Vacant Property Maintenance

Facility Management does not consist entirely of building and structure maintenance. There are instances in which an organization may own vacant property. By virtue of being vacant, a property may not have as much attention as a facility has. This doesn't mean, however, that vacant properties are maintenance-free.

Vacant Land

Vacant land is not maintenance free, especially if it is located within city limits. Many municipalities will have ordinances to control weedy lots. Failure to keep the property mowed can result in fines from the city's Code Enforcement department. Thus, it is important to schedule at least quarterly mowing or shredding to keep the grass and weeds at an acceptable height.

If the property is not subject to weedy lot ordinances, you may still want to schedule quarterly mowing or shredding. With little supervision, vacant lots with tall grass are an invitation for illegal dumping. People will drop off tires, construction debris, and even trash on a property that looks abandoned. Maintaining a good appearance makes it less of a target for illegal dumping. This can save you on the cost of picking up and disposing of the discarded materials on your property.

Of course, fencing can go a long way towards discouraging people from dumping on the property. However, this then introduces the extra burden of maintaining the fencing and keys to access the properties. Fencing may also be an unnecessary expense for a property that is intended to serve as a future development. You would have to pay to install the fence, then pay to remove the fence. Furthermore, anybody who has done garden work knows that it is difficult to control weeds and grass along fence lines. Fencing introduces extra work when it comes time to mow or shred.

Vacant Buildings

Vacant buildings will also require some maintenance. Routine inspections are useful for ensuring that there is no water penetration from roofs, walls, or windows. When a building is occupied, maintenance occurs soon after a problem is detected. In a vacant building, problems can go unnoticed for a long time, which can make them grow worse and become more costly than the repairs to an occupied building.

There is also the issue of security. Part of the routine visits is to ensure that the building remains secure from intruders. This is both for the safety of the intruder and for the preservation of the property. Without supervision, occupants of empty buildings will take liberties with what they do in the building that occupied buildings would prohibit. These liberties can often lead to problems with the building envelope, fire, or flooding.

Another thing to keep in mind with vacant buildings is that the clock continues to tick on the lifetime of materials and equipment. A 30 year roof does not pause its wear and tear simply because a building is vacant. Paint does not continue to provide the same protection when it starts to flake off. Window caulking dries up and cracks within a few short years. Pests will make themselves at home in vacant buildings without regular pest control applications. Vacant buildings should also keep up regular inspections on plumbing, electrical, and