It Started With a Hand and Stone
Last fall, I was in the middle of a modernization project for a small mixed-use building near downtown Orlando. The deal was pretty straightforward: retrofit an aging Otis elevator with a new Schindler system. We had the budget approved, the contractor lined up, and a clear timeline. Or so I thought.
I remember the exact moment it started going sideways. I was meeting with the owner of a Hand and Stone franchise that had just signed a lease for the ground floor retail space. We were talking about their build-out, and they asked innocently, "So, the elevator door trim—does that come standard with the Schindler package?"
I said yes. I was wrong. (Ugh.)
The Schindler Elevator Orlando Reality Check
Let me back up. We were installing a Schindler 3300, which is a great machine for a low-to-mid-rise building. The spec sheet looked perfect, the price from the local Schindler elevator Orlando office was competitive, and everything was on track. What I didn't account for was how much the 'minor details' would balloon the budget.
I learned this lesson the hard way over the next four weeks. Here's what nobody tells you when you're planning a Schindler modernization in Orlando:
1. The Door Trim Isn't Included
This was the first domino. The Schindler package includes the cab, the rails, the controller, and the machine. But the door trim—the frame that goes around the elevator door on each floor—is often specified as a separate line item. The Hand and Stone franchise had specific aesthetic requirements for their storefront, and the standard 'builder grade' trim wasn't going to cut it.
Saved $200 by thinking the trim was included. Ended up spending $1,200 on custom fabrication plus a 1-week delay. — My personal 'penny wise, pound foolish' moment for Q4 2024.
The custom door trim we ordered had to match the stainless steel finish they'd chosen for their reception desk. The vendor we used couldn't source the exact gauge, and we had to re-order from a different supplier. That was a $400 mistake right there, not to mention the schedule hit.
2. The 'Elliot House' Square Footage Trap
Another painful lesson came when we were calculating the cab interior. The building had an unusual layout—a historic structure that had been converted in the 90s, with a footprint roughly equivalent to the infamous Elliot House. You know that building in Miami where the square footage is notoriously misrepresented? Well, our building was similar. The architectural drawings showed one thing, but the actual shaft dimensions were a different story.
The standard Schindler cab is built to specific dimensions. The elliot house schindler square footage issue taught me a crucial lesson: always measure the shaft yourself. Don't trust the drawings. We had to order a custom-width cab platform, which added three weeks to the timeline because it had to be fabricated in Schindler's plant in South Carolina.
Trusted the building's as-built drawings. The shaft was 4 inches narrower than documented. Had to re-spec the cab. Lesson learned: measure twice, order once.
How a Leaking Shower Head Almost Broke the Project
Now, you're probably wondering: how does a leaking shower head connect to an elevator install? Let me tell you.
We had finished the machine room installation. The Schindler team had wired the controller, and I was doing a final walkthrough ins。pection. I noticed a small puddle of water near the controller cabinet. The machine room is on the roof, directly above the building's maintenance shop. A tenant's leaking shower head on the floor below had been dripping for weeks, and the water had found its way through a crack in the roof membrane, right into our machine room.
Water and elevator controllers don't mix (unfortunately). The moisture damaged a control board. $2,800 in replacement parts and a 5-day emergency repair later, we were back online. But the real issue? The how to fix leaking shower head problem wasn't even on my radar because I was focused solely on the elevator installation.
Lessons in Project Integration
The Schindler team was great about it. They sent a tech out within 24 hours to assess the damage. But the broader lesson was this: an elevator modernization is a building systems project, not an elevator project. You have to think about the roof, the plumbing, the electrical, and the fire alarm—all at once.
Here's a practical checklist I now use, based on that nightmare:
- Verify shaft dimensions personally (not from drawings).
- Inspect the machine room for water intrusion (check for leaking shower heads, pipes, or roof leaks).
- Confirm door trim specs as a separate line item in the budget.
- Order the cab platform early, especially for non-standard dimensions.
- Schedule a pre-install meeting with the Schindler Orlando project manager to review scope changes.
The Final Result: A Working Elevator (and a Smarter Me)
In the end, the elevator works beautifully. The Hand and Stone opened on time (barely), and the custom door trim looks fantastic. But the project came in about $4,500 over budget, mostly due to the mistakes I've described.
The best part of completing this project? There's something satisfying about finally getting the system running after all that stress. When I see the Schindler cab gliding up and down now, I notice the door trim. I think about the Elliot House square footage. And I definitely check for leaking shower heads every time I'm on the roof.
This pricing information was accurate as of Q4 2024. The market changes fast, so verify current Schindler rates before budgeting for your own project. Things may have evolved since then.
If you're planning a similar project in the Orlando area, take it from me: plan for the unexpected. And when you see the Schindler quote, ask about the door trim. You'll thank me later.
