{"id":11484,"date":"2016-11-25T20:40:53","date_gmt":"2016-11-25T20:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asapdrainandplumbing.com\/water-heater-repair-tips-copy\/"},"modified":"2016-11-25T20:40:53","modified_gmt":"2016-11-25T20:40:53","slug":"for-property-managers-making-the-best-use-of-your-service-providers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asapdrainandplumbing.com\/for-property-managers-making-the-best-use-of-your-service-providers\/","title":{"rendered":"For Property Managers: Making the Best Use of Your Service Providers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most business people know that\u00a0a company needs the big three — lawyer, banker, and accountant — to avoid problems and to keep things humming along.\u00a0 But real estate managers<\/strong> also need a group of inspection and preventive maintenance service providers<\/strong>.\u00a0 That group should cover all aspects of your properties so that when any emergency arises you can call someone already familiar with your facility, cutting cut hours or even days off emergency response and resolution times.<\/p>\n

You most likely already have a daily, weekly, and monthly checklist for your own staff covering things like security and lighting.\u00a0 And probably several service contracts such as for fire protection code compliance.\u00a0 But your list of repair and preventive maintenance companies maybe not so well organized.\u00a0 You might even have something that’s fallen through the cracks so that when there’s an emergency you’ll need to search for and then qualify a contractor… or take a risk on whomever you run across first.\u00a0 At the opposite extreme there might be a few activities that could be more economically combined into a single full-service contractor or performed less often.<\/p>\n

Create a Complete Preventive Maintenance Plan<\/h2>\n

Your\u00a0maintenance schedule\u00a0is an important part of your risk management plan.\u00a0 Many tasks are beyond what your in-house maintenance crew can handle, including those where regulations require inspection and testing by an outside party.\u00a0 Besides reducing code-compliance hassles, re-inspections, and fines a coordinated plan combining all of your providers will relieve your work- and stress-load with more convenient scheduling.<\/p>\n

Identify All Needs<\/h3>\n

The first step is creating a list covering all of your needs.\u00a0 It’s important to think beyond routine maintenance and identify emergency services for which you many not have a trusted provider.\u00a0 You probably already have someone for plumbing problems, but most facilities need many more.\u00a0 Here are\u00a0only a\u00a0few of the key areas where 3rd party services are often employed.\u00a0 It’s just a starting point for your own brainstorming.<\/p>\n

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  • Building Exterior<\/strong>\n
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    • Exterior surfaces should be power washed twice a year.\u00a0 Real estate managers often outsource this job along with more frequent window washing.<\/li>\n
    • Gutters and storm drain gates might be checked and cleaned by your own staff.<\/li>\n
    • Roofing and flashing should be professionally inspected twice a year and after any significant storm.<\/li>\n
    • Trim, finishes, and weather stripping\u00a0may benefit from a professional inspection every few years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Building Interior<\/strong>\n
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      • Trash collection, general cleaning, and carpet cleaning — whether in-house or outsourced — should keep an eye out for maintenance issues.<\/li>\n
      • Pest control on a regular schedule prevents rather than reacts to problems after occupant complaints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Electrical<\/strong>\n
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        • Interior and exterior lighting should be checked regularly, usually by your own staff.\u00a0 Proper maintenance includes replacing florescent bulbs before they completely fail and cleaning reflectors, lenses, etc.\u00a0 Consider switching to state-of-the-art LED lighting, even if that involves bringing an electrician and new fixtures.\u00a0 The savings in air-conditioning as well as lighting electrical savings can be huge, even to the point of significantly reducing the capacity of any HVAC replacement in commercial buildings.<\/li>\n
        • Switch gear, panels, breakers, and connections should be inspected by a licensed electrician every 3 to 5 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Grounds<\/strong>\n
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          • Fountains and pools are best maintained by an outside specialist. Expert assistance for filters, pumps, and other equipment is also worthwhile.<\/li>\n
          • Irrigation\u00a0systems need checkups and occasional timer adjustments and lawn sprinkler head replacements.\u00a0 This might be outsourced to your landscaping service.<\/li>\n
          • Landscaping and lawn maintenance\u00a0is often contracted out for better appearance and for avoiding costly\u00a0equipment that sits idle most of the time.<\/li>\n
          • Parking and pavement need frequent inspections and regular resurfacing.\u00a0 By regularly filling cracks and seal-coating asphalt paving as soon as it’s needed repaving should only be\u00a0needed once every 20 years!<\/li>\n
          • Signage cleaning and maintenance is often outsourced when access is difficult.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Mechanical<\/strong>\n
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            • Building automation systems call for regular checks and tests, especially for sensors.<\/li>\n
            • HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) window units as well as central systems should have twice-yearly professional service, ideally at the start of the heating and cooling seasons.\u00a0 Beyond your\u00a0own activities\u00a0such as checking and changing air filters as often as once a month, outsourced care includes tasks such as pump and fan lubrication, coil cleaning, tests, and manufacturer-recommended scheduled replacement of components.\u00a0 Thorough service also includes checking gaskets, p- and u-traps and condensate pans as well as measuring equipment pressures and temperatures.\u00a0 Fans and dampers also require inspection and test.\u00a0 Cooling towers have extensive inspection and maintenance needs.<\/li>\n
            • Plumbing maintenance includes fixtures, the plumbing itself, drain and sewer lines, and storm drains.\u00a0 We’ll say more about this later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • Safety and Security<\/strong>\n
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              • Access control systems should be checked\u00a0frequently along with regular professional inspections and testing.<\/li>\n
              • Alarms for fire (as well as for and unauthorized access are critical for the building, parking lot, and their perimeters) need certified testing.<\/li>\n
              • Emergency exit lighting requires periodic checks, but a professional service can save you time and provide extra peace of mind.<\/li>\n
              • Fire protection\u00a0maintenance begins with monthly visual inspections and checks of extinguishers, hoses, and alarms.\u00a0 The rest must be performed by licensed specialists.\u00a0 That includes testing and recharging portable fire extinguishers, maintaining and testing fire hoses, and periodic testing and certification\u00a0of sprinkler systems as required by local codes and ordinances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                There are many other items, most of which can be checked and taken care of by your own staff, such as kitchen and break-room appliances.\u00a0 Don’t forget cleaning gutters and down spouts at least once a year and storm drain grates before and after each storm.\u00a0 Nor safety-critical interior features such as stair and balcony railings as well as door closers.\u00a0 It helps to imagine yourself walking through and observing every last part of the building and grounds, inside and out.\u00a0 You should also go through records and other documentation to help assure a complete list for each facility you manage, including the following.<\/p>\n

