This is how you make a sustainable and long-term maintenance plan
What does a maintenance plan actually contain and what is important to consider when planning property maintenance and renovations?
As a property owner, you have an obligation to maintain the properties you own, which can mean everything from window replacements and facade renovation to maintenance of the ventilation system. Today, manual maintenance plans are common, which can often be short-term and difficult to follow up. Here we tell you more about what you need to think about to create a long-term and sustainable maintenance plan.
What is a maintenance plan?
A maintenance plan shows all future maintenance and renovation needs for a specific property. The maintenance plan should include all maintenance and renovation needs, when they need to be done and how much the measures will cost.
A good maintenance plan answers these three questions:
- What measures need to be taken in the property?
- When do maintenance and renovations need to be carried out?
- How much will it cost?
With a good maintenance plan, you get an overview of all maintenance needs in the property. You also get an overview of future costs for maintenance and renovations, and it becomes easier to plan the finances for property maintenance in the long term. A maintenance plan also reduces the risk of unplanned and urgent measures which in some cases can mean extensive costs. The plan helps you keep track of all maintenance measures. If you also have a large property portfolio, maintenance planning becomes an invaluable tool for the technical and financial management of your properties.
But in order to work effectively with maintenance planning, it needs to be easy to create and update a plan so that you always have an up-to-date picture of what needs to be done.
Is there a difference between operation and maintenance?
Yes, operation and maintenance are different things. Maintenance is the measures that need to be taken to maintain the property in as good a condition as possible. Window replacements, facade renovation, reroofing and maintenance of ventilation systems are things that are included in property maintenance. Operation is more property-related service such as e.g. to ensure that heating and electricity work as they should in daily operations.
| Examples of property maintenance | Examples of property management |
|---|---|
| Window replacement | Supervision of heating, water and ventilation |
| Facade renovation | Error reporting and emergency measures |
| Stock change | Maintenance of stairwells |
| Reroofing | Cleaning of filters and valves |
What makes a maintenance plan so important?
A good maintenance plan gives you the opportunity to plan long-term, spread costs over several years and create synergies in the maintenance and renovation work by planning several measures at the same time. A window replacement and facade painting carried out at the same time can e.g. reduce the total cost of scaffolding.
Benefits of having a maintenance plan:
- You gain control over the property finances and can spread costs in the short and long term
- You get an overview of the property's condition - which measures have been implemented and expected maintenance needs in the future
- You get a solid decision basis for planning future measures
- You can work proactively with maintenance and reduce the risk of urgent and unplanned maintenance measures
- You get the conditions for long-term and sustainable financial and technical property management
- You can procure measures in good time, which often means lower costs
Before you get started, what does the current situation look like?
Before starting the maintenance plan - gather as much information as possible. Do you have a current property inspection and previous inspection report? Is there an energy declaration? What measures have been implemented in recent years? Make sure you are aware of the current condition of the property and collect previous documentation. Also find out what budget is available for property maintenance going forward so it becomes clear what frameworks you have to work with.
This should be included in the plan
When you have all the prerequisites in place such as budget and current situation, you can start planning. So what should be included in the maintenance plan?
Actions and prioritization - what maintenance needs to be done and what is most important?
All future measures must be included in the maintenance plan. For example, in the case of a window replacement, the maintenance plan needs to clearly show which windows apply and in which property. Are there actions that are more urgent than others? You also need to keep that in mind when creating a maintenance plan.
Time perspective - how long does each action take and when should it be carried out?
How long does it take to carry out the maintenance and when should it be carried out? Different measures will take different amounts of time to do. A trunk replacement in a large property can take up to 2 years if you include inspections, implementation and follow-up, while reroofing a smaller building can take a few days to a few weeks depending on the type of roof and the existing condition. When these measures are to be taken must also be included in the plan - year and month.
Cost of each maintenance action
The cost of each measure must also be included in the maintenance plan. Partly to be able to budget, but also to be able to plan cost-effectively. The cost must include unit, quantity and unit price. Keep in mind that if you change supplier, you may need to update the costs so that they reflect the new price picture.
How often should the measures be taken?
Maintenance planning can involve plans that extend over 50 years. Certain maintenance needs to be carried out at more frequent intervals such as, while other types of maintenance such as tribe changes are carried out within an interval of approx. 30-50 years. These intervals should also be included in the plan.
Status of each action
How are the maintenance measures going? Which ones are completed? In the maintenance plan, you should be able to see the status of each action in order to be able to follow up and know what remains to be done going forward.
Don't forget the energy and climate goals
In the near future, it may become relevant to have a minimum requirement for energy needs in properties through the new version of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which places additional demands on you as a property owner.
By adding energy and climate aspects to the planning, you get an even better overview of the property's condition - but above all, you get a better decision-making basis that allows you to create maintenance plans based on both financial and environmental aspects. In this way, you can work proactively towards energy and climate goals. Here you can read more about klimatsmart underhållsplanering.
Maintenance planning with Sinom
With Sinom, you easily create plans for property maintenance and renovations while keeping track of all costs. Gather all property data in one place – inspection reports, energy declarations, costs, status and much more. Before you make a decision about a plan, you can compare several different plans and scenarios based on costs and energy needs.
Sinom is completely data-driven – this means the tool updates and optimizes your plans automatically. See the effect on costs immediately when you adjust planned actions. Our planning tool is also completely unique in that it includes energy and climate targets. Create a long-term plan for effective property management while saving time, money and protecting the environment. Curious about the tool? Here you can read more about the tool's functions or learn more about how data-driven maintenance planning works here.
Do you want to get in touch with us and talk more about Sinom? Contact us here or book a demo directly.
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