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Home and Business – Vertical Transportation Specialists. Many times people will ask, what makes TL Shield and Associates different from all the other companies selling elevators, lifts and dumbwaiters. The answer is simple. We are vertical transportation specialists. That means that we produce, install, maintain, and repair any and all means of vertical conveyance and we have done so professionally for decades. We are specialists. Further, when you talk with us about your needs we are not relegated to selling just a single product. We listen and the provide a solution.
Maybe your project needs a residential elevator or a wheel chairlift, but your problem is better solved with a commercial elevator. We can analyze your needs and find the best solution for you because we offer all types of vertical transportation starting with home elevators.
TL Shield and Associates has been manufacturing and installing residential elevators for decades and we are proud of our track record. We offer the only Southern California manufactured home elevator system. They include the TLS Classic, TLS Plus+, and TLS Premium models. They are priced and have features for for every home.
Our residential elevator line was created for the homeowner, general contractors, architects, designers and developers. We keep up with technological changes and advances in the industry with each of our products containing the very best of the latest technology. You will find improvements in safety and performance setting the TLS line apart.
“Style is important when it comes to your home and our elevators reflect that.”
Also, when it comes to home elevators it is important to stay current with design options. These are more than just superficial hardware upgrades but new exciting materials that have been significantly improved to enhance performance and style. We make sure the packages we offer fit in seamlessly with modern fresh designs. Our latest choices in finishes and accessories ensures that your elevator will enhance the home for years to come. Style is important when it comes to your home and our elevators reflect that desire for superior looks and style.
Wheelchair lifts are essential in the world today. Mobility is for everyone and we provide a full line of both commercial and in home options that will make life easier. They are also designed to keep your business in full compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
When it comes to the options, you need someone you can trust with a long record of success and knowledge. We are able to guide you professionally through the process by understanding traffic patterns and features that are needed to enhance performance and reliability.
We believe in dependability and quality and that is what you will get with our wheelchair lift options.
Dumbwaiters are often the unsung heroes of businesses and homes when it comes to vertical transportation. Often times the need is not to move people but things and we offer several options and sizes to consider. In the home maybe your concern is more about laundry or groceries. In a business laundry may also be a concern, but moving food, or stock for several floors can also be a challenge. Back breaking labor can be saved with the right lift in place. We can help move up and down the things you don’t want to carry or can’t.
The above products are probably where most home elevator companies stop. Some probably don’t even provide a full slate of those products. This limits your options, but also it limits the knowledge base and expertise of the elevator company in question. In addition to residential elevators, wheelchair lifts, stairlifts and dumbwaiters, we provide commercial products as well.
The Invisible Lift is a wheelchair lift specifically designed for courtroom interiors. It can raise those in wheelchairs to the appropriate level in the witness box, jury box or for judges.
We also produce with our sister company the MEM Elevator System. It is a commercial quality modular elevator that is delivered when you need it and then gets lowered in to place in a couple hours. This saves time and moves the elevator off the critical path. It reduces headaches and simplifies the entire project as it can be used as a construction elevator as well as a passenger elevator.
Lastly, we provide maintenance and servicing of commercial elevators and wheelchair lifts as well as all home product regardless of manufacturer.
As a result of the various types of vertical transportation we offer and our decades of experience we can serve you better than any other company in Southern California. We can and will assess you needs whether you are in the building trades or a homeowner looking for options. Then we will make recommendations that will meet you needs best and be the solution for your specific project.
If you want to get started to day just click one of the links below. We will answer your questions, schedule a consultation or provide basic pricing. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Residential Elevators A Brand New Line – TL Shield and Associates has been manufacturing and installing residential elevators for decades. Many of you probably know during that time our home elevator was known as the Stellar-Vator. But, now TL Shield is introducing a brand new line of vertical transportation options for the home. That line of residential products includes the TLS Classic, TLS Plus+, and TLS Premium.
All three have benefits and improvements that will keep TL Shield and Associates the number one residential elevator manufacturer in Southern California.
