In the fast-paced world of construction projects, timing is everything. Among the many building systems that demand careful planning, elevators stand out as both a technical and logistical challenge. Too often, the elevator package is awarded late in the process, forcing design teams and contractors to make assumptions that later need rework or adjustment. Awarding the elevator package at the design stage, however, changes the game: bringing immediate value to both design and construction.
1. Early Design Integration
Elevators are not just plug-and-play components. They influence core aspects of a building’s design—shaft dimensions, pit depths, overhead clearances, machine room allocations, and even structural reinforcements. When the elevator package is secured early, the manufacturer or supplier can provide accurate requirements and specifications upfront. This prevents costly redesigns and eliminates guesswork for architects and engineers.
2. Smooth Coordination Across Trades
Elevators intersect with multiple disciplines: structural, mechanical, electrical, and architectural. Early involvement ensures that power provisions, cooling needs, fire-rating requirements, and access considerations are integrated seamlessly. Without this, construction teams may face late design changes, clashes, and delays once the elevator supplier is onboarded midstream.
3. Better Cost and Schedule Control
Awarding the elevator package during design allows project managers to lock in costs earlier and reduce the risk of variation orders. Additionally, long lead times for elevator components are accounted for at the onset, preventing schedule slippages that often happen when procurement is delayed.
4. Enhanced Construction Efficiency
On the construction side, early involvement means elevator suppliers can coordinate with structural works for rail brackets, embed plates, and openings: Sundries and provisional sums may both sit quietly in your BOQ, but they play very different roles. Sundries are your responsibility—small but certain costs embedded in your price. Provisional sums are uncertain allowances—subject to change and typically controlled by the client.
Understanding this distinction helps you price smarter, manage risk better, and avoid surprises during construction: avoiding disruptive retrofitting later. They can also advise on construction-phase lifts (temporary use of elevators before final handover), improving site logistics and productivity.
Fabric Choice Based on Suit Design
Imagine commissioning a tailor to create a custom suit without deciding on the fabric until after the suit is cut and stitched. The tailor would make assumptions, but once the actual fabric arrives,thicker, heavier, or stretchier than expected: the suit would need costly adjustments or a complete redo.
Elevators in building projects work the same way. If the “fabric” (the elevator package) is chosen late, the “suit” (the building design and construction) risks misfits and costly alterations. Choosing the elevator package early ensures the project is built around accurate requirements, just like a tailor designing around the right fabric from the very beginning.
Bottomline,
Awarding the elevator package at the design stage is not just good practice: it’s strategic foresight. It minimizes redesigns, prevents delays, and ensures that the elevator system fits the building like a perfectly tailored suit.