Building Maintenance & Management
In this country over one third of the annual expenditure on building work is devoted to maintenance and yet this field of activity is still regarded by many as having little or no merit.
All too often building owners keep maintenance expenditure to a minimum. They either ignore or don’t realise that the consequential and accumulative costs of neglect far outweigh the cost of adopting the appropriate remedial or preventative measures at the correct time. Buildings are too valuable to be neglected in this way.
Building Deterioration
All buildings start to deteriorate from the moment they are completed and from that time they begin to need maintenance in order to keep them in good condition. Depending on the materials used elements of buildings deteriorate at varying rates. The methods of construction, environmental conditions and the use of the building also affect the rate of deterioration.
Although this process of gradual deterioration is inevitable, the speed at which it proceeds can be regulated. The ultimate failure of the building in whole or part, can be avoided or accelerated, according to the way in which the building is maintained.
Maintenance
Maintenance tends to fall into two categories, reactive and planned. The skill in advising on maintenance matters lie in identifying a defect, assessing its cause, gauging the seriousness of the problem and the likely extent of consequential work if the defect is not attended to immediately.
It also involves financial management in planning the works to ensure that a client makes adequate financial provision and does not suffer large fluctuations in outgoings, nor has to budget for a high dilapidations claim at the end of his lease. By virtue of his training the Chartered Building Surveyor has these skills.
Planned repair and maintenance budgets are invaluable aids to proper building management. They will inevitably result in the need to prepare detailed specifications and the organisation of repairs, which have been identified. Stephen D Buxton & Associates is currently doing just this for their clients.