Every building, large or small, requires upkeep. That's why it's so important to have a set schedule and experts on hand for your building maintenance tasks. But you can't plan for everything, and some costs outside your normal maintenance program may come up. In this post, we'll go over five major financial risks that come with a building's maintenance and how you can reduce these risks.
1. Overinflated quotes
Many building maintenance companies claim never to turn down work. Often these companies will artificially inflate their price quotes when they're particularly busy, and because of this, we always recommend collecting multiple quotes for a project whenever possible. There are also sometimes multiple ways to achieve a similar outcome on a job, so you can ask a contractor what options are available, as there can be significant price differences between methods.
One of the best ways to mitigate this financial risk is to set up a regular maintenance program for your property. Knowing what costs are going to crop up and at what time you should expect them is a real game-changer.
2. Redoing work
At times, doing a job poorly can be worse than leaving it undone. It can be tempting to try to save on costs by contracting with unlicensed builders or maintenance companies—or having a mate come by to make repairs. However, this avenue can prove more costly than simply doing the job right on the first try. You may even face litigation if the faulty repairs are hazardous to the public.
To lower this risk, be careful when you choose a company for your building maintenance. Find out what licenses each company holds and what the company's expertise is.
3. Last-minute planning
Some last-minute repairs will be inevitable, as it's hard to plan for certain events like storms or floods for example. However, there are a lot of building repair and maintenance tasks that you can plan ahead for. In these cases, planning ahead can save quite a lot of money and if you implement an asset management system, this can aid in this planning.
You should also consider when you schedule these maintenance tasks. The Christmas season, for instance, is particularly busy when it comes to school maintenance as most schools close to students over this period, meaning works can be carried out without interuption. Planning maintenance tasks during specific seasons can take away the extra fees that come with rush service. Ask the contractor in charge of your building maintenance program whether you could save money by moving your maintenance around. The chances are good that they can work with you.
Read more about the difference between repairs and maintenance work here.
4. Uncovering knock-on work
When the course of work uncovers knock-on issues, like electrical faults or asbestos, you can face a bill that was more than you originally budgeted for. Within the construction space, projects often have unexpected developments so it's always best to have a contingency budget in case contractors uncover issues that need to be dealt with before the original work can continue.
5. Working in the wrong order
Doing work in the wrong order can delay the completion date of a project and can leave you picking up the tab for extra labour and materials. Always confirm a contractor’s expected order of task completion, and feel free to get a second opinion on this order from other experienced companies.
Having a single maintenance contractor handle multiple types of projects can be a win here. This helps ensure you’re not risking, for example, someone repainting your building’s interior before they do the electrical and lights get moved requiring patching later.
Why you should choose First Response Maintenance Solutions for your building maintenance needs
First Response Maintenance Solutions is the top builder and painter in Queensland, serving the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. We take pride in being reliable and experienced, and our contractors have an average of over 15 years of building and maintenance expertise. For all forms of repairs to small and medium commercial buildings, we should be the first team you call. To learn more about the services we offer, or to schedule your free, no-obligation price quote, contact us today.