Developing a Maintenance Plan

Once maintenance program objectives or goals have been determined, the next step is to develop a plan, or plans, to reach those goals.

Some steps and skills needed to develop a plan follow:

Assessment

• Assess the status of the property.
• In addition to conducting a visual inspection of the property, inventory mechanical equipment, and appliances, review previous maintenance records, recent capital expenditures, and current vendor contracts. Also, review the skills and experience of the on-site maintenance staff and financial reports for the property. Knowing this type of information will help the real estate manager determine if the maintenance program goals are realistic.
• Develop long-term, intermediate, and short-term maintenance plans.
• Consider routine, preventive, deferred, and emergency maintenance.

Planning

• Plans should support the owner’s goals.
• Ensure that the facility and maintenance operations comply with laws and regulations (i.e., ADA and OSHA) or are working towards compliance.
• Make sure the plan contains emergency and disaster recovery plans, including training and practice for personnel.

Adding Details

• Define the scope of each task or project included in the plan. The scope includes identifying who will do the work, identifying needed resources, coordinating project tasks, monitoring the work, and evaluating the results of the plan.
• Set performance and compliance criteria for all tasks and projects.
• Develop and document polices and procedures.
• Determine a schedule for routine maintenance, and develop a schedule, milestones, and completion dates for non-routine maintenance items.

Providing Leadership

• Determine who shall complete the tasks and projects, then hire, contract, reassign, retrain, or rightsize.
• When necessary, develop bid specifications for certain work.
• Manage the bidding process.
• Plan ways to lead, support, and/or train personnel.

Financial/Budget Issues

• Determine how projects will be funded, and describe the adjustments that will be needed in the budgeting process.
• Analyze financial information.
• Manage the chargeback system (if applicable).
• Manage the budget.
• Monitor expenses and revenue to contain costs.
• Manage the property’s financial obligations.

Program Evaluation

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and the quality of service provided.
• Conduct tenant surveys.
• Gather and analyze data.
• Document and report results. Describe the improvements made and the improvements that need to be made.
• Determine alternative strategies.
• Monitor and promote quality.

Maintenance Checklist

One of the best tools for overseeing building maintenance is an inspection checklist. The checklist should:

• Include all the items to inspect, and identify the tasks to complete.
• Be used on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis
• Provide direction for the staff
• Ensure that maintenance routines are completed as scheduled
• Create a record of how the facility is maintained.

IREM Resource: Downloadable forms such as inspection checklists can be found on IREMFIRST and are free for members. These sample forms and agreements are not endorsed by the Institute of Real Estate Management. They are presented for informational purposes only.