The article barely mentions unions which are a driver of extra cost. The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) requires that elevators be assembled on-site rather than prefabricated in many cases for job security.
Why is it better to reduce income and working conditions for workers rather than to reduce income for building owners? Why shouldn't the workers be paid well? Cutting their pay and working conditions probably won't help much with the labor shortage either.
Prefab would increase the working conditions of workers. A factory is generally less dangerous than a construction site. Workers should be paid fairly - paying them too much robs everyone else. (what is fair is subject to debate of course)
"In a story beloved by economists it’s said that Milton Friedman was once visiting China when he was shocked to see that, instead of modern tractors and earth movers, thousands of workers were toiling away building a canal with shovels. He asked his host, a government bureaucrat, why more machines weren’t being used. The bureaucrat replied, 'You don’t understand. This is a jobs program.' To which Milton responded, 'Oh, I thought you were trying to build a canal. If it’s jobs you want, you should give these workers spoons, not shovels!'"
I wonder how much pre-fabrication would save. At least with cable elevators. In the end elevators are rather precision machines and buildings are often less than perfect. Also doorways can be smaller than the cars so building them inside shaft is often needed.
