Since your property will be busiest during regular business hours, it’s important to plan well for any on-site works, whether these are upgrading works like renovations or refurbishments, commercial repaints or maintenance, so that you can complete significant projects with minimal impact to daily operations.
While weekends, non-business hours and shutdown periods, present the best opportunities for carrying out these works, there are costs involved with conducting works outside of normal operating hours.
With careful forward planning, you can address the requirements for cost, resourcing, and timeframes for successful projects delivered to schedule, being on budget, and having quality outcomes.
Key Planning Considerations
Every property benefits from a long-term masterplan that covers as many aspects as possible of its built environment. These may include construction, expansion, repaints, maintenance, and system upgrades. The success of these plans depends on available funding and your team’s ability to support the projects.
Partnering with reliable external contractors who understand your specific needs is key to success. Being able to rely on these contractors as allies for the long term will be useful.
The goal is to ensure that the works you seek to implement are completed smoothly, without interrupting business operations, and in a way that maintains the safety and comfort of occupants and visitors.
Work scheduling is key; being able to cordon off areas or levels so daily routines can continue are examples of good alternatives if after-hours or weekend work is cost-prohibitive.
Look also to leverage larger-sized teams so that more work can be completed in shorter periods.
Coordinating with your internal team helps address any issues around access points and areas that may require special attention during the project. Their insights into operations can be invaluable in facilitating smooth project execution.
A further advantage planning provides is being able to identify when your property is busiest or when it will be less occupied. This allows you to make the most of quieter periods, prioritise projects or phase works to avoid significant operational impacts, while successfully completing major upgrades without unnecessary inconvenience.
Building the Right Partnerships
Selecting the right partners is crucial. There are many maintenance and property services companies, but not all are equipped to handle the specific demands of your property.
Your partners should be able to deliver projects on time and ensure that experienced tradespeople are available when needed. With tight budgets, you also need reassurance that costs are clearly outlined and variations minimised through a transparent scope of work so costs won’t skyrocket. A trusted partner will provide you with that confidence.
Managing Limited Resources and Rising Costs
Material costs have surged in recent years, particularly since the pandemic, leading to delays and changes in scope for many projects. You may need to rethink the timing or scale of planned work to avoid exceeding your budget.
For instance, if you’re planning to repaint or upgrade your entire property, splitting the project into phases may help manage costs and resources effectively. Long-term maintenance arrangements that help you achieve the works upfront, with repayments that spread the costs of these works across your maintenance period are good strategies for ensuring your property is well-presented while helping you navigate uncertainty around works implementation and costs.
There is also a shortage of tradespeople capable of completing major projects within your desired timeframes. While it might be tempting to manage everything in-house, coordinating all the details—such as assembling an expert team and sourcing materials—can be time-consuming. Partnering with a company that has their own in-house team and able to provide competitive costs can make a big difference in completing your project on time and within budget.
Planning ahead allows you and your preferred maintenance contractor to secure the necessary resources and lock in supply for the required materials. These will be critical to ensuring your project stays on track, both financially and logistically.
Forward Planning for Long-Term Success
Proper planning helps ensure you have the right people and resources in place with a realistic timeline. By focusing on your long-term goals and selecting projects that align with your current budget and operational needs, you can make strategic decisions that benefit your property in the long run. With a master plan, you can evaluate your options and plan maintenance or building projects to fit seamlessly into the rhythm of your operations.
Is your property in need of an upgrade but you’re not sure where to begin?
Careful forward planning and working with the right partners can help you achieve your goals while keeping the business running smoothly.
Speak to Programmed to see how we simplify and streamline property maintenance and site upgrades for customers like you. Our national geographic coverage, large in-house teams, strong safety and efficient project management means you can be certain of quality projects delivered on time, safely and to budget.
