Let’s face it, in these uncertain times, the last thing any of us need are unexpected costs.
Ian Eggleton, Director of Building Consultancy looks at how to avoid unexpected problems with your property and buildings.
We've all been there - a broken boiler or a new gearbox can put a big dent on a household finances when you least expect it.
Annoying - but when you scale that up to a portfolio or estate of property – a nasty surprise, especially in these uncertain times, can be potentially very financially damaging.
What is a PPM Survey and why do I need one now more than ever?
The clue is in the title – a Planned Maintenance or PPM Survey helps property owners/managers to plan and take a strategic approach to the management and maintenance of their buildings.
A Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) Survey is an essential tool that enable building owners/occupiers to proactively maintain, manage and improve their properties over a period of years.
A PPM report will involve a detailed survey inspection of your buildings, along with a schedule with recommendations for the coming years, to provide a planned maintenance strategy. A report will identify repair projects and provide recommended timescales for undertaking repair works over coming years, and also provide budget costs to help you plan and budget accordingly.
Prevention is better than cure
The old adage springs to mind – ‘Prevention is always better than Cure’. If you can ensure that your property assets are looked after and kept in good repair, you will avoid any nasty surprises, enabling you to plan and budget for costs in a managed way.
Planned maintenance is always less costly to deal with than later down the road when there is a greater problem or if it becomes an emergency requirement. Savings of between 12%-18% are often quoted for planned maintenance costs compared with a reactive approach.
Who can afford to take the reactive approach right now? With a planned approach, you know what you’re dealing with and can prioritise and budget accordingly. It makes sense.
A more strategic approach
There is also the wider agenda – having full visibility and knowledge of the state and condition of your buildings, means that you are able to plan and make decisions more effectively for the future. Which areas will you focus on? Which will you develop? What are your future plans for your different buildings? It may also enable you to address wider issues such as environmental and sustainability alongside your regular maintenance plans.
Your property and buildings are always going to require maintenance and repair – you take that on the moment you become a property owner or manager. Surely it’s best to be one step ahead and know what’s around the corner? A bit of certainty in an uncertain world.
Ian Eggleton is Director of Building Consultancy at Evans Jones. If you would like to find out more about a PPM Survey for your property and buildings, please contact Ian on 0800 0014090 or email ian.eggleton@evansjones.co.uk.