The new residential elevator line was created for a few important purposes. These purposes should be considered whether you are the homeowner, a general contractor, architect, designer or developer. First, as with all things, it is a great idea to keep up with technological changes and advances in the industry. With the new line of residential elevators each model will contain the very best of the latest technology. You will find improvements in safety and performance setting the TLS line apart.
“Style is important when it comes to your home and our elevators reflect that.”
Also, when it comes to home elevators it is important to stay current with design options. Often times these are more than just superficial hardware upgrades but new exciting materials that have been improved for looks and quality. We make sure the packages we offer fit in seamlessly with modern and current fresh designs. Our latest choices in finishes and accessories ensures that your elevator will enhance the home for years to come. Style is important when it comes to your home and our elevators reflect that desire for superior looks.
Lastly, we have found that making a decision on which residential elevator and accessories to buy was cumbersome to say the least. Often the customer was confused by options. Many of those choices were not important. And sometimes adding just one specialty feature could drive the final price too high. We decided to improve our customer service by eliminating confusing, complex combinations. Instead we increased simplicity in bundling features that experience has taught us are most important. It gives you the best options without reducing the flexibility you deserve.
Ultimately, the new TL Shield product line makes it easy to compare your options. This makes it easy find exactly what you desire. We have improved the process significantly and made it even easy enough to have a simple single comparison sheet. Feel free to look at the various options and then contact us for a consultation.
So if you need a home elevator for a new or existing structure, choose the best and most reputable residential elevator manufacturer in Southern California. TL Shield and Associates is the wisest choice. Rest assured whether you decide on the TLS Classic, TLS Plus+ or TLS Premium you will get a quality. That means both product and installation services.
Our process is designed to be easy for both construction professionals and homeowners. It all begins with a request for a consultation. We then contact you and provide all the answers you need.
As a construction professional you know many of the pitfalls of residential elevators. To reduce issues, we meet with you at your convenience to discuss the needs of the project you have in mind. We will go over specification and drawings in detail as well as our various models and features. After the discussion we will provide an assessment and pricing to help you make an informed decision. Whether you need a single unit or a package for several homes we can work with you. Our support staff will be with you every step of the way providing updates and valuable information.
For the homeowner, the consultation begins in your home to assess placement of the unit. We will answer any of your questions and go over all of the styles, features and accessories. In detail we will go over all the aspects of the build and installation. This includes pricing, timeline, requirements for the construction process and the scope of work for everyone involved in the project.
It all starts with you contacting us and you ending up with a high-quality stylish elevator for your home or home construction project.
Non-proprietary parts matter. However, often times non-proprietary parts are over looked, not considered or just not understood. So, let’s start from the beginning. What’s the definition of non-proprietary elevator parts and how can they solve problems regarding your elevator choice.
Generally, proprietary elevator parts are components produced, marketed and controlled under exclusive legal rights of the manufacturer. The manufacturer has no obligation to share any information about the part or component, how it functions, how it operates, how it can be repaired or used to adjust or improve the overall functioning of an elevator unless it is contractually obligated to do so.
Non-proprietary on the other hand, means there are no restrictions to the use or what company can repair or improve the functionality of the elevator.
Well that was a mouthful. The definition can be reduced to a more simple, proprietary elevator parts are ones that only the manufacturer can repair or use in a repair or maintenance of an elevator. Non-proprietary opens the door to any qualified and licensed elevator professional.
An even more concise characterization is, proprietary bad; non-proprietary good.
But why? Why are proprietary parts to be avoided when looking at elevator purchases.
There are limited arguments against choosing an elevator that has non-proprietary parts over proprietary. When non-proprietary options were first available, there was a short time that they were considered inferior due to their recent emergence.
That thinking is no longer a concern. There is a decades long track record now that shows reliability and durability for non-proprietary components. Keep in mind that all elevator components and elevator operations are subject to elevator codes, inspections, and parts must pass rigorous testing before they would ever be allowed in an elevator.
Also, much of the functionality that proprietary elevators could boast of is now available with non-proprietary units.
