How Much Does Elevator Door Lock Monitoring Cost?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗗𝗟𝗠) 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁? (𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭 𝗼𝗳 𝟮)

🤔 Am I being ripped off?

That’s the question many building owners call us with.

Most start with something like:
“I see you sell a DLM for $2,500. XYZ Elevator Company is charging me $18,000. Am I being ripped off?”

The short answer: likely not.

We typically see DLM projects priced between $8,000 and $30,000. Some consultants list a wider range, $1,000 to $60,000. The wide range exists because, without knowing the details of the project, the controller may just need a firmware upgrade, may require an external DLM, or the contractor may rightly recommend additional work beyond what is simply required for DLM compliance.

And if a DLM is needed, the real cost isn’t just the hardware, it’s the labor, which varies based on the equipment, controller type, installation difficulty, and timing.

📅 Year of installation
The ASME A17.1-2000 edition was the first to include DLM in its current form. Elevators installed after this time may only need a parameter or firmware upgrade. This could put you on the lower end of the cost range, but don’t expect to pay only $1,000. Most firmware upgrades, including labor, cost between $5,000 and $10,000.

Elevators installed before 2000 usually require a DLM overlay. Quotes for overlays range from $5,000 to $35,000 — the lower end typically reflects a straightforward job with promotional pricing, while the higher end represents a project with all the added complexities. The variance results from multiple factors, including labor, controller type, and installation complexity (these factors will be discussed in more detail in Part 2).

🔧 When more than DLM is needed
Sometimes an elevator needs other important upgrades in addition to DLM. This is when costs reach their highest. While the cost of adding DLM alone may not be that high, sometimes a modernization or controller replacement is the wisest choice when multiple upgrades are needed. However, this will be more expensive than simply adding DLM and, depending on the elevator, this is how you approach the $60,000 mark.

Be careful to note that some door lock monitors do not work with every elevator. Companies who provide these DLMs may say modernization is the only path forward — true for what they offer, but not true overall. Argus Elevator’s DLM works with 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 elevator and is always an option if only DLM compliance is needed.

Once it’s clear that your elevator requires a DLM overlay, rather than just a firmware update or a modernization, the question arises: what drives the variation in cost?

👉 Next post: a breakdown of the specific factors that drive DLM cost and how to evaluate whether a quote is fair.