Search

A major component of building maintenance costs is spent on the maintenance and repair of building facades. With maintenance budgets escalating day by day, in order to reduce the overall [...]

Public housing managers can reduce their maintenance costs by following seven steps. The firststep is to determine how workers spend their time. An automated work order system or time sheets can be used to keep track of workers' activities. The second step is to determine how many workers are actually required to perform maintenance activities. The third step is to develop an annual maintenance workplan in order to create an adequate budget. The fourth step is to calculate thehourly rates of employees and compare these to rates of outside contractors. The fifth step is to choose the most effective way to reduce cost, based on thework plan and hourly cost information. The sixth step is to motivate workers with the help of human resources personnel. The last step to determine other sources of cost such as those related with inventory consumption.

A preference for the renovation of public housing over new construction has been a commonly observed practice from the 1930s to the 1980s. However, opting for the renovation alternative due to apparent cost-saving advantages proves to be a self-defeating action. The greater cost associated with renovation is determined using additional expected life created as the measure of benefit. Insistence on the renovation alternative, despite its greater cost, is surmised to result from a refusal to view new construction as a viable substitute. It is also possible that indirect advantages such as supplementary benefits, in the form of increased financial subsidy, from local housing authorities could serve to induce a preference for renovation. Renovation also foregoes potential difficulties in new construction that arise from demolition and location considerations.

Neglected UK tower block estates have become huge problems for councils charged with the task of insuring them. The run-down buildings attract violence and vandalism, and foster claims by tenants for defects. Councils can avoid some problems by conducting regular inspections, offering contents coverage via a small rent increase and educating tenants on preventive maintenance.

Information on city councils' plans on how to deal with public housing management issues in UK is offered. Additional information on the arm's length housing companies' structure and operations is included.

Eight Private Finance Initiative Pathfinder projects in the UK aim to establish whether private contractors can be persuaded to maintain existing council housing under long-term contracts with a local authority. This scheme could lead to the funding of 18 billion pounds sterling of repair and modernization work on council housing.

An economic evaluation is presented on the use of prison inmate labor for performing maintenance on public housing developments, along with an examination of feasibility and implementation issues. The author concludes that inmate labor is a cost-effective, practical means of maintaining properties.

Local housing agencies (LHAs) can improve their maintenance management and other inventory control activities by developing and using computerized systems. The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development has come out with a number of documents that can help LHAs manage data processing in their maintenance management operations. These include A Maintenance Operations Manual, whose 11 chapters and many appendices offer basic information regarding LHA maintenance operations. The most interesting chapters are those that discuss work order systems (Chapter Four) and warehousing and inventory concepts (Chapter Nine). Another useful material is a copy of the student and instructor manuals from the course 'Managing Maintenance in Public Housing: A Supervisory Maintenance Course.' Finally, maintenance employees may also consider reading guidebooks dealing with seven types of maintenance activity.

The roof is an important part of any local housing agency since it protects the agency's residents, employees and properties from the elements. It weatherproofs, waterproofs, insulates and generally provides residents and employees with a safe place for living or working. Roofs can take the form of a flat, built-up roof or a sloped, shingled one. The first type often comprises of a vapor barrier, insulation, roofing felts and a flood coat of asphalt for waterproofing. The second type usually consists of a base material made of organic felt or fiber glass, an asphalt coating for weatherproofing, and a surfacing of ceramic-coated mineral granules. For the proper maintainance of roofs, housing and community development managers should avoid having asphalt roofs painted or coated, maintain the cleanliness of gutters and roof surfaces, and keep nearby trees trimmed.