Case Studies

The firm was recently asked to review an elevator system suffering from vibrations. Several corrective measures had been attempted by the contractor, yet the problem persisted. RiA employed vibration-analysis software and equipment and were quickly able to determine...

One of our clients’ projects encountered a snafu when a TSSA field inspector issued a directive against equipment, stating that a clearance code was not met between recently installed elevator equipment and an adjacent fence. The owner argued that although the...

Unfortunately, in the construction business it is common practice for contractors to inflate the costs of changes to their projects’ scope of work. For building owners and developers to avoid getting gouged on changes, it is vital that they have the correct project...

Project architects are often expected to write detailed elevator specifications, though this is generally outside of architects’ area of expertise. A common approach is for them to refer to the elevator manufacturer’s specifications, available online. Unfortunately,...

The firm recently reviewed the requirements for a project where an elevator contractor had drawn designs indicating the need for an electrical feed using 80 amp fusing. This requirement would have necessitated an extra cost of several thousand dollars for the building...

A building owner recently sought RiA’s involvement in a case about an elevator with an underground oil leak. The elevator contractor on the job estimated the cost of repair to be $70,000. We located a warranty document issued seven years beforehand, establishing that...

In typical cases, RiA’s written reports make recommendations on remaining equipment life and timing for elevator modernizations. However, occasionally the firm is called in to oversee an elevator modernization project that has already been recommended by an elevator...

The firm was asked to perform a common task, reviewing a set of elevator shop drawings. The building developer and structural engineer involved in the project were concerned that the support spacing required by the elevator contractor was much more extensive than...

Architects often estimate the number of elevators needed in a new building using an imprecise rule-of-thumb, or base the estimate on similar, but not identical, existing projects. In some cases, architects seek out the advice of elevator manufacturers, who often...

RiA was tasked with investigating an elevator in a large portfolio for a building owner that had been served with a hefty liability case. The claimant stated that they tripped and fell while exiting an elevator and were seeking damages. Our client did not have records...