Machado, Adryelle Dias Novaes, Siqueira, Anna Luiza Dias, de Castro, Júlia Assumpção, de Carvalho, Aldo Ribeiro, Pita, Romário Parreira, and Mendes, Julia Castro
This study carries out a case study of maintenance costs in a multi-family residential building built in 1982 in a mid-size city in Brazil. The condominium's monthly cost reports (maintenance fees) were analyzed for 30 years, between 1991 and 2021. This long period of analysis unprecedented in the literature. Expenses were classified by system and type of maintenance (preventive, corrective or modernization renovation). We identified that maintenance on elevator systems and gardens summed up the highest costs throughout the period, while envelope conservation, sewage systems and water tanks presented the lowest costs. Disregarding the extreme years and correcting for inflation, the average expenditure on maintenance in the last 5 years (2017–2021) was 175% higher than the first 5 years analyzed (1991–1995), with the condominium fee being 43.6% higher. If the (predictable) maintenance expenses over the years were considered from the beginning of the building's operation, current families could be paying around 15% less in condominium fees. In conclusion, for an efficient maintenance management system, construction professional must focus on maintenance from the project design stage, provide a financial reserve for future upkeeping and renovation from the beginning of occupation, and prepare a robust user manual.