- Buy from an established manufacturer and know their history. Metal shop reality TV has made welding a popular hobby in recent years. All too often hobbyist welders see a metal product they can duplicate and figure they can get into the manufacturing biz. This is bad for consumers because these garage mini-factories rarely last, and rarely have adequate quality control in place.
- Ask to see engineering drawings with a raised seal from a reputable third party structural engineer, and know what they are certifying. As a cargo lift buyer, you should be concerned about whether the lift you are buying meets the specifications as advertised. Any reputable manufacturer will have already had an engineer who is separate from their firm review their design and place their raised seal on the plans. One reason for this is to validate the capacity of the lift the manufacturer is advertising it is capable of. Another reason is to confirm it will meet windstorm criteria. Both of these points must be in writing on the stamped drawings for you to know you are getting what you are paying for. If you are buying a lift advertised as 1000lb capacity and it doesn’t say that on the plans, you can bet the manufacturer had some less critical aspect of the lift evaluated in an attempt to trick unwitting clients. I will stress again that engineers specialize in different things. This is a structural engineer application. Be wary of plans stamped by civil engineers, electrical engineers, , and also by in house engineers who are employed by the manufacturer.
- Get a copy of the manufacturer’s insurance certificate. Homeowners often ask the contractors doing the installation for proof of insurance, but the lift manufacturers proof of insurance is often ignored.
- Verify your lift is made by whom the contractor says it is. Knocking off a product and then “passing off” as a name brand is common and illegal. Ask you lift manufacturer for ways to identify whether your lift is genuine.
- Speak directly to the lift manufacturer when making your choice. Installation contractors are often more concerned with making the right choice for themselves, not you. Most of the time, an installer will put in the lift of your choice regardless of whether they have a bias towards one or the other if you find a lift manufacturer you like ask them to recommend an installer in your area.
