Building facility management costs are one of the major expenditures for companies/commercial building owners. Properties like commercial buildings are usually teeming with people and therefore require regular maintenance due to the daily use. Activities like daily cleaning, fixing the lights, equipment, elevator management, and HVAC repairs are regular. But all of this maintenance can increase your tab exponentially. The best way to go about it is to implement some tips and tricks that can bring down the cost a little bit. Here are five ways you can avoid major expenses through planning better:
1. Regular Preventive Maintenance Checks
Instead of calling in a professional every time something is not functional, which is usually when the problem has gotten out of hand, you can implement regular maintenance checks for the facility. Put together a team or a staff of maintenance guys to look into plumbing, HVAC, elevators and escalators, and the bathrooms. Because if one day the main line stops functioning out of nowhere, you will have to call in a reliable commercial plumber to fix the issue. It’s best to have a small, well-rounded maintenance team available on call and scheduled every month to check if everything is in tip-top shape, lest you run into serious problems.
2. Staff Trainings
Another great way of preventing the cost of calling in maintenance guys for whatever reason is that you can educate your in-house staff to deal with basic and uncomplicated maintenance fixes. Moreover you can hold training sessions for the employees in the building as well, so they can get themselves out of a pickle in an emergency if needed. You can teach them to watch out for possible problems like flickering or broken lights, water leaks anywhere in the building, and any issues with the HVAC systems. Because as soon as these issues are pointed out, they can be resolved efficiently without costing you a ton of money.
3. Invest in Technology
Using technology can drastically reduce the costs of maintenance. Although setting up high-tech to probe for problems and automate systems can cost a fortune upfront, in the long run, it simply helps keep an eye on all the equipment in the building and monitor its functioning closely. The Computer Maintenance Management Systems can largely help you diagnose issues in the early stage and prevent major replacement and repair costs in the long run. This technology can also help predict maintenance sessions and how frequently they are needed. It also helps avoid any surprises by keeping you posted on how well the equipment and facility are functioning. Above all, it can help add to the value of your building because a facility with top-notch services is always in demand, which means more customers.
4. Keep a Parts Inventory
Keeping a running inventory is crucial when it comes to preventing the cost of parts. When something breaks down and you need an expert, they would likely bring the parts as well and provide a quote for their service, plus the cost of parts, but usually, these services price the parts they provide at a markup. If you directly purchase some of the major repair and equipment replacement parts and keep them stored in your inventory, you will have to pay less for the repairs. But be sure not to overstock, as that can take up a lot of your storage space. You can ask your building maintenance manager to chalk up a list of parts that should be kept in the storage at all times.
5. Learn to Bargain
When you’re in the business of commercial buildings, you need to make allies with the right service providers and vendors. Having a good relationship with these service providers can help you get a decent bargain on their services. Ideally, keep specific vendors for specific kinds of maintenance work and give them regular business to get a discount on their services. Working with tested service providers not only gives you peace of mind because they’re reliable, but also at a relatively lower cost than the market.
Conclusion
Building management is not rocket science; a little bit of careful planning and being aware of the system can help you reduce the financial costs of repairs by a lot. Just keep the above-given tips in mind, prepare for any breakdowns, but also prevent them as efficiently as you can.