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                • Appliance and equipment installation and repair manuals.<\/li>\n
                • Local, state, and federal regulations and ordinances.<\/li>\n
                • Prior emergency and repair records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Go through your records of prior emergencies along with ordinances and regulations,\u00a0as well as\u00a0any installation and user’s manuals you might have to help create a complete list for each facility you manage.<\/p>\n

                  Initial Inspections and Quotations<\/h3>\n

                  Next it’s time to identify and qualify new service providers, getting quotes from them as well as your\u00a0current providers for any services you don’t already have covered.\u00a0 Actually, it’s a very good idea to have them take a fresh look at what you’re already covering.\u00a0 Their inspections, either as part of a free quotation or as a low-cost service, may identify impending yet preventable problems.\u00a0 You can\u00a0establish the costs of bringing conditions up to where maintenance will be fully protecting the future rather than constantly trying to catch up.<\/p>\n

                  Let them be your consultants for each aspect of each facility<\/b><\/em>.<\/b><\/p>\n

                  Repairs and Upgrade<\/h3>\n

                  Once\u00a0you have the big picture and all the details, you’re ready to set priorities, budgets, and schedules.\u00a0 You may have identified problems that need to be taken care of immediately, and systems that need to be brought up to code before your next inspections.<\/p>\n

                  It may also be a good time to replace aging equipment and other items.\u00a0 If so, seriously consider upgrades to high-efficiency low-maintenance products to reduce future operation and maintenance costs.\u00a0 For electric DHW, heat-pump technologies cut energy use in half.\u00a0 Window glazings are now better at thermal insulation, controlling sun, and deadening sound than just a few years ago.\u00a0 Many current roof shingles, exterior-wall coatings, patio covers, and sewer lines\u00a0have 20-30 year lifetimes.\u00a0 Similar benefits accrue to pool equipment upgrades.\u00a0 And speaking of pools, don’t forget safety features there and throughout the building and site.<\/p>\n

                  A Coordinated Preventive Maintenance Program<\/h4>\n

                  Now you’re ready to set up the maintenance plan, update your in-house checklists, expand service contracts, and bring in new providers.\u00a0 You’ll be creating your own master plan, but you also want each service provider to\u00a0outline a\u00a0plan specific to each of your sites.\u00a0 That way you’ll have everything that’s important without paying for anything you don’t need.<\/p>\n

                  Putting all services and providers into a spreadsheet is often a big help as you can add columns for categories, sort, add together totals and subtotals, update status, and so on.\u00a0 Or you can do it the old-fashioned way with an accountant’s or other multi-column pad.\u00a0 Either way, on\u00a0one or more pages each column can be a year, a month, a week, or even a day, with each row a particular maintenance action grouped by who will be performing that work.\u00a0 You’ll need to make a complete set for each facility, and then distribute those copies to each location while safely storing the master yourself.\u00a0 You\u00a0may also want to use those copies as checklists, marked off as each item is completed along with the date any notes that seem appropriate.<\/p>\n

