Facilities Managers: A Guide to Stress Free Maintenance

Essential maintenance can present numerous challenges, especially for facilities managers responsible for large estates or complex industrial facilities. Whether you need to repair or replace external features or make a larger investment in building improvements, there are many considerations that could affect your project’s costs, timescales and overall success.

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Seeking specialist advice can help overcome any potential hurdles; so, here’s our guide to helping your facilities project run as smoothly and cost effectively as possible.

Don’t leave it too late

Whether you need to make smaller repairs or want to make a bigger investment in your premises, seeking technical advice from the outset can significantly improve efficiencies.

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If you have an idea of what you want to do, but don’t know where to start, begin by doing some research on the potential products and options available to gain a better understanding of the installation processes.

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Appointing us as a groundworks contractor at this early planning stage can help turn your idea or concept into a feasible technical solution. We can provide guidance on the safest and most efficient construction methods. If required, we can also help to appoint suitable designers and develop the overall plans for larger projects from start to finish.

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Consider long-term solutions

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For small areas of damage such as kerbs or potholes, it is often possible to simply repair or replace. But although this is the easiest, quickest and least expensive solution it may not be the most sustainable.

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It is always advisable to investigate the causes of the damage. For example, are your kerbs being damaged because the roads are too narrow? Are you getting potholes because the road hasn't been made to handle heavy traffic? Is your paving coming loose because the area isn't properly drained?

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Take the time to establish the underlying issues and you may discover a more effective long-term solution that will prevent your problem returning and eliminate additional costs further down the line.

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Minimise disruption

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Disruption is costly, so it is essential to put plans and processes in place that minimise this risk once work is underway. We work closely with facilities managers to develop a solid understanding of how the building or estate works as well as the critical functions, so that a stringent, sequenced plan can be developed.

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Careful planning of the works ensures the safety of users and logistical considerations  allow the facility’s standards and operations to be maintained.  For example, all deliveries, including those from other contractors and suppliers, will be coordinated to prevent disruption, from traffic routes into the work area and material storage areas established only in convenient, pre-planned locations.

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Check track records

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Trusted contractors enable facilities managers to get on with their day job. Appointing a contractor with the proven skills and experience to deliver the work to the highest standards, including health and safety is paramount. Considerable pre-planning, evidence of safe systems and competent operatives will all help give that assurance.

For further information on how Shanco can help deliver stress free maintenance at your facility, please contact enquiries@shanco.co.uk