Too many times we receive calls from individuals that are dissatisfied with their current maintenance supplier. They are sometimes unresponsive, operate at their own pace with little concern for the end user or the building owner and often lack availability of parts or tools with many on back order. With proprietary parts you lose the ability to find solutions to the problems you are facing.
This was illustrated in a recent article regarding elevator repair delays. A lack of parts was the cause for denying people mobility and access. You can help shorten that time of repair if you chose for your next project an elevator without proprietary parts. If you want to know more about us, just click one of the buttons below. We would love to talk to you about your next elevator project.
You should care – Elevator parts are not all equal…but they are. Years ago there used to be a commercial that had the catch phrase “Parts is parts”. They were talking about chicken nuggets and not vertical transportation and their facetious point was parts are not all equal. There are better and worse pieces of the chicken to use in the production of a nugget.
In the home or commercial elevator industry that knife cuts both ways and a bit hard to explain. First, it is true there are differences company to company in components. But second, those differences are superficial at best and for a purpose. So the parts are not all equal but… still equal??? How does that work?
That doesn’t seem to make sense so let me explain this weird dichotomy by stating the following. Factually, most companies purchase the bulk of their components from the same group of independent companies. As a result an elevator, home or commercial, is filled with dozens of components and pieces that come from those various companies from around the world. The difference is largely relegated to different nameplates and logos being etched or painted on the components themselves and that is about it.
This gives the illusion that they are all coming from the elevator company you are buying from. Generally that is not true. As a result when you step into an elevator car most often very little of what you see or that makes it go up and down, comes from the name on the control panel. And in all likelihood the bulk of those parts are found in every other elevator you ride regardless of the company.
Also, the vertical transportation industry, for good reason, is highly regulated. Elevators in the United States make 18 billion passenger trips per year according to the National Elevator Industry Inc. For that reason alone it is very important that all parts must meet high standards. You just can’t put anything you want in the elevator as a component. They must be test and approved for quality and durability.
Alright, if only a handful of companies produce most of elevator components and all parts meet the same rigorous standards, how can they possibly be different? Well before I get to that I want you to know that I am not wearing a tinfoil hat. I believe that we did go to the moon, Elvis is dead and aliens had no part in building the pyramids. So what I am about to say is not a crazy conspiracy.
Here, goes. The big commercial elevator companies make the bulk of their profits in maintenance and not selling you an elevator. Shocked? They realized pretty early on that if any certified elevator contractor could provide maintenance, they could lose customers and money. People would simply shop around and find the lowest price for service.
The solution was two-fold. First, sell elevators that require the most expensive maintenance agreements regardless of the purpose. Second, place in those elevators components from manufacturers that will require special tools, passwords or programs to maintain the elevator.
If you combine those two principles with a confiscatory maintenance agreement you have a lock on maintenance income for that unit for decades. And there is really no way for the building owner to extricate themselves from the long-term costs.
So, despite elevator components largely being the same, parts are not all equal. This is by design and for a specific purpose that has nothing to do with the elevator ride or functionality.
Unfortunately, when asked, “What can I do?” the responses are limited. This is especially if you already have an elevator in place. It is not practical nor cost effective to replace the proprietary parts that force you into the long-term contract. It’s like the old adage, you pay for some mistakes forever. But learning from those mistakes is important as well as spread the word that you can make upfront decisions next time that will save you from the headaches and costs associated with choosing the wrong company.
The word to commit to memory is non-proprietary. Non-proprietary parts and components are simply those that any elevator technician can work on. They are not better or worse they are just accessible for maintenance from any company. You can even use the big elevator companies if you wish. It just opens the door to anyone to repair or maintain the elevator. So always, always, always have an elevator installed with non-proprietary parts.
Finally if you have any questions regarding what proprietary parts and components can mean to your elevator project please contact us. At TL Shield and MEM we pride ourselves on giving honest answers to your questions about elevators, home or commercial.
All you have to do is click one of the buttons below to get started.
Just a reminder that TL Shield and Associates along with their sister company Modular Elevator Manufacturing will be at the upcoming CASH Conference.
