When you get over a couple of stories in a building project a man lift or construction elevator becomes a reality. Numbers bear it out even if it is a requirement based on number of stories. The need is there due to the cost of having a construction team without one tromping up and down stairs all day. Workers are simply less productive, so although the cost is often hidden in hours lost by using a staircase, it is real and real expensive.
But, then you have the added cost to your project for the temporary elevator, plus availability, the set up and inevitable delays. It seems you are either paying too much for the savings if you get one or you simply don’t have a construction elevator onsite at all because for a low or mid-rise project it seems cost prohibitive. So, here’s the question: Why use a temporary construction elevator at all when a permanent modular elevator could be used instead?
It makes perfect sense. A commercial quality, modular elevator can be placed and turned on when electricity is available at the jobsite. When construction is finished, it becomes the permanent elevator.
Now before I get started, let me say up front that this is not the perfect solution for every job. If your desired use is not a low or mid-rise project it is probably not a good fit. We are simply not the best solution for high-rises.
Also, if you are wanting to move tons of palatized materials, likewise we are not a match either. Elevators designed for passenger use usually have a capacity of between 2000lbs and 5000lbs. We, of course, can make elevators that have a huge capacity weight-wise, but the cost would outstrip the benefit once the building is opened.
In addition, passenger elevators are limited in size generally. First, you have the cab size. We can make elevators with a cab big enough for a hospital bed (the only limitation is getting elevators under the overpasses on a flatbed truck). But then you have the door issue as well. Usually, passenger elevators have door openings of 36 or 42 inches, although some can be wider. Keep in mind the door opening does not extend across the entire elevator cab. So, if you want to take items to the top floor larger than the cab or the door opening our elevator is not the best way.
There are plenty of other solutions that do not involve an elevator at all if moving big, heavy items is needed. But in most construction scenarios we are the solution or at least worthy of consideration.
I like to say that this blog is designed to be informational and not just a sales pitch. The above is exhibit A of just that. Shoehorning us into a project where it is not a solution makes no sense and damages our credibility. It also damages the credibility of the modular concept overall. We can think outside of the box, and have even made round pegs fit into square holes (see this corner post project) but, modular is not always the best solution.
However, in the majority of construction projects, at the low and mid-rise level we are the solution. This is especially true if you are looking to cut costs regarding the use of a temporary elevator during the construction phase.
In other words, if moving men, tools and some materials is needed on building site, that role could be filled by the modular elevator quite easily and at minimal additional costs.
So, when you start looking at your construction schedule and logistics think about the elevator first. This is not an earthshattering thought. It is common practice for the hoistway or hoistways to be the first item on the drawing board along with stairs. But, here’s the change… don’t think just hoistway. Think fully installed elevator.
MEM elevators are the hoistways and fully installed elevator. They are a steel shaft wrapped in drywall for fire protection with a complete elevator already inside. The elevator car, rails, wiring, doors and frames are in place when it arrives at the site. In the example video below, that is what you are seeing; a fully installed elevator being set in a building.
Most projects require about 4 hours to get the elevator craned into place.
Then the start up can begin once there is electricity at the building site. Because everything is generally already installed, it takes about a week to get the elevator running. With the inspection, and following the appropriate rules for a construction elevator the modular unit can be used during the building phase.
To make the above possible keep this in mind regarding modular elevators:
Modular elevators (especially from MEM) can help you on the jobsite as both a construction elevator and passenger elevator. It can replace the cost of a construction elevator or it can bring a construction elevator to a job where one was not considered due to cost. It maybe time to consider the benefits of a modular elevator as your construction elevator solution. Click the button below below for a Fast Track quote and to get the process started.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we are fond of saying you get the elevator delivered when you want it. But, exactly how does that work? Obviously, you can’t decide on Friday you want an elevator and one pops up on Monday.
There is a process, however it is not laborious and in comparison to stick-built options. It is significantly easier. But, still there are things that must be done in a certain order for you to get a fully installed, commercial quality elevator set on the day you want.
