oversee the work

5. When you want a second opinion

Sometimes you only need an independent expert to confirm, or challenge, a proposal or design you have received from a manufacturer, a contractor or someone else.

Why it matters: elevators are specialised equipment and a large investment. An independent review can confirm you are making the right decision, spot problems, or show you a better option you had not considered.

What it costs not to hire one

We often hear that a consultant adds cost to a project. In our experience the opposite is true. Better design, competitive buying and fewer risks usually save far more than the consultant's fee.

The common costs of going without independent advice:

• Too many elevators, which wastes money, or too few, which means poor service
• Higher equipment prices because suppliers were not made to compete
• Design changes during construction because the early planning was thin
• Equipment replaced early when adjustment would have been enough
• Contract disputes caused by a vague specification

Ready to talk about your project?

Whether you are at the first sketch of a new development or dealing with problems in an existing building, we are glad to talk through where independent advice would help.

Contact us for a free consultation

Doug & Danny are independent vertical transportation consultants working in Saudi Arabia, the GCC and the United Kingdom. We specialise in elevator and escalator design, traffic analysis, modernization and tender advice.