Stop by Booth #419 to see our latest video and discuss solutions to your vertical transportation needs. We will be featuring our MEM Elevator System. It is a commercial quality elevator that is DSA approve and plan checked. This speeds up your building process and assures you will get high quality every time.
See you at the show!
If you have heard about the modular elevator revolution and want to know more you don’t have to be at the show. You can simply click the buttons below.
One of the buttons is to request a FAST TRACK QUOTE. It is the fastest and easiest way to get a thumbnail estimate based on your specific project. Just fill out some simple information and you will be good to go. We will contact you with particulars and general pricing.
The second button is to request a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. That’s right! We pull back the curtain and let you see how we produce the most advanced elevator innovation since Otis cut the rope to show off his breaking system. During the tour you can ask any questions you wish and we can have a discussion about your needs. So hope to hear from you soon.
A wheelchair lift purchase for your home can be a costly so it is important to make a wise choice. There are really two ways that people enter the market for a wheelchair lift purchase. Slowly over time mobility can be reduced. It does happen to us all. Or the one thing we don’t want to think about a catastrophic injury that has life-changing repercussions.
In either case mobility options are a hard choice to make. The options seem overwhelming and difficult. One thing for sure an investment in a wheelchair lift is less expensive than moving to a different home and a lift can avoid many of the pitfalls you have with ramps or other alternatives. Not only can ramps be difficult to navigate, but they can also take up more space than you have property or room.
Moving to assisted living facilities can seem like an alternative, but again cost is significant and can eat up life savings in a hurry. But really, it is your home. It is hard to abandon it unless you absolutely have to. But where do you start?
The first answer is easy. Call TL Shield to get information before you make any decisions. They will listen to your concerns, assess your needs and survey your property to see if it can even accommodate a wheelchair lift or if there is a better alternative. They will then discuss all your options and help you choose what is best for you.
There are several points that need to be considered and they will help you answer:
When we have the opportunity to have an obligation free conversation, we will answer all of these questions and more. We will do what ever we can to make this process easy.
If you now need a wheelchair lift, you are probably facing difficult time in your life. So make things as easy for yourself as possible. Have a discussion with a trusted source that can assist you with the decisions you need to make. There is no cost for a consultation and no obligation. It is just helping you out when you need it most.
As you can see I have place the photo on the left as I explained. I have always been partial to the layout. I don’t know why but I have always been drawn to the Swiss style of design with clean lines and clear justification. Maybe I’m crazy. Who knows, but I think there is a reason there are no Dadaist templates in WordPress. People are gravitated to order and simplicity.
As I said about the conclusion, you gotta make a pitch and make it clear. Give the reader a reason to click. Also leave anything below this alone. It is code and stays the same.
TL Shield is know in the Southern California area as the best provider of home elevators, wheelchair lifts and stair lifts. But many people do not know that TL Shield installs Modular Elevators as well. As vertical transportation experts with over 25 years of experience they have teams of quality technicians that are ready to install nearly any option that moves you up and down.
This was seen in their latest quality modular elevator installation at Newhart Middle School/Mission Viejo, CA. TL Shield installed an innovative modular elevator to perfection. As you can see, the project looks great. It went in faster for the school with no disruption to classes and embracing their movement towards innovation in what they teach and how they teach it.
If you would like to see more about this project or others like it, just let us know. We will meet with you regardless of what type of vertical transportation you need. We are experts that are willing to help. You can also schedule an in person visit by completing the form below.
For more great photos of the project, visit our good friends at Miller Construction. Their team did a great job as well!
I bristle at calling any book, “The Bible”. Not necessarily for the notion that something is authoritative and has the last word in matters of the law, but because it can reduce the Bible to a bunch of codes and rules which is not the case. But when it comes to elevators and all vertical transportation, there is an actual bible (grandma I hope you noticed the small “b”). That bible is the American Society of Mechanical Engineers – Codes and Standards A17 and CSA B44 for our Canadian friends.