First, a quick explanation as to how modular saves time and helps you with your project. This will help you see the need for the steps we have put into place. With modular construction overall the key is the period between a project being greenlit and the site prep and foundation work being completed. During that time in traditional construction there is some activity, but most of the work is in a holding pattern.
With modular all of the various components are being built during this time period. So when the cement is dry, the crane arrives and the project get’s its elevator and other modular units if any. Not to confuse matters, but it really doesn’t matter to us when you want the elevator at all. In some projects it goes in first, in others last, some in stages. It all comes down to when it is best for you as long as nothing impedes the crane putting it in place.
So now we get to our process. How does it work for your benefit by taking the elevator off the critical path. I hate to be repetitive but, just to remind you it is a fully installed elevator being delivered (car, rails, wiring, doors, etc. all inside the hoistway). In most cases it will be set in 4 hours or less and then started up when there is power. It has to be adjusted, but all that takes less than a week in most cases. Many people still don’t believe it when the unit arrives on time and completely installed. They are use to the old-fashioned way elevators are cobbled together where deadlines are more like guesses.
There are ten general steps from requesting a Fast Track Number to a fully functioning elevator. Some of the steps literally takes place overnight (like getting you a Fast Track Number). Other steps like the design phase takes a bit longer. We can expedite some of the process as well and there are things you can do to move things along. We will get to that, but first below are the standard steps.
You will notice that it takes 16 weeks to produce a high-quality product. That can be shortened, but not significantly. We produce high-quality elevators and are not a company that will rush things and put the riders at risk. Likewise, we will never compromise on safety on the construction site. Some promise an 8 week elevator, well that can cause disaster.
So to shorten the process the most important thing you can do is to get “Step 3” completed as fast as possible and provide us with a general date you would like to have to the elevator delivered. Completing “Step 3” ensures that the engineering and design will begin and providing a prospective date will allow us to plan and block out manufacturing time for you.
Another thing you can do to keep the timeline short and moving forward is being responsive to requests. Sometimes a project can be delayed for a week or more while we wait for a simple signature.
Lastly, make sure your accounting department knows the process. Sometimes internal processes can slow things down.
Remember, our goal is to get you a fully installed elevator when you want it; not too soon or too late. Communication is crucial. We will be proactive in contact with updates. Also, we understand when the delivery date changes. It is the construction business so things happen and pushing out is a reality. We will remain flexible.
To help stay flexible and informed, your primary contact will be the same person through out the entire process. The person that supplied you with the Fast Track Number will be the same person managing the project every step of the way. They are knowledgeable experts in the industry!
Because we have the most experience in the modular elevator world, we can smooth out and anticipate any problems or issues before they occur. This leads to success of your project as a whole and the elevator portion of the building. We consistently accomplish our goal for our clients of an elevator delivered they want it. We want to do the same for you. Let’s get started with a Fast Track Quote today. Click the button below.
Perfection is a word that is not used very often. And it is also almost never used in the construction industry. But, there is such a thing as perfection even in the building trades and it is more common than you think. Its just not common with a traditional elevator installation. With MEM elevators however, perfection comes easy and it is a good thing it does.
Maybe we think of perfection being so rare because when the word is used in everyday conversation it is often associate with singular events or rarity at an extreme level. Think about a perfect game in baseball. In nearly 220,000 games played in Major League history, there have only been 23 official perfect games pitched and no hurler has thrown more than one.
No one claims to have ever had a perfect golf score…it would be 18 for a single round. Instead we measure ourselves against par. Even past North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il could only muster a score of 38 with 11 holes-in-one in his fabled round. Pretty good for the first time on a golf course, but still no where near perfection. Although if prevarication were a sport, Kim would at least come home with a medal.
