Free Building Maintenance Checklist: Seasonal & Preventative Maintenance

 

 

Successfully managing a property involves putting together a building maintenance plan. Timely property maintenance and even preventative maintenance are essential to your building’s operations.

Are you unsure how to start creating a building maintenance checklist? Our guide will cover what a building maintenance checklist is, what belongs on it, and five tips for creating a comprehensive one. Plus, we offer a free building maintenance checklist template that you can use.

This post covers:

• What is a building maintenance checklist?
• What does building maintenance include?
• Tips for creating a building maintenance checklist

 

What is a building maintenance checklist?

A building maintenance checklist is an organized guide that a property manager uses to keep track of necessary maintenance on a property. A building maintenance checklist includes preventative property maintenance.

It can’t be overemphasized how much a checklist helps keep a property manager organized. While maintenance is a high priority, it’s far from the only urgent responsibility a property manager has to worry about. Many aspects of a property manager’s job can’t be neatly organized into a checklist like maintenance can, which is why it’s important you take the opportunity to do so.

Additionally, seasonal maintenance makes it necessary for property managers to have separate maintenance checklists for different times of the year depending on the property’s location.

Pro tip: There isn’t much difference between an office building maintenance checklist and a residential building maintenance checklist. That said, residential buildings typically require more outdoor maintenance in the form of a yard and an outdoor recreation area. But of course, all properties, commercial and residential, are unique in terms of the maintenance they will require.

 

 

What does building maintenance include?

Plumbing and electricity-related tasks are probably the first things that come to mind when undertaking property maintenance. But there are a lot of other tasks to keep in mind when making your building maintenance checklist.

Your building maintenance checklist should include:

• Fire equipment and fire safety inspection. To ensure compliance with fire safety regulations, regularly do safety inspections on fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, and emergency exits.
  
• Access control assessment.Evaluate the condition and performance of your building’s access control system, including key card readers, intercoms, and entry codes. Ensure all access points function and update credentials as needed.
  
• Parking lot and garage inspection. Check for cracks, potholes, and proper drainage in parking areas. Inspect lighting, signage, and security cameras to maintain vehicle and pedestrian safety.
  
• Elevator inspection. Conduct routine maintenance on elevators and escalators, including checking emergency brakes, control panels, and weight capacity sensors. Ensure compliance with safety codes and schedule professional inspections as required.
  
• Window and door integrity. Inspect windows and doors for cracks, drafts, and faulty locks. Ensure proper sealing to prevent energy loss.
  
• Roofing and gutter assessment. Look for leaks, loose shingles, or debris buildup on the roof. Clean gutters and downspouts regularly to prevent water damage and ensure proper drainage.
  
• HVAC efficiency. Schedule seasonal maintenance on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Replace air filters, check for refrigerant leaks, and test thermostats to ensure optimal performance.
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. Verify that entrances, pathways, restrooms, and signage meet ADA accessibility standards. Make necessary upgrades to ensure compliance.
  

 

Seasonal task checklist

By tailoring your maintenance checklist to seasonal needs, you can protect your property year-round and avoid costly repairs.

 

Spring maintenance

• Inspect for winter damage. Check roofs, gutters, and exterior walls for winter property maintenance and repair, such as signs of wear from snow, ice, or freezing temperatures.
• Test HVAC systems. Ensure air conditioning units are clean, operational, and ready for warmer months.
• Landscape maintenance. Trim trees, clean up debris, and prepare irrigation systems.

 

Summer maintenance

• Pest control. Warmer months bring increased pest activity, so schedule inspections and treatments.
• Check outdoor security features. Inspect lighting, cameras, and fencing for any necessary repairs.
• Monitor HVAC efficiency. Keep air conditioning systems running smoothly to prevent overuse and costly breakdowns.

 

Fall maintenance

• Prepare heating systems. Service boilers and furnaces before colder weather arrives.
• Gutter and roof maintenance. Clear out leaves and debris to prevent drainage issues.
• Inspect windows and doors. Seal any gaps to improve energy efficiency and prevent drafts.

 

Winter maintenance

• Snow and ice removal plan. Arrange for de-icing walkways and parking lots to prevent slips and falls.
• Check plumbing for freezing risks. Insulate exposed pipes and monitor for potential bursts.
• Test emergency generators. Ensure backup power sources are functional in case of outages.

