What is Planned Preventative Maintenance?
Planned preventative maintenance (or PPM) does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a proactive approach to property upkeep that aims to head off issues as they appear, rather than let them build into bigger problems. Think of it as a health plan for your property. Instead, of waiting for things to break and then fixing them, planned preventative maintenance means you identify potential issues early and manage them on your own terms.There are a lot of benefits to taking this approach – it extends the life of the building, maintains compliance and reduces unexpected repair costs.
Who Would Benefit from a PPM Survey?
Now the big question is, who actually needs one? Answer? Nearly everyone who owns or manages a property. From schools and local authorities to care homes, housing associations and even commercial landlords. If you’re responsible for any kind of building, a PPM survey can make a world of difference. It also helps you to create a structured maintenance plan that is tailored to your building’s specific needs, and means you’re spending your time in the most memorable way possible.
A PPM survey is usually done by a surveyor, so that it can be properly tailored to your needs. For example, maybe you only need to focus on external elevations for a warehouse, or you want to target internal communal areas in a block of flats. The flexibility means you’re only ever paying for what you need, and no unnecessary inspections.
What Does the Surveyor Actually Inspect?
Usually, a surveyor will start outside and work from the top down. They’ll examine things like:
• Roof coverings
• Facias
• Soffits
• Gutters
• Downpipes
• External walls
• Windows
• Doors
Then they’ll move inside and look at things like:
• Ceilings
• Walls
• Floor coverings
They will also look for key services and statutory items, including:
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing
• Fire alarms
• Emergency lighting
• Escape routes
All of these components can be documented, giving you a complete picture of your building’s condition.
Costs, Risks and Reporting
During the survey, each element being assessed will be given a risk score. Along with an outline of its current condition, this gives you an idea of how soon repair work might be needed. Each issue will also come with an estimated cost for the repairs, which is what allows you to accurately forecast maintenance budgets over the next 5 to 10 years.
If you’re a landlord or property manager with multiple sites, PPM reports are structured so that you can easily filter high and low risk items. This allows you to prioritise urgent repairs across your whole portfolio without feeling overwhelmed.
How PPM Surveys Help Facilities Managers
Let’s say you’re a facilities manager. For you, a PPM schedule is a game-changer. It helps give your maintenance routine structure, as well as making sure you’re compliant with health and safety. With one in hand, you can plan your resources, book contractors, and even manage multiple sites without stress or worry. Plus, taking this proactive approach to maintenance can help you reduce unexpected repair costs (which no one likes!), extend the life of building components and avoid disruption and downtime for the people in your buildings. For example, timely decoration of external joinery prevents rot, and early treatment of corroded steelwork can prevent major structural issues.
As an added bonus, if you work with an expert firm of surveyors like us, we can supply you with an in-house project team to prepare detailed specifications, tender works and oversee each project to delivery.
How Do I Use a PPM Schedule?
That sounds all well and good in theory, but how do you put the plan into action? Well, here’s a simple process you can follow:
• Instruct a surveyor to conduct a PPM survey tailored to your building’s needs.
• Review the completed PPM schedule, assessing the risk ratings and associated costs with each job.
• Create a maintenance calendar, scheduling works over 5-10 years depending on their risk level and how quickly they need to be done.
• Prioritise high-risk items, and consider bundling work on projected across the sit to reduce costs.
• Monitor and regularly update your schedule, tracking completed tasks and adding future maintenance needs.
If you want to streamline this even further, or reduce the amount of time it can take, our surveyors at Harrison Clarke can help. We can draft specifications, package works together effectively, and tender for the most suited contractors to meet your needs.
By taking a more proactive approach to maintenance, you’re ensuring that your building remains safe, functional and valuable for years to come. So, if you’re ready to implement a PPM schedule, or just want to learn more about how it can benefit your property, just get in touch with the team at Harrison Clarke today. You can call us on 023 8155 0051, and one of our experts will be happy to help.
For more expert advice on surveying and property matters, check out our range of informative videos on our website or YouTube channel. Harrison Clarke Chartered Surveyors is here to guide you every step of the way!
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