Planned maintenance or reactive repairs?
By VRB Ltd · Published
There are two ways to look after a building: fix things when they break, or book recurring work in advance so fewer things do. Many properties need some of both. This guide sets out where each one fits for homes, shops and tenanted property in Auckland.
Reactive repairs vs planned maintenance
| Reactive repairs | Planned maintenance | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Someone on site after something breaks: damaged linings, doors and hardware, water damage, fixtures and fittings. | Recurring work booked in advance rather than called in as an emergency. |
| Timing | When the problem appears, which may be in trading hours or while the space is occupied. | Booked around occupancy or trading hours ahead of time. |
| Running cost | Paid as each problem arrives. | Usually the cheaper way to run a building. |
| Suits | One-off damage, or a building that rarely needs attention. | Property you manage over time, trading spaces and tenanted buildings. |
Is planned maintenance cheaper than fixing things as they break?
Usually, yes. Recurring work booked in advance is usually the cheaper way to run a building than the same work called in as an emergency.
Booking ahead also means the work can be timed around the people using the space, instead of the space being shut when something fails.
When is a reactive repair the right call?
A reactive repair is the right call when something has broken and needs someone on site. A single repair is fine; you do not need an ongoing arrangement to book one.
- Damaged linings, doors or hardware
- Water damage and the make-good after it
- Fixtures and fittings that have failed
Why does water or impact damage need a site visit before a quote?
Because water and impact damage rarely stop where they are visible. For anything beyond an obvious repair, we look at it on site before quoting, so the scope covers the damage that is actually there.
What about work between tenants?
Tenancy and turnover work sits between the two. It is booked ahead like planned maintenance, and it gets a space back to a lettable or presentable condition between tenants or between seasons.
Can one team handle maintenance and fit-out work?
Yes. At VRB the same team does the maintenance and the fit-out work, across commercial and residential property. A repair does not have to be handed to someone unfamiliar with how the space was built.
Jobs too small for a full fit-out programme but too involved for a handyman, such as framing, linings, carpentry and finishing, are part of the same service.
What should I include in a maintenance enquiry?
Include the address, what has gone wrong, when it started, whether the space is occupied or trading, and photos of the affected area. Photos usually answer half the questions.