 

Tips for creating a building maintenance checklist

Operating costs for buildings have never been higher, especially in older buildings. Prioritizing maintenance in a timely and organized fashion can immediately save you money. Implement the tips below when creating a maintenance checklist.

Six tips for building maintenance checklists include:

1. Highlight what you can do yourself
2. Delegate what needs to be given to a team
3. Prioritize risk
4. See what can be augmented
5. Include expected costs
6. Use your checklist for record-keeping

 

1. Highlight what you can do yourself

At the top of your building maintenance checklist should be what you can do yourself as a property manager. These are the tasks that will only take you a few hours at most and won’t distract you from your other responsibilities.

You want to highlight what you or another staff member can do in order to save money. For example, hiring an electrician to change a lightbulb is a massive waste of your budget. Conversely, hiring an electrician to rewire smart bulbs in your lobby is a wise investment.

Tasks a property manager can likely do themself include:

• Changing batteries in smoke detectors
• Tightening bolts
• Patching drywall
• Cleaning gutters
• Safety check-ups
• Power-washing the exterior of the building
• Window-cleaning (on the ground floor)

Not everybody is a skilled maintenance professional. So, it’s okay to reach out for help from a professional if you can’t do something yourself. After all, attempting to perform maintenance yourself can lead to an even worse repair issue if you’re not confident. Be honest with yourself and your immediate abilities when creating your checklist.

 

 

2. Delegate what needs to be given to a team

There are many tasks that only a professional can do correctly. Make sure to highlight the different contractors you’ll need in your maintenance checklist. If you have prior people that you’ve found success working with, include their names and contact information if handy.

Tasks that necessitate a professional include:

• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Carpentry
• HVAC
• Roofing
• Pest extermination
• Hedge trimming
• Landscaping
• Software installation

Work that requires professionals can often be the most costly and difficult to schedule. Prioritize hiring these professionals to get the work done as soon as possible.

 

3. Prioritize risk

Preventative maintenance can save you a ton on your property maintenance budget and nothing says preventative like prioritizing a property’s risks. By risks, we mean anything on your property can that can cost a lot of money to fix, or that can negatively affect a tenant’s satisfaction with your property.

Risks that should be prioritized in your maintenance checklist are:

• Electrical hookups in order to prevent fires.
• Roof integrity to prevent leaks.
• Pipe integrity to prevent flooding.
• The structural integrity of fire escapes.
• Access control systems to ensure that people can enter and exit the building.
• Elevator functionality to ensure that they don’t get stuck between floors.

 

Watch how ButterflyMX works:

 

4. See what can be augmented

You can use your building maintenance checklist to see what can be upgraded in your building. Many common features of a property can be replaced with smart technology that saves money and requires less complicated maintenance.

Augmentation ideas include:

• An overhauled access control system. This can include video intercoms and keypads that allow people to control access using their mobile devices. All-in-one security systems are much easier to maintain compared to multiple devices.
• Smart bulbs. These last longer than regular bulbs and need to be replaced less frequently.
• Smart thermostats. These can reduce the wear and tear on HVAC systems.
• Upgraded laundry room. Laundry machines infused with smart technology use less water and require less maintenance than normal machines.

 

5. Include expected costs

While filling out your maintenance checklist, it’s important to be aware of how much everything will likely cost. Use your best judgment when filling out the checklist; this can help you immensely when it comes to planning your budget.

However, you can always use the internet if you don’t have old records from your property’s previous maintenance to determine the cost.

As you complete the checklist, you can include the actual cost versus your estimate. This will be especially handy in the future.

 

6. Use your checklist for record-keeping

Many maintenance tasks are not yearly requirements. So, your maintenance checklist should have a notes section that includes the date something, such as a door hinge or window pane, was last replaced. At the five-year mark,or the recommended replacement time, you’ll know when to replace them. As a result, you can budget accordingly.

You can also leave notes in your maintenance checklist concerning whom you hired for which repairs. If they didn’t do a good job, you can leave a reminder that you’ll want to hire somebody else next time. You should also record any property management advice that contractors and repairmen give you, such as a warning that your water heater will need to be replaced in a few years.

Remember: Keep your building maintenance checklist after you’re finished with it. File it away with all of your other record-keeping so you can refer to it for the above information.