The primary purpose for this code is clearly stated by Norman B. Martin, a proponent of the ASME Codes and Standards and highly respected Chief Elevator Inspector for the state of Ohio. He said the following:
“I think the ASME Codes and Standards committees’ most important work is to be able to provide consistency throughout the nation and through North America…An elevator is an elevator and if you build an elevator in California, you should be able to sell it in Ohio, and if you build it in Ohio, you should be able to sell it in Ontario. As such, I think the consistency across the board with the North American standards has allowed that to occur; provide a base level of safety, and allow each jurisdiction to be able to enforce it properly.” Link
His point is that without ASME standards: chaos would reign, safe and unsafe would mix like Labs and Poodles, confusion would hurt commerce, and the safety of the elevator-riding public could be compromised. Truer words have ne’er been spoken.
We at TL Shield have to know the whole code, because we supply all sorts of vertical transportation from elevators to stair lifts. After all we are experts.
But what happens when an inspector is unfamiliar with the code. Or a state or other government entity tries to make changes to elevator standards without directly consulting ASME first? Nothing good and usually problems, delays and compromise.
We recently ran into a rare rogue inspector on a project. He will remain nameless for obvious reasons. He insisted that the elevator pit light had to be fixed to the pit wall. Of course our lead engineer (with over 20 years of elevator experience) pointed to the applicable code. But, that wasn’t good enough and the entire project was put on hold while we awaited more information. Ultimately, we were proven right of course. But, the time spent and frustration on our part and the customer’s part was real.
When it comes to some states, cities and other governmental agencies, we are seeing new subsets of existing codes. It usually stems from those agencies trying to flex some bureaucratic muscle. The other possibility is less appealing. Divas with a wish list of unrealistic expectations becoming involved in the process. It does happen and I have seen it first hand. But regardless they should always defer to the expertise of the ASME Code.
A case that illustrates this clearly was one that involved handrail location in an elevator car. The inspector and the “new” code insisted on a certain location for handrail placement, but they were utterly wrong.
And when I say utterly, I mean it. The location the inspector was touting and requiring was in direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ASME. It also violated the elevator code of the state the project was located in. Again I will refrain from besmirching the inspector or the or code team. However, they came up with the aberrant code and would not budge. It left us with a true Hobson’s choice. We could either violate ADA, ASME or state code and not have the elevator pass inspection. No choice indeed. We opted to civilly argue our case to the powers that be, hoping for wiser heads to prevail. Again weeks passed as did dozens of emails. After all the evidence was gathered, we once again prevailed. But our additional investment of time, emails, and research could not be recouped despite being proven right.
So what does this ultimately mean? It means that the ASME code is the bible for elevators and more. After all, they have been at the code and standards creation business since 1884. Also, they have been writing elevator codes since 1921. They don’t just “kind of” know their business; they have literally written the book. Violation of those codes, for lack of better words, is a sin that should not be engaged in. That is why every type of vertical transportation we install meets code. Everything we do meets or exceeds ASME – A17 and CSA B44 codes and always will. After all compliance produces a completed project faster and also higher in quality and safety.
So when you are looking for a company for installation, information and a great product line, contact TL Shield. We will provide you with fair pricing and any system you need. We can’t wait to help you with your project.
Wheelchair lifts provide accessibility to consider. 1990 seems like a long time ago. Think back to visiting the mall to see a brand new store…Bath & Body Works. You drove there in your sparkling new Saturn Ion while listening to Sinead O’Connor or MC Hammer on the radio. You are that old and so am I. So, when we think of accessibility we tend to believe the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ended any problems right? After all it has been thirty odd years.
But just passing a needed law did not and will not make the problem go away.
For lots of reasons several buildings were exempted from the new rules and also, despite new architectural designs to increase accessibility, there are on going issues. So now maybe time to tackle those concerns. For new projects you may want to consider something other than an elevator. They can be quite costly, not only in the initial investment, but continuing maintenance as well.
Also, older buildings that were once exempted, may want to re-examine possibilities, now that a plethora of solutions now exist. One of those solutions is an easy to use and cost effective wheelchair lift. It solves several problems for significantly less and does not detract from the overall aesthetic of the building.
