Building maintenance is one of those things that can feel like it’s burning a hole through your budget. Thankfully, with some smart planning and a few tips from experienced building maintenance professionals, you can keep costs to a minimum.
Here are our top 6 tips on how to reduce costs on your next project at your school, strata complex or commercial property:
Plan ahead
Emergency fixes are more expensive than planned maintenance. And if you’ve noticed missing roof tiles or a crack in the wall, it’s already too late for the most cost-effective maintenance option.
When you’re planning your building maintenance budgets for your school, strata residence or commercial property, cost out a proactive maintenance schedule and stick to it! Regular, preventative maintenance will keep disruptions to a minimum and help keep your costs manageable. Check out our building maintenance service page for more on what a plan can cover, and how it can help you manage costs.
Start with worsening problems
Even if you’re planning to transition to a preventative maintenance schedule instead of tackling reactive projects, you’ll need to determine where to start playing catch-up. To reduce your building maintenance costs overall, start by fixing the problems that are deteriorating the fastest (rather than just the worst ones).
Organise or implement a new asset management system
Track the status and performance of your assets in as close to real-time as possible. While there are software solutions available to help with this, even a manual system will help keep track of important data on assets from their installation, through operation, maintenance and upgrades. Knowing the exact status of your assets can help you schedule repairs while fixes are still minor, saving you money. You’ll also know exactly when you need to replace an asset, giving you time to work it into the annual budget rather than having to scramble for funds last-minute.
Leverage economies of scale
This one’s related to planning ahead too — evidently a money-saver! Whether you’re following a preventative maintenance schedule, or need to do some reactive maintenance, leveraging economies of scale can reduce your costs by tackling what needs to be done systematically. Contracting a reputable company to complete a group of tasks will save you time, effort and money as, for example, service providers need only one orientation to your project and grounds.
Check your buildings’ HVAC systems regularly
Badly managed heating, ventilation and air conditioning can bring in unexpected maintenance costs. If one of your units unexpectedly malfunctions or stops working altogether fixes will be costly — as they often need to be addressed immediately. Inspect your HVAC system at least twice a year, and add each unit to your asset management system to avoid surprises.
Don’t be afraid of calling on experts
Knowing how to reduce building maintenance costs is a skill that develops over time. And if you’re pressed for time or don’t wish to learn the hard way, it may be more cost-effective to enlist the help of professionals from the first.
A free, no-obligation quote from a reputable company can be a good way to compare an expert assessment to your own estimated budget (and spot any inefficiencies you may have been unaware of). Contact the First Response team and get a quote — we’d be happy to help you cost out and plan for your next project, or answer any questions you may have.