The start of a new year often gives us reason to pause and take a look at the coming year as the year it all comes together. Whatever it is we want to do this will be the year that we get it done. This year is going to be better than the last; this year we will be on target not just with what we want to do, but what we need to do as well. By sitting down now and planning ahead we can get it done.
When it comes to running a business like a self storage facility one of the things that people need to plan for but often do not is maintenance. To some it may seem silly to worry about planning things out all the time; in this day and age all you have to do is call the right repairman and you can get anything done. However, while that may be possible in many cases you’ll get charged accordingly as well.
Maintenance for your self storage facility can be a piece of cake with a little foresight and pre-planning. Rather than wait for something to break or its condition to be so dilapidated that you have to fix it now, take care of the issue before hand and you can avoid unnecessary charges for emergency work. Plus by planning ahead for maintenance work you can schedule things to be done at a time that is convenient for you and during the right time of year.
Barring weather concerns it can be challenging to figure out exactly what should be done first.
“Safety projects and code compliance issues always come first,” observes Charlotte Weber, senior project manager of Buffalo, New York-based Sovran/Uncle Bob’s Self Storage “along with anything that affects the integrity of the property, such as deteriorating roofs, gutter issues, drainage issues, and the like.”
Once those are done typically projects that should fall next on the list include preventative maintenance things and those that will help extend the useful like of the facility. Preventative maintenance tasks should be a part of the manager’s daily/ weekly/ monthly activities.
Many projects that can extend the useful life of your self storage facility often have to be planned in accordance to or around the weather. For example, a self storage facility in upstate New York will undoubtedly get hit with a lot of snow during the winter months. As a result, the owner/ manager will likely need to look into some fence and/or asphalt repair when the weather warms up.
Planning and prioritizing maintenance issues can be a challenging task, but when done to the best of one’s abilities and with proper timing the integrity of the self storage facility can be maintained and its value even improved upon throughout the year.
Sources Used:
“Prioritizing Maintenance: Smart planning can keep your facility humming smoothly year-round.” SSA Globe News; January 2011.
“The importance of a sound maintenance policy — and delivering it.” Modern Building Services; March 2008.