Let me start by apologizing for being here when I’m not an elevator professional. I’m on the board of a 40-Unit, 6-story 1-car, hydraulic-lift condo building in Chicago that was gut rehabbed and converted from a printing plant in 2000. I was hoping someone with knowledge about elevator repair could tell me if the bid we have received for some repairs sounds reasonable.

The problems we are having with the elevator involve the car stopping between floors, not leveling, and the door refusing to open. The mechanical room is unventilated and unheated and the problems seem to occur mostly on extremely hot or cold days. The problems are not constant.

The repair company wants to install the following for $66,500:

1. New microprocessor controller
2. New Tape head selector
3. New hall buttons
4. New infrared door edge
5. New car station w/phone and light
6. New (2) GAL MOFVR door operator
7. New car riding lantern
8. New infrared door edge
9. New lock kit
10. New car and hatch door rollers
11. New inspection station
12. New car-top hatch switch
13. New pit ladder
14. New traveling cable

Most of this sounds like cosmetic up-sell stuff to me. When I told the sales rep that he said none of this was cosmetic. I can’t see how a new pit ladder is going to solve our problems but what do I know? What do you think?

Thanks for your time.