Insight

What is planned preventative maintenance?

13.7.22 3 MINUTES TO READ

Planned maintenance

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is also called planned maintenance or scheduled maintenance. PPM is carried out on an asset - like a piece of equipment, a property, or an element of a property - on a regular basis.

PPM is performed to help preserve the properties condition and prevent problems from occurring. It’s a proactive approach to maintenance, designed to avoid failures, breakages and unexpected maintenance costs or unplanned disturbances from reactive works. 

PPM is designed to help maximise and maintain the value of your property or asset by helping it to operate efficiently, in full working order and as safely as possible, for as long as possible.

PPM as a Strategy

Maintenance can be viewed in one of two main categories:

  • A reactive maintenance strategy allows only for making repairs following a failure. On one hand, reactive maintenance allows for higher utilisation and output in the short term. On the other hand, the expense of repairs will normally end up costing more than is gained from increased utilisation in the long run. At the point of failure, costs may be higher to repair, and consequential damage may also have occurred (such as in the case of a roof leak).
  • A PPM strategy means that maintenance tasks are scheduled ahead of time, to take place on a regular basis – even while an asset is still functioning normally. The idea is to prevent problems as they occur, and while it might increase planned downtime, this strategy is a highly beneficial one for businesses. A PPM strategy should also allow for better accuracy in budgeting for works that may be required.

Key Benefits of PPM

Businesses with a good PPM strategy in place will enjoy the following benefits:

  • Longer lifespan of property assets
  • Less need for major unplanned repair work
  • Increased productivity with less unplanned downtime
  • Improved overall efficiency
  • Reduced maintenance costs and overtime costs
  • Increased safety management and a better quality job
  • Asset enhancement – planned works can react more frequently to changing business needs
  • Less stress and a happy business! Reactive work is generally more time-consuming and urgent

PPM for Commercial Properties

When someone purchases or leases out a building, they need to consider the right maintenance strategy for good asset management or facility management. The owner of a commercial lease agrees within that lease to keep their property in good repair and safe condition for tenants (terms will vary with each individual lease).

Proactive maintenance is the best way to keep a building in good condition and maintain its value.

Adam Tew, Partner, says:

“Wet masonry increases heat loss within a building, causing larger heating requirements and greater energy costs. Every area of building performance is impacted by maintenance. By having a PPM in place you are able to manage building maintenance requirements as opposed to regularly reacting to them. This allows for prioritisation of budgets and ensures important building infrastructure doesn’t fail at critical times.”

Bidwells' Approach to PPM

Bidwells specialises in preventative maintenance for commercially leased or freehold owned buildings in the UK. Here’s how the expert team will advise owners with PPM:

  • Developing an understanding of how the property is used
  • Undertaking a full assessment of the building’s condition
  • Creating a bespoke strategy to keep the building in good repair and to make improvements if needed
  • Compiling working reporting – report designed to be given to owner following completion if desired
  • Integrating with and understand building warranties and insurance requirements
  • Providing connection to lease by review of strategy connected to lease repairing covenants
  • Helping you to take control of property and asset management
  • Providing structure to your annual budgeting

Bidwells has bases in the Oxford, Cambridge, Norwich, Milton Keyes, and London, however, we regularly work throughout the UK. We have a strong focus on commercial property, particularly within the industrial, science, technology and education sectors. Whether you have a mixed portfolio, office building, laboratory or other commercial facilities in need of a strong PPM maintenance strategy, we will be able to assist you. Our PPMs are suitable for individual properties and can also be simply scaled to include entire portfolios. Why not give us a call to discuss how we can help you?

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Adam Tew

Partner, Building Surveying

Adam has almost 20 years’ experience across multiple sectors including heritage, office, education, and industrial.

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