Home Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Advice on a push button station/ Concord

I'd just like to add something here-

It is extremely expensive to be an elevator contractor. This is a highly regulated industry, with many factors that increase overhead costs for the business.

First of all, union elevator mechanics have what is, compared to other blue collar workers, fairly lavish salaries, benefits far and away above other similar industries. Just being an elevator man incurs signifigant risk of injury and death, and who would want to risk their life everyday, unless there was adequate compensation comensurate with the risk? Just that fact alone justifies higher salaries for elevator mechanics, let alone our extemely varied skills. It's not like an electrician or other building trades has to hang off the edge of a temporary platform 300 feet in the air, holding a 1/2 drill motor by one hand to drill a 5/8 hole into an overhead machine beam with hot shavings falling down their shirt everyday. Workers in other industries just dont have the same risks we endure everyday. Maybe steel workers, but they dont regularly work around rotating machinery, high voltages, nor spend time in tight enclosures with equipment whizzing by just inches away from death. But I digress.

Secondly, because of the insurance requirements, there is a high cost of overhead just to have the doors open, even if no work is being done at all.

Thirdly, because this industry is so small, parts costs are out of proportion with their apparent worth, compared to mass produced products in other industries.

These factors mean that elevator services cost noticeably more than other building trades, and more than other industries.

These costs show up everywhere, like in repair proposals, because the cost of doing business has to be recouped accross the board. We're not in business for the glory, that don't pay the bills.

Just a little perspective on the elevator industry for ya, in case you weren't versed on it.

And yes, I got it that you weren't questioning the relative worth of the proposal. Just wanted you to know "what's up wit dat"!

Cheers!