How to reduce maintenance costs

It takes time and money to keep your apartment complex spick and span and running smoothly. Most high-end gated apartments like those from HM Constructions https://www.hmconstructions.com/ have a full-fledged professional facilities management department that maintains the premises and ensures the residents can lead a comfortable life.

So, how can you as the homeowner, as well as your facilities manager bring down the cost of maintaining your apartment complex?

There are some great ways you can do that. First, let’s understand what maintenance includes and why apartment associations charge the homeowners a hefty fee for it.

Maintenance means expenses

Making your dream home and living in it is one part of being a proud homeowner. The other reality is that you incur costs in managing the other expenses that involve a safe and secure living experience.

The maintenance costs include

• Expenses on structural and other repairs and maintenance of the building
• Charges for housekeeping and paying salaries of office staff, lift operators, and security staff, security automation systems, power for common areas, power backup equipment, etc.
• Expenses on the maintenance of elevators and their repairs
• Parking charges
• Property tax and water charges
• Landscaping upkeep charges
• Clubhouse maintenance and other amenities such as gym, swimming pool, etc

How to reduce the maintenance costs

Both the facility manager and each homeowner can chip in to collectively bring down the costs in maintaining the residential complex. Here’s how

• Periodic repairs

Survey the building periodically to check for any structural damage like cracks in the walls or seepage due to rains or other construction activity on the premises.  Execute the repairs on an immediate basis instead of postponing it. The more you delay the repairs, the damage could exacerbate and hence the higher the cost escalation for the repairs.

• Waterproofing and painting

Keep a tab on the seasonal rains that your region experiences. This will give you the indication of the right time to undertake any waterproofing works and the painting of your apartment buildings. Since Bengaluru falls in the rain shadow region, the city experiences rains almost throughout the year from the southwest monsoon as well as the northeast one. This means you have very few months available to undertake your refurbishing works.

To bring down the costs, it makes sense to do these together in a bulk quota. Both exteriors and interiors can be done at the same time.

• Lower utility bills

When you install fuel-efficient or water-saving features in your home and public areas, it can bring down the expenses dramatically.

Install energy-efficient air conditioners and water heaters. In India, the appliances are certified according to their Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) standards. Select the device with the highest certified rating of five stars. Additionally, buying the systems in bulk and having periodic service within the guarantee period can go a long way in cutting the purchase and maintenance costs of the appliances.

Go in for low-flow showerheads and taps. These come with foam or spray attachments that not only allow you to cut down the flow and wastage of precious water but also enjoy your shower in comfort.

Opt for low-flow sanitary ware too. Flush tanks in toilets that have good pressure and yet use very little water are a wonderful option that new models come in.

Choose energy-efficient power-saving lighting fixtures that use LED or CFL lights. It’s wise to install solar lights for pathways and public areas.

• Landscaping upkeep

Beautifully landscaped gardens, elegantly manicured lawns, and stylish pathways add that dash of sophistication to your residential community. However, maintaining them adds to the costs of beautification too.

Your garden maintenance team of gardeners and professional landscape artists should be encouraged to choose water-saving species of native, drought-resistant plants such as palms, snake plants, orchids, spider plants, and succulents such as cacti.

Recycled, greywater from the apartments can be used to water the greenery around the campus.

Team effort

While maintenance of an apartment complex is the duty of the maintenance staff, it is also the responsibility of homeowners to do their bit in keeping the premises clean and cooperate to reduce the expenditure.

So, when you pick your beautiful home from HM Tropical Tree https://hmconstructions.com/index.php/projects/details/hm-tropical-tree at RT Nagar, HM Grandeur https://www.hmconstructions.com/projects/details/hm-grandeur at Fraser Town, HM Concord at HM Symphony on Sarjapur Road, or HM Indigo http://hmindigo.co.in/ on Kanakapura Road you can be guaranteed that you and your family will receive all the support from the facilities management teams on the job.

To know more contact us on 888 022 5555.