00 / For real estate agents
Selling a home
with an elevator?
Get it documented.
A pre-sale elevator inspection and certification by a state-licensed mechanic. Written report inside 3 business days. Photo documentation. Compliance summary your disclosure attorney can use. The deal does not get blown up by the buyer's elevator inspector.
Why this matters · Most residential elevator brands need annual or 5-year inspections by law. Lapsed certificates and undocumented condition issues are the most common reason deals on elevator-equipped homes stall at closing.
- 60-90 minute on-site inspection by a state-licensed elevator mechanic
- Signed condition report with findings, photo documentation, and code status
- Itemized estimate for any recommended pre-sale work, homeowner decides what to address
- Delivered within 3 business days. 24-hour rush available when the listing is moving fast.
- Fixed price. Standard $450 in DMV metro. Quoted per visit elsewhere.
Refer a listing
Send the address.
Tell us the property, the elevator brand if you know it, and the closing timeline. We respond within 24 hours and schedule the inspection within 5 business days standard, or 24 hours rush.
01 / Why this matters
The elevator
is usually the surprise.
On homes with installed elevators, the equipment is the line item most likely to surface a problem during due diligence. The HVAC has been serviced. The roof has been inspected. The elevator usually has not.
A buyer's elevator inspector finds lapsed inspection certificates, open code violations, brake settings out of spec, or maintenance log gaps. At that point in the deal, the seller's leverage is gone and every fix becomes a price concession.
01
Lapsed inspection certificates
Jurisdictions like VA, MD, DC, CA, and FL require periodic inspection by law. An expired certificate creates a discoverable issue that delays closing.
02
Maintenance log gaps
Code requires every residential elevator to have a maintenance log. Many homeowners do not realize this. Missing logs flag to buyer's inspectors.
03
Brake and safety device drift
Brakes, governors, and door restrictors drift over years without service. The fixes are usually small. The discovery at inspection is not small.
02 / What you get
Documentation
the deal can lean on.
Everything the listing agent and the buyer's side need to see. Delivered as a clean PDF package. Suitable for inclusion in disclosure or distribution to the buyer's agent ahead of inspection.
001
Signed inspection report
Findings, condition rating, deficiencies if any, by component (controller, doors, safety devices, ride quality, structure).
002
Photo documentation
Photos of every major equipment area: machine room, controller, cab interior, door operator, pit, hoistway.
003
Recommended-work estimate
Itemized estimate for any work we recommend before listing. Homeowner decides what to do. No pressure.
004
Compliance summary
Current inspection status with the AHJ, any open code items, when the next required inspection is due.
03 / Process
Four steps.
No friction.
We coordinate with the homeowner directly so you do not have to play scheduler. Listing agent receives the documentation package as soon as it is ready.
01
Agent submits the address
Property address, elevator brand if known, closing timeline, homeowner contact.
02
We schedule with the homeowner
Within 5 business days standard, 24 hours rush. We coordinate access; the agent does not need to be present.
03
On-site inspection
60-90 minutes by a state-licensed mechanic. Findings logged, photos taken, equipment exercised.
04
Documentation delivered
Within 3 business days standard. Sent to the listing agent. Homeowner receives a copy and the invoice.
04 / Pricing
Fixed price.
No surprises.
Standard inspection
$450
DMV metro area. One elevator. Report delivered within 3 business days. Includes signed report, photos, compliance summary, recommended-work estimate.
Rush turnaround
+$200
24-hour report delivery. Scheduled within 2 business days. For listings already on the market or in active negotiation.
Properties outside the DMV metro area or with multiple elevators are quoted per visit. Recommended corrective work is quoted separately and is the homeowner's decision. Standard service area covers all of [DC](/locations/washington-dc), [Virginia](/locations/arlington-va), and [Maryland](/locations/bethesda-md).
05 / Direct answers
Questions agents
ask first.
What is a pre-sale elevator inspection?
A documented walkthrough of a residential elevator by a state-licensed mechanic before the home is listed. Produces a written safety and condition report, photo documentation, an estimate for any recommended work, and a compliance package the listing agent can put in the disclosure.
Why does a home with an elevator need this before listing?
Two reasons. First, buyers often hire elevator inspectors during due diligence and find issues that kill or repricing the deal at the last minute. Second, jurisdictions like Virginia, Maryland, DC, California, and Florida require periodic inspections by law. A buyer's attorney who finds a lapsed inspection certificate can derail closing.
How long does the inspection take?
Typically 60 to 90 minutes on site. Written report delivered within 3 business days. Rush turnaround (24 hours) is available for an additional fee when listings need to move fast.
What does it cost?
Standard pre-sale elevator inspection runs $450 in the DMV metro area for one elevator. Properties outside the DMV or with multiple elevators are quoted per visit. Recommended corrective work (if any) is quoted separately and the homeowner decides what to address before listing.
Can I refer multiple listings?
Yes. Agents working multiple properties with elevators receive priority scheduling and per-property billing. We invoice the homeowner at the inspection, not the agent.
What documents does the agent get?
A signed inspection report with findings and condition rating, photo documentation of the equipment, an itemized estimate for any recommended work, and a compliance summary noting the equipment's inspection status with the local AHJ. Suitable for inclusion in disclosure packages.
06 / Refer a listing
Send the address.
We do the rest.
Standard scheduling 5 days · Rush 24 hours
Free Site Survey · No charge · No pitch
Send a building. We send an engineer with a clipboard.
60-minute walkthrough of your elevator portfolio. Written assessment delivered within 5 business days. Covers maintenance posture, modernization candidates, code exposure, and response-time targets.