Preparing a Commercial Property for Spring - Prioritising and Budgeting for Maintenance

Springtime means a flurry of activity for commercial property owners. It’s time to catch-up! Outdoor surfaces need washing, the grass need cutting,  bushes need trimming, gutters need cleaning, spent light bulbs need replacing and signage needs a good buffing. And there’s still more to be done! You might be wondering: How does one prioritise all that work? Even more, how does one budget for it all?

Prioritising and budgeting for maintenance

• Safety

• By-law compliance

• Repair

• Prevention

• Aesthetics

Prioritise what is necessary first. So, areas involved with safety and complying with city by-laws move to the top of the list. Next, focus on areas that need repair or maintenance to avoid bigger issues requiring more costly solutions. Finally, aesthetics–which isn’t to downplay making things look nice. Indeed, there are several benefits that come from curb appeal, but where budget is concerned, they can generally come behind the others (though it may depend on the type of property, hence individual commercial property owners will decide for themselves where it comes in the order).

Safety

Safety issues for most properties will generally be the same but may vary depending on numerous factors. Property maintenance tasks that address safety issues include pressure washing and/or power washing sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots. These activities remove moss, algae, grease and oil that are slipping hazards for customers, visitors, staff, and patients.

Our grounds-maintenance crews will also remove slipping hazards like pine needles and leaves, as well as tripping hazards like fallen sticks and branches, pine cones, garbage and other debris.

By-law compliance

Vacouver uses by-laws to enforce a safe standard of property maintenance for commercial properties within the city. In particular, by-law #5462 and by-law #13464 are detailed in this pdf document. These two by-laws cover a lot of the important work we do as part of our premium commercial property maintenance services, including keeping exterior walls and retaining walls free from hazards and in good repair; keeping lighting in proper working condition; removing rubbish, debris and foreign objects from land and much more.

Repair & preventative maintenance

The next area to focus on is repairs and preventative maintenance. Anything falling into this category can be looked at as being one step away from becoming a by-law issue if it progresses. So taking care of it now is a good idea. It might be tempting to let this area go, especially if the budget is tight. However, when it comes to property maintenance and repairs, it will always cost more to deal with an issue later than it does to deal with it now. That’s a valuable thing to remember.

So, get those burnt-out or flickering light bulbs replaced, ensure signage is in good condition and easily visible. Have all organic materials removed from retaining walls and building exteriors so they don’t cause ongoing degradation. Now is also the time to ensure gutter systems  are unclogged. This task should occur twice a year–in the spring and fall–to remove errant leaves, pine needles, sticks and debris. Our professional maintenance technicians make sure water is freely moving to the ground and away from building foundations.

Aesthetics

Everyone knows the importance of aesthetics. From attracting and keeping customers and tenants, to uplifting employee morale, even enhancing your business brand and reputation, looking good simply means having more influence.

What does this look like when it comes to property maintenance? Well, clean, sparkling windows, for one. Don’t think people don’t notice dirty windows. They do. And psychologically, more light translates into more happiness.

Also, now is the perfect time to get your garbage areas cleaned up. This helps to deter pests and rodents, who, right now may be looking for suitable spring homes in which to start new families. Always Clean Maintenance staff keep your trash under control. Whether it is changing the garbage bags of your on-site exterior garbage cans, or keeping your commercial bins areas clean, this service ensures there will never be a problem with the look, smell–or rodent families–in your garbage areas.

Finally, now that the chance for snow is gone, you can have the painted lines in your parking lot touched up. Over the winter, plows cause some damage to them. Have us repaint them. And get your business logos, directional markers, stall identification and loading/emergency zones touched up at the same time. Small things like these really improve aesthetics and push your curb appeal higher.

As you prepare your commercial property for spring, keep these tips–and Always Clean Maintenance–in mind. Our expert services keep your property safe, refreshingly clean and will fit within your budget.

Always Clean Maintenance wants to hear from you! If you have any questions or want to set up year-round maintenance and/or seasonal services, give us a call! 604-789-1256