Speaking of medals, in gymnastics perfection was so rare that when Romanian, Nadia Comaneci reached perfection in the 1976 Montreal – Summer Olympic games, there weren’t enough digits prior to the decimal point on the scoreboard. To the confusion of the crowd, after a seamless performance the score was shown as a paltry “1.00” instead of the ten she had earned.
But, astoundingly at Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) perfection is commonplace, especially when it comes to the hoistway. So here’s why that accomplishment is so important and the how we daily accomplish such a seemingly rare feat; the feat of perfection.
A hoistway, otherwise known as an elevator shaft is the backbone of the elevator system. It must be perfectly plumb and level. Just like in human anatomy where everything hangs from the backbone, so too do many of the elevator components hang from the shaft.
Like the old song “The head bone’s connect to the neck bone.” etc. The elevator rails are connected to the walls of the shaft. On those rails the elevator car rides. How plumb, level, stable and sturdy that shaft is often determines how smooth and quiet the elevator car will go up and down.
If you have ever been in an elevator car that rumbles, or rattles it may be that the backbone (hoistway) is out of alignment. That can shorten the life of the elevator system and drive the passengers riding in it a bit crazy.
In simple terms, the reason for the rattling in traditional elevators is often that clips are attached to the inner hoistway wall and on those clips the rails are attached. The worse the alignment of the hoistway the more adjustment is needed. And the longer and more effort it takes to get the rails set right. If the hoistway is out of plumb or worse yet twisted even slightly, additional strain can be created on the rails and then on the clips. That can force the mechanism to be pulled loose as the elevator is used over time.
With a modular elevator the shaft is so plumb and level that the clips are not simply attached, but spot welded onto the frame of the hoistway and then bolted. They are adjustable, but aren’t going anywhere and there is no need for them to move. They can be welded because the hoistway is perfect every time. That means that modular (as usual) outperforms traditional.
First, to understand how perfection is possible it maybe helpful to know why traditional elevator hoistways are so often out of whack.
With the old way of putting in an elevator (and we have all seen this on a construction site) the elevator hoistway is one of the very first things that goes up. If it is cold, wet or snowy the elevator hoistway can heave and shift. One builder in Canada got tired of seeing shafts having to be redone because of heaving and the expense of hoarding heat while the hoistway cured. So he wisely opted for modular.
The opposite is true as well. If the temperatures are over 100 degrees special care and extra-effort must be made to keep the mortar hydrated with block construction. Failure to do so can “affect normal strength development of mortar, leading to a reduction in strength.” – cement.org. That’s a scary thought.
Extreme heat and cold say nothing about the poor folks laying all that block or pouring cement. They work in any number of foul weather conditions. And as we all know in less than optimal weather, work quality can diminish. In addition when it comes to the traditional hoistways work is done at heights on scaffolding. The human element cannot be ignored.
The hoistway tends to shift, twist or lean ever so slightly.
With a modular elevator or modular shaft or hoistway weather is never a problem. The entire hoistway is built inside a factory. The hoistways are made of tough construction-grade steel, laid out on jigs and are then welded together. There is no working at heights as the shaft is simply rotated as needed.
They are laid out horizontally in fifty foot sections or shorter depending on the project. If a hoistway over 50′ is needed the sections are laid out together to insure they are plumb and straight. Connecting plates are added at the joints for perfect fit every time.
Next metal c-studs and additional bracing is attached followed by the exterior sheathing. Usually a mold resistant drywall is used for either one or two hours of fire protection. The hatches get elevator doors next, then the rails go in. They are then aligned and welded to the interior and then the interior walls are finished out.
Perfection.
This perfect hoistway makes a solid, stable, plumb and level backbone for the elevator system. It ensures a great elevator every time. You will never get that promise from any GC or elevator company regarding the hoistway they build on-site. If this process intrigues you in the least and you have a project in mind just click the button. We can send you a quote in 24 hours. Or contact us at MEM where we produce elevators taking you to a higher level.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we want to thank you on this Thanksgiving Day!
