Questions to Ask Before Hiring: Elevators

Updated November 6, 2026

What Should You Ask an Elevator Service Company Before Hiring?

Before hiring an elevator service company, confirm they take commercial work, get a certificate of insurance and any required state license number, and ask for a written quote showing the full scope, rates, response times and warranty. Facilities usually schedule elevator service companies on a monthly service contract, with annual safety tests. Compare at least two quotes for the same scope.

Updated November 6, 2026 · Source: maintenance.broker guide (common practice); confirm with your local authority and contractor.

Illustration for the guide: Questions to Ask Before Hiring: Elevators

Elevator and escalator maintenance, inspection, repair and modernization companies. Use these questions on every call so the answers are comparable.

The Questions

  1. Do you take commercial work, and do you service buildings like ours?
  2. Can you send a certificate of insurance naming us as additional insured?
  3. Do you service our controller and brand, and can you get the parts?
  4. Is the contract full maintenance or parts and oil only?
  5. What is your response time for entrapments and shutdowns?
  6. Who performs the annual and five-year safety tests, and who pays for them?
  7. How much notice is required to cancel, and does it auto-renew?
  8. Will we receive the maintenance control program and service records?
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Tips From Common Practice

How Often to Schedule

Facilities usually schedule elevator service companies on a monthly service contract, with annual safety tests. Your lease, insurer, local code and equipment manuals can require more, so check them first and add the dates to your preventive maintenance schedule.

Then line up offers in the quote comparison tool, and see how to verify a license and insurance.

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Listings: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Data last updated November 6, 2026 · Sources & method