Daniel Cheesman, an Associate at Ardent Lift Consultancy shares a case study of a North London Block that required existing lift equipment to be modernised on behalf of MIH Property Management.
Detail of the project:
The building had appointed a consultant who advised the lift needed replacement, this would have caused significant disruption to the property and resulted in an inferior lift being installed. We were asked our advice and provided a solution to modernise the existing lift system, whilst increasing the car capacity, speed and door opening sizes.
The scheme offered a number of challenges, including significant builder’s works required to maximise door opening sizes. However, the result is a lift to offer good long-term service to the property.
Project value:
The original scheme had been budgeted at circa £190,000 based on the original consultant’s recommendation and bids received. The total contract sum came in at £140,000 under our expert guidance, whilst delivering a more robust solution to the property over the long term.
Below is the reference received from the client following the successful completion of the project:
“We had appointed a lift consultancy to our building when told by our insurance inspector that the lift was aged, obsolete and had a number of shortfalls from a health and safety perspective, as you can imagine this was very worrying. The consultancy identified we should replace our lift as the original installation was not worth salvaging. We followed their advice up to the stage where we were ready to appoint a contractor; however, we worried we were about to embark on a project taking the incorrect approach.
Ardent Lift Consultancy were introduced to us following the tender exercise to replace our lift. The team at Ardent were adamant that the lift could be modernised rather than replaced, identifying we could save both time and money, whilst delivering a lift of greater quality than a modern replacement. They also identified all of the health and safety concerns of our insurers could be addressed in this manner. We allowed them to start the tender process once more, specifying the modernisation approach they recommended.
The scheme enabled us to replace our small lift car (increasing load capacity by 2 persons) and increase door sizes, making the lift more useable, without the need to replace all of the components, additionally, the lift car interior was upgraded, improving the aesthetic considerably.
Whilst the project encountered a number of challenges with the fabric of the building which extended the programme of works, Ardent negotiated extended warranties for the equipment to offset the minor delay. The end product exceeded our original expectations and coupled to this, we saved around £50,000 on the overall contract sum, which was very pleasing.
We want to thank both MIH Property Management and Ardent Lift Consultancy for their professional management of this project.”
Lift car top
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After
Lift pit
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After
Lift shaft and counterweight
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After
Motor room – main machine
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After
Motor room – controller
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After
Landing doors and controls
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After
Lift car interior
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After
Lift Consultancy
With constant changes in both technology and regulations, it is very difficult to keep abreast of both, to ensure that the best value is always being obtained from the lift industry. This is where an independent expert, like Ardent Lift Consultancy, can assist with measured, professional advice on the “must haves” along with the specific performance of equipment and contractors alike.
The correct level of Lift Consultancy can be utilised to:
- Assess the condition of a single lift or of a whole portfolio
- Analyse the lift requirements of a building
- Specify a replacement or refurbishment to give the maximum value allowed within the budgetary constraints of the client
While consultants can sometimes be viewed as an added expense, an expert in a certain field will often obtain the best value from the parameters they’ve been given, which will frequently outweigh the fees they would charge for their services.
Ardent Lift Consultancy offer a range of services to assist with the ownership and management of lifts, below are some of the services offered:
Survey Reports – A survey report will look at the current condition of lift equipment and highlight operational issues, typical energy consumption values, predicted life span and recommendations with associated budget costing.
Specification Writing – Whether your Ardent survey report has recommended minor repairs, major refurbishment, or full replacement, we will write a full specification to ensure contractually and technically the requirements of the building, client and passengers are adhered to.
Project Overview – With the lift repair, refurbishment or replacement being undertaken, Ardent will work closely with the lift contractor, commentating on all the paperwork and technical documentation, by ensuring regular site visits to ensure workmanship and program are in accordance to expectation. We communicate with the client and contractor throughout this process to ensure all parties are aware of timescales and progress.
Witness Testing – Upon successful completion of the project, Ardent’s qualified engineers undertake a full witness test of the installation to ensure the lift is safe, reliable and in accordance to both the specification and to all regulatory requirements. This service also includes monitoring of the lift during the defects liability period and beyond.
Gareth Lomax and his team at Ardent Lift Consultancy is always happy to field questions on lifts and ARDENT cover the UK to assist clients with their portfolios, wherever they may be.