This has been a tough year in a number of ways, however we have continued to grow and expand. We realize that our growth comes from a dedicated team of professionals that manufacture, install and sell our elevators. Thank you to all the employees!
But, just as importantly we want to take this time of Thanksgiving and show our appreciation and heart felt thanks to our loyal partners.
We give thanks that together we make MEM a wonderful solution and a wonderful company.
Thank you!
We at Modular Elevator Manufacturing salute all those that have served our nation. We know that our freedom comes at a price, paid by the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Many never return. We remember and honor all Veterans on this special day.
Thank you!
Easy cab construction makes quality MEM elevators possible. With old-fashioned traditional elevators, the cab is built like a ship in a bottle. In a dark, cramped hoistway one piece of the cab at a time is hand carried into the shaft. It is then assembled. This can lead to significant issues. Fit and cab quality suffer, not to mention all the on-site storage required and the increased possibility injuries. This old method makes very little sense.
The example photo below shows a better way. You can see four elevator cabs in the assembly process. There is plenty of light and plenty of room. We use jigs and templates to make sure that the fit is perfect and overhead cranes are used for any heavy parts. Also, our experienced and approved technicians and inspectors have access all the way around the cab. This means higher quality.
With the task of assembling the cab moved to the factory floor, your job-site remains clutter free of materials, tools and packaging associated with the elevator. Because of that, tripping hazards are removed making a your work area safer. And work is not held up in the site areas normally set aside for storage of all the crates of elevator parts and tools.
As you can see in the photo above whether you need one, a dozen or more low and mid-rise elevators, we can have the elevator cabs ready to be inserted in our factory. The elevators and hoistways can be mass produced for replicated design/build projects spaced months, or even years apart. Additionally, banked or duplexed elevators are a snap to deliver. We can also produce multiple elevators for larger projects. It is easy for us in the factory setting to complete the elevator or elevators you need and have them shipped for placement.
How do we make it so easy? The process begins with placing an order, approval of drawings and then factory production begins based upon when you want the elevator delivered. The elevator fits your time schedule. This is a big change from the old way elevator were built on-site where the elevator company controlled your process and timeline.
Once scheduled we simultaneously build the hoistway and the elevator cab on two separate tracks. At the end of the assembly process the cab is inserted. Then final wiring, inspection and testing is completed, it is shrink- wrapped and loaded on a flatbed truck for delivery. It really is that easy.
We have more experience than any other modular elevator producer manufacturing over 400 elevators and have dozens of years experience in the trades. Our elevators are as easy as one, two, three.
Finally, if our system seems to make more sense than the way elevators are currently installed, contact us for a Fast Track budget number by clicking the button below. You will learn how MEM is the best elevator for any low or mid-rise job. Quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
MEM Parking Garage Solution – Do you prefer aspirin? Tylenol? Advil? A caustic combination of all three? Imagine if you could avoid your headache as an architect or general contractor by not having to worry about the elevator in your project. That solution to your headache is available. And that solution can mean less materials, more parking space and fewer trades to coordinate. Imagine the stress and pressure relief when the elevator unit arrives when you want, fully installed! It is set in a total of four hours and totally off the critical path. It is not a dream.
Placed in hours you can have a Modular Elevator Manufacturing high-quality commercial elevator delivered to your site. All that is left for you to do is the exterior of the hoistway in any construction material you want. See the project below. It is a five-stop parking garage elevator, delivered complete. The durable commercial quality stainless-steel elevator car, was already inside. All the wiring – done, and doors, rails and even the pit ladder precision placed in the factory and it took less than four hours to set.
And this particular elevator came in two sections due to the total travel height. A crane placed the first section. The second followed right behind, easily bolted on top. They match perfectly as the manufacturing process assures the two sections will line up exactly right every time.
The hoistway is perfect, made with steel in a factory. There is no bowing, heaving or contracting like hoistways constructed of block or concrete. It also means that the rails are perfectly aligned. That produces the smooth quality ride you and your customers deserve.