                  Then it’s time to choose companies and work out contracts. It’s worthwhile to look for\u00a0full-service companies and\u00a0make better use of those you’re already dealing with.\u00a0 Besides having fewer companies to deal with that usually means lower fees, benefiting from package rates and low-cost add-ons.\u00a0 For example, many fire protection companies offer services that include emergency exit lighting and kitchen hood cleaning along with alarms, fire extinguisher and hose maintenance, and sprinkler system testing.\u00a0 As another example, it’s usually best to go with a full-service plumber rather than a drain cleaner and<\/em> a plumber.\u00a0 The company you choose should have capabilities such as leak detection, in-pipe video inspection cameras, and hydro-jetting equipment.\u00a0 If you manage both commercial and residential properties, choose one experienced in both.<\/p>\n

                  Remember to choose contractors experienced in both the type and size of your\u00a0facilities.\u00a0 It’s always worth a reminder not to base choices on price alone.\u00a0 Reputation and good working relationships are vital.\u00a0 And it’s always worthwhile to spend a little more for quality work and prompt service, especially when downtime means lost customers or idle employees.<\/p>\n

                  After setting intervals or number of visits each year in the contract,\u00a0work out a maintenance schedule right down to the day and hour.\u00a0 You can minimize the distractions to you and your staff as well as disruption to occupants.\u00a0 For example schedule work that needs roof, basement, or equipment room access together.\u00a0 And of course schedule maintenance before an inspection rather than a little while afterward.<\/p>\n

                  Finally, keep all that paperwork (including contracts) organized, and your list of companies and their contact information always handy.<\/p>\n

                  The Benefits<\/h4>\n

                  Risk management is at the heart of maintenance planning, minimizing unexpected expenses and disruptions while reducing costs and helping to retaining tenants.\u00a0 Proper maintenance keeps small problems from becoming big problems and extends the lifetime of equipment and building components.\u00a0 A comprehensive maintenance schedule makes your property management job easier, with far less chance of something being neglected until it’s too late. And documenting good maintenance practices can go a long way in insurance\u00a0and warranty claims.\u00a0 Here are a few more key benefits.<\/p>\n

                  Alerted to Impending Problems<\/h5>\n

                  The initial inspections for everything on you list will identify immanent risks, and scheduled maintenance will spot problems that develop after that well before they become major headaches.<\/p>\n

                  Balance the Budget<\/h5>\n

                  Strategic planning almost always pays off, usually with some big budget savings.\u00a0 Rather than a laundry list created on the fly you’ll have coordinated priorities so that services with the best ROI are included and those that don’t pay their way are dropped. You will also have determined the best balance of in-house staff duties and outside services.\u00a0 Each facility has its own “sweet spot” based on scale and special conditions and amenities.\u00a0 Plus, costs will be integrated into your monthly, annual, and capital\u00a0budgets.\u00a0 Besides saving money in the long run, preventive maintenance also makes your expenses and cash flow much more predictable.\u00a0 You’ll also be maintaining the value of the building.<\/p>\n

                  Emergency Services at the Ready<\/h6>\n

                  You don’t want to be caught in emergency situation and not know who to turn to.\u00a0 Having considered all needs and interviewed prospects, at the very least you’ll have a short list.\u00a0 And for those you choose for ongoing maintenance you’ll have someone you know and trust who\u00a0is already familiar with your properties for the fastest emergency diagnosis and repair.<\/p>\n

                  Plumbing System Maintenance<\/h6>\n

                  Plumbing systems are\u00a0often neglected until there’s a problem, but there’s actually a lot that can be done to prevent problems.\u00a0 As a full-service plumbing company we can provide\u00a0some additional details regarding scheduled\u00a0services. In establishing a residential or commercial plumbing maintenance plan we walk the property\u00a0and can then proceed with detailed inspections and\u00a0tests.\u00a0 From there we\u00a0recommend long-term preventive maintenance tasks and help you establish schedules.<\/p>\n

                  Scheduled Maintenance<\/h6>\n

                  Don’t forget to remind your janitorial staff to be on the lookout for leaking faucets and other fixtures as well as discoloration and other signs of water damage.\u00a0 Then schedule professional inspection and maintenance services for at least once a year.<\/p>\n

                  Here are the\u00a0most\u00a0commonly included tasks for commercial and larger residential properties such as apartment buildings and complexes.<\/p>\n