Full-service building maintenance companies that handle day-to-day repairs, preventive tasks and subcontracted trades under one contract. Use these questions on every call so the answers are comparable.
The Questions
- Do you take commercial work, and do you service buildings like ours?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance naming us as additional insured?
- Which trades do your own staff perform, and which do you subcontract?
- What are your response times for emergency, urgent and routine work orders, in writing?
- How do we submit work orders, and can we see their status and history?
- Is preventive maintenance included, and on what schedule?
- What is your hourly rate, markup on parts and after-hours rate?
- How much notice is needed to end the contract?
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Tips From Common Practice
- Ask for response times as contract terms with a remedy, not as a sales promise.
- Request a sample monthly report before signing.
- Check who owns the maintenance records if the contract ends.
How Often to Schedule
Facilities usually schedule facility maintenance companies on a monthly or annual service contract. Your lease, insurer, local code and equipment manuals can require more, so check them first and add the dates to your preventive maintenance schedule.
Then line up offers in the quote comparison tool, and see how to verify a license and insurance.