Written by Gareth Lomax – Director of Ardent Lift Consultancy
Further to our previous articles on major works, most notably the South London project we oversaw in 2022-23 (Flat Living article, Ardent Case Study), we wanted to identify the other end of the spectrum in terms of project size and building usage, with another recently completed project.
We were contacted in July 2022 for a property in the Paddington area of London, as the client wanted a second opinion on their lift (which was inoperative and had been for a number of months). A previous consultancy firm had surveyed the lift and recommended a full replacement of the equipment, proposing works in excess of £100k (a significant sum in a building with only 4 floors and 12 flats).
The other consultant’s report concluded that:
“The lift has reached the point where the complete replacement should be considered rather than a partial repair to bring the lift in line with current standards and ensure a reliable lift service is maintained going forward.”
We felt this was unlikely, due to the design and age of the equipment in the property and proposed to undertake an inspection to offer our own opinion. We attended site and noted a number of issues with the proposed replacement, identifying these to the client and advising against this intrusive and costly option:
- Lift pit was suspended above below flat, meaning change of lift design would have a bearing on the layout of the apartment below the lift shaft.
- The pit was too shallow for modern lift systems and there was no headroom available above the lift car. Whilst new lifts can be installed into existing buildings (EN81-21), there are still constraints to modern lift design that would have made a new lift very challenging (and expensive) to install at this property without significant (and costly) builder’s works.
- Site storage was very limited, meaning the lift replacement (with large steel guide rails, car sling, etc) would require split deliveries, adding weeks to a prospective programme.
- The existing lift, lift shaft and motor room area had ample opportunity to provide the benchmark for a modernisation, providing ‘as new’ service to the property, but at a far lower cost to the client.
The project was subsequently awarded to Ardent Lift Consultancy; a full modernisation scheme was recommended to the client and fully discussed to ensure reliability, safety and performance levels were achieved within the property’s budgetary constraints.
The project was specified and tendered to five contractors to obtain a competitive price for the client. Two of the five tender returns were within our original budget costs, outlined within our survey report. The two most competitive tenderers were invited to a post-tender meeting to discuss the proposed equipment being offered, length of site programmes, warranty periods, etc. to ensure our client obtained best value. The successful lift contractor was then appointed to undertake refurbishment of the lift, which included all remedial building works.
The successful contractor submitted a cost of £73,349.00 saving the client over £25,000 from the original quote given by the original consultant on a project that would have ultimately proven even more costly due to the technical issues we noted.
Ardent Lift Consultancy will always strive to ensure the client receives the best possible advice and value, without sacrificing quality.
Key Project Stages
Lift Motor Room
We noted the incoming power supplies were not suited to the lift system and these were upgraded to fully compliant alternatives, with new lockable fused isolator and distribution board for auxiliary systems.
The refurbishment works undertaken within the motor room have included the replacement of the hoisting machine, lift control system and upgrading health and safety compliances. The lift machine was specified to be replaced with a vertical (rather than horizontal) mounted unit to aid maintenance within the restrictive motor room space. The new machine provides a smooth and comfortable ride and ensures EN81-A3 compliance.
The controller has been replaced with a UK based open protocol control system and a drive unit utilising VVVF (Variable Voltage, Variable Frequency) technology, increasing energy efficiency and providing a smooth and controlled ride with near perfect floor levelling accuracy.
The advantage of the new control system being UK based and open protocol in design means maintenance can now be competitively tendered to the open market thus reducing long term maintenance costs. Furthermore, in the unfortunate event of component failure, replacement parts can be sourced within days rather than months (if having to be obtained from the European market) reducing time and inconvenience to occupants.
Lift Shaft and Pit
The original equipment housed on the lift car top was in worn condition and poorly positioned, restricting working man space. The car top controls have been upgraded and repositioned to provide clear working space
and emergency car top lighting and RCD protected sockets to ensure safe maintenance practices for personnel. The shaft lighting has been upgraded and the shaft painted white, promoting good maintenance practices moving forward.
The landing doors were outmoded and no longer supported, as part of the modernisation works the doors were replaced. When removing the original doors, the contractor noted poor building practices had been undertaken and uncovered some areas which required adaptation of the brackets used to install the lift entrances.
We supported with the suggestion of using less intrusive fixings (chemical anchors) to ensure the fabric of the property was not damaged unduly. Working together with the contractor, the doors were successfully installed without significant delays.
This element underlined the correct decision to modernise (rather than replace) the lift, as the lift shaft would have been ultimately unsuitable for the new lift equipment.
The lift pit has had new collapsible buffers installed to ensure that safe working spaces can be created for operatives working on top of (or below) the lift car. The landing doors have interlocked solenoids installed to ensure the lift requires a manual intervention before returning to normal operation once an engineer has been in the lift shaft. This provides full safety devices to protect personnel from the crushing hazards posed by the shallow pit and headroom.
Lift Car Interior
The original lift car was tired and had limited concessions for accessibility requirements (EN81-70) for persons of limited sight, hearing or mobility. Whilst the lift could not be made fully compliant with modern standards (the lift car was too small to permit this), we ensured that the standards for accessibility were met as far as reasonably practicable, to deliver a future proof installation.
The stripping of the car interior revealed a white fibrous material (hidden within a suspended ceiling panel) and works were temporarily stopped whilst this material was analysed. The results were negative for asbestos enabling the project to continue without further delay, due to the swift actions of the team on site in identification.
The car interior was finished in a high-pressure laminate, as it is light and durable, it enabled moving of the car operating panel from the front to side wall (aiding passenger access). The car had new lighting installed (providing the requisite 100 lux) and a hard-wearing floor, giving the client the bright, clean look, they requested. It also ensured the lift looked ‘as new’ from a user perspective.
Summary
Ardent Lift Consultancy has undertaken a witness test of the lift to confirm it has been refurbished to the correct standard. This ensures that the new equipment highlighted within our specification, complies with the relevant regulations and compliances, thus ensuring that the client has received what they have paid for. The accepted tender also includes a 12-month+ manufacturer’s warranty and defects liability period and 12 month fully comprehensive lift maintenance program.
The project had to ensure that budgetary constraints were adhered to and provided a compliant and reliable lift service with a design life of circa 20+ years. The alternative of installing a new lift could have doubled the client’s expenditure (when factoring builder’s works), prolonged the programme of works and caused greater disruption to the residents. The property now benefits from a modern and reliable lift service, boasting a new geared hoisting machine and control equipment coupled with VVVF drives to ensure an energy efficient, smooth, comfortable, and reassuring service.
Ardent Lift Consultancy provided an expert second opinion on the level of lift works required at the property which included an accurate and honest review of the condition of the existing equipment. This combined with a well planned and executed refurbishment scheme has proven to be of great financial benefit, saving the client a minimum of £25,000, but likely far more.
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 is invaluable. 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 have 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 lifespan 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 with 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 with both the specification and to all regulatory requirements. This service also includes monitoring of the lift during the defect’s liability period and beyond.
Gareth Lomax of 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.
Gareth can be contacted on 07792 395259, at [email protected] or alternatively please refer to their website www.ardentlc.co.uk for further details.