MEM has the perfect solution for your parking garage project. That is especially true if you have designs or plans for several parking garages. Just spec us in and save time and money. Similarly, we can provide elevators for the entire project with solutions for any low or mid-rise application. So before another trip to the medicine cabinet, we’ve got you covered, whether the elevator is placed on the interior or exterior of any building, new or retrofit construction.
We have placed over 400 elevators and have over 20 years experience in making elevators as easy as one, two, three.
Finally, for your parking garage solution and a Fast Track budget number just click the button below. You will learn how MEM is the best elevator for any low or mid-rise project. Quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
Speedy Multifamily Elevator Solution. One of the ways that young Americans have influenced the construction industry is that lately they have been prone to delay home purchases. This can be attributed to many factors including high prices for home ownership, a lack of the needed down payment and a delay in marriage and family. So, when they do leave their parent’s basement, generally they are renting in large numbers and not looking for the white picket fence.
The result is in many medium and large municipalities there is a predictable shortage of rental units and ultimately price inflation. Hence the multifamily building boom.
Governing.com demonstrates this through statistical data. They report that between the year 2000 and April of 2019 there was, “a median increase in the renter population of 31 percent…Over the same period, the number of owner-occupied dwellings also rose, but only by a median of 7 percent.”
That means building multifamily units is needed and needed fast. That need is further demonstrated by the recent number of multifamily unit starts as the market moves to fill demand.
According to Dodge Data & Analytics residential starts as a category only increased by 2% in July of 2020. That sounds pretty bad for business until you dive more into the numbers. Of those new starts multifamily units increased by a whopping 11%, while single family units (homes) showed an overall decline. Multifamily units are booming even in a tough Covid filled economy.
The above statements and stats are known in the industry, so what is the big deal? The big deal is that in a competitive market, speed to that market becomes extremely important. You want to be building on the upswing and not at the top when units get tough to fill. So any edge you can find to decrease the time of project completion the better. That speed is crucial as the fight to fill the void in housing becomes a race. The race will either be won or lost by various builders and design build firms.
Keep in mind that the race now includes not just general apartment complexes or condominiums. They are also a wide range of market specific dwelling spaces. Subcategories such as senior living, low income or non-traditional mixed use building projects are on an upward trajectory.
One of the time saving mechanisms was addressed on a conference call I attended with design build industry leaders. We were discussing the concept and current acceptance of modular as the solution to the speed of delivery dilemma. A participant, Patrick Kennedy of Panoramic Interests downplayed the diversification of the market, and maintained the time to build could be significantly reduced if they stuck to three types of building plans that could easily fit burgeoning subcategories. He said they have three plans, “Hamburger, cheese burger and deluxe.”
Depending on who, why and where the units were to be built, the basic plans all fell into those three types of designs. Then depending on what specifically was requested, the spaces use could be altered, just not the overall plans. That kind of consolidation of offerings is very wise and makes perfect sense when building faster and more efficiently is a priority as it is today. Faster is better and they found a great way to speed things up. But that example is not the only edge available.
In car racing whether it is NASCAR, Formula 1 or a soapbox derby speed is important. But, it is the small things that are done, sometimes months before we hear, “Drivers start your engines!” that are key. To create the success and speed on the track a lot must happen, as a simple turn of a bolt on the chassis setup could be the difference between the checked flag and as Dale Earnhardt would say being the “first loser”.
So if finishing a building project quickly is important (and we all know that it is) then finding even small ways to speed up the building process is crucial. Using simplified plans, as discussed, is one way to achieve that speed. But so is placing in those plans a time saving modular elevator. One of the biggest complaints we hear about the elevator industry is that with traditional installation the whole project becomes bogged down. It is slow and laborious. But, what if all of that installation can take place in a factory, rain or shine and the elevator can be delivered and fully installed in a day or less, on the day of your choosing? That is a game changer.