TLShield installed commercial wheelchair lifts provide a safe and convenient way for people with disabilities or limited mobility to access nearly any building. They are in schools, churches, office buildings and other commercial spaces. Anywhere the public needs access, our ADA lifts are in use. Each meets all local, state and national codes and guidelines.
But more importantly they are designed to give people access they deserve. If your business, organization or work place is in the people business, and there are barriers like steps, you should consider the option of a wheelchair lift.
This is especially true as our nation ages. The projection is that a full 20% of our population will be over 65 years of age by 2030 by the US Census Bureau. That is a jump from the current 56 million to over 73 million in just a handful of years.
So now is the time to consider options and that is what we are all about.
TLShield provides almost every form of vertical transportation. We install and service commercial quality elevators, limited use elevators, stairlifts, wheelchair lifts and even dumbwaiters. We are experts and will meet with you to help you consider all the options and assist you in deciding which is best.
With wheelchair lifts accessibility is now possible for many. So, if you are wanting to improve access step out of the 1990’s and into a future a making accessibility a reality. Feel free to contact us for a consultation. If you are an architect, general contractor or commercial building owner click the Professional Consultation button below.
We need Supportive Housing Elevators Fast. Supportive housing is also referred to affordable housing or low income housing, but regardless of the name the need is more than evident. So, when it comes to housing the homeless, faster is better to address the issue. But also we must use the resources available in a timely fashion. Funds are being allocated to help right now. As an example the Los Angeles City Council has approved more than $51 million in financing for the construction of new affordable and permanent supportive housing developments.
But that funding can be slippery if not acted on quickly and the need could continue to go unaddressed if not used. The bottom line is that funds allocated need to result in actual building projects that are designed for housing the at risk population as quickly as possible.
And there is the problem. As everyone in the construction industry knows, a building does not pop up overnight, even when funding is approved and support is given. It takes plumbing, electric, foundation work, drawings, permits and approvals. Lastly, if over one story the project takes the slowest component of any build project, an elevator. But TLShield and Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) has the solution.
Elevator Sales Executive – Christian Lahud from TLShield & Associates explains, “In traditional construction the elevator hoistway is built and sits until power is turned on at the end of the project. Then and only then elevator technicians show up. They come and go at their leisure, carrying in elevator parts and installing them one at a time until the elevator is running.” Lahud went on to say that, “The elevator and its mechanics are the first on the site and last to leave. Everything is slowed down including other trades that need the elevator installed to finish.”
The MEM Elevator System however is produced in a factory environment where a hoistway is constructed with steel. The structure is engineered to be strong enough to be self-supporting in most cases. Then all of the elevator components are installed in the hoistway in the factory.
Ultimately, when it is needed it is loaded on to a truck, shipped to the jobsite and set in place. In four hours you will have a fully installed, commercial quality elevator ready to be started up and used. It can also double as a construction elevator.
Lahud says this makes MEM perfect for the affordable housing market. “The MEM Elevator System is high-quality, but fast in setting and startup. It is a real solution where speed is of the essence to address a pressing need. No other elevator system is shipped and in place when the customer wants it.”
How do we know we are the solution? Over the decades of experience we have produced several elevators for supportive housing with just a couple of the most recent projects pictured. As you can see, whether a steel frame structure or modular structure involving storage containers, the MEM Elevator System is a perfect fit. We can be what you need regardless of the structure type. Right now due to the speed of modular construction and the immediacy of the problem there seems to be a high demand for modular structures. But another fast way to build housing is using an existing structure.
With that in mind, we are perfect for retrofit opportunities. The initial purpose of the modular elevators was to attach them quickly to exteriors of existing buildings to make them more accessible. We have grown from servicing just that market over the past 30 years, but we are still experts you can rely on if you have a retrofit project in mind.
Wrapping it all up the benefits are obvious:
It maybe time to explore the possibilities further regarding supportive housing elevators and see if the MEM Elevator System can meet your needs. You can click the button below for a Fast Track Quote for a project you currently are working on. However, if you want to explore it more, request a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. We would be happy to pull back the curtain and show you how we produce the industry’s most successful modular elevator solution.
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