What is a Full Service Elevator Maintenance Contract?

You hear a lot about the full service elevator maintenance contract.  But how “full” is it? Does it protect you against everything, or are their loopholes like that toaster oven warranty you thought was great but didn’t cover your son burning his GI Joe’s in it.

Frequency of visits

Full service contracts will typically have “systematic and preventative maintenance” as part of their contract.  Check out my blog post talking about what you are probably actually getting these days and how to negotiate with your elevator company.

Coverage of parts

When you hear full service elevator maintenance contract the first thought that probably comes to mind is that your parts are covered. Depending on the age of your equipment for the most part that is true! If you have older equipment beware of the obsolescence clause that may be in the contract.

Ignoring the obsolescence clause, for now, typically all door equipment, controller parts, ropes, machines and almost anything else you can think of is covered. Sounds great right? Most property managers prefer this contract because it is a form of buying insurance. You pay a monthly fee and in exchange for that if there is a major parts failure your elevator company covers it. That way you have steady cash flow and do not see any spikes.

What parts are not covered in a full maintenance agreement?

Here is where you need to be careful, because there are some items that are not covered:

• The elevator cab walls and its shell
• The elevator fronts and the cladding of the doors
• The elevator ceilings, floor and handrails
• Below ground hydraulic pistons
• The machine room where the elevator controller is located

What other reason may I not be covered?

There are also a handful of reasons that may void your parts coverage:

• Vandalism which is also called misuse and abuse
• Acts of Gods
• Parts obsolescence 
• Overtime calls

How much is the full service elevator maintenance contract?

The full maintenance contract is the most expensive of the options you will find. In most markets a good rule of thumb is $200/month for a hydraulic elevator and $400/month for a traction elevator. These exclude high rises and New York City. To figure out your market rates check out my blog post.

Cheaper options can be about 75% less of the total monthly cost of a full maintenance agreement. However, keep in mind you will be hit with costs that you can’t control.

Hopefully, you now understand what a full service elevator maintenance contract consists of!