Reality Check It is also a reality and not some fiction or dream of the future. So now it is time for a “reality check” in the form of a few questions:
So here’s the thing with the speedy multifamily elevator solution. If you are honest you can see the time and financial benefits of a quality, commercial modular elevator. And honestly chances are your competitors already have seen the benefits. We know this because as the multifamily market continues to heat up, we have doubled our sales and had to double our factory space and capacity to keep up.
If you would like to have a discussion just call us or email and ask anything you want. We will always be straightforward and honest as we have been in the modular elevator business longer than anyone else, with more experience and have a record of integrity and quality. We have installed five times more elevators than all of our competitors combined.
So, if you have project in mind just click the Fast Track button below. Just a few questions and we can have a thumbnail quote to you in a day. The opportunity is there for the checkered flag; take it with the help of Modular Elevator Manufacturing and a speedy multifamily elevator solution.
SEPT 23, 2020/Westlake, CA – Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) has added new staff to increase capacity and meet growing demand. As the modular elevator manufacturer continues to increase its market share nationwide, a new IT manager, national territory manager, two new elevator technician trainees and elevator technician helper have been added. In addition, a marketing firm with national experience was added to the team.
Duncan McEwan, IT Manager will work to centralize the IT support and system management, providing a more consistent user experience for customers and staff though the improved integration of the IT systems. He previously worked as an IT Administrator for the Television Academy providing support for all of their activities, most notably, the Creative Arts and Primetime Emmy Awards.
This involved supporting the online voting process and hosting IT and audio/visual needs for the various panels that convene each year to vote for categories of Emmy Awards. He also provided the network access, both WiFi and hard wired for the press core at the Emmys Awards, including the WiFi for the Red Carpet. At MEM his experience will improve the customer experience and information flow.
Ken Grider, National Territory Manager brings his commercial and residential construction experience and modular elevator knowledge as well as a proven ability to drive business growth and increase market awareness. More than that, Ken is creative and a strategic thinker with strong communication skills and a strong desire to help customers find the best solution to MEM.
Jesse Ochoa and Jose Perez have been added to increase the ranks of licensed elevator technicians as they complete their training and Jose Galvin has been added as an elevator technician helper. This will ensure that as the demand for modular elevators continues to increase, MEM will maintain the largest and most qualified staff in the modular industry.
Additionally, to assist with the new national effort a St. Louis, Missouri area marketing firm has been engaged. Speiro Communications will help direct the effort to increase an already growing market share. Providing true quality and the most experience in the industry will be the cornerstones going forward.
California based MEM produces elevators from simple ADA compliant models to freight elevators. They are routinely sold in several types of buildings including educational, hospitality, healthcare, multi-family, commercial, storage and parking structures. The elevators are used in retrofit projects as well as new construction. For more information on MEM go to at modualrelevator.com.
If you would like to put the MEM team to work, click the link below to receive a Fast Track quote.
Elevator at Sunrise. Pride can be a negative. It can blind you to reality as you puff yourself up. But, on the other hand it is uplifting to see the hard work by so many at Modular Elevator Manufacturing pictured this morning in all its glory. When this was taken…there was pride in the product, the concept, the design and those that provide the best possible option for all low and mid-rise application. Maybe corny, but true. Goosebumps you bet!
Thank you MEM team! Everyday you prove you are the best. Modular Elevator Manufacturing – quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
If you want your own elevator at sunrise experience and a cost and time saving picture like this on your next project click below and get started. We promise to respond quickly with a Fast Track budget number. Keep in mind that the budget number includes the hoistway that is dropped into place. Many folks forget that the elevator comes preinstalled inside the actual steel hoistway wrapped in a mold resistant and fire resistant drywall.
Also remember that the entire elevator and all of the components are already inside. That is why the set process in the picture takes a couple hours and the startup only takes a couple of days. It really is the best system for low and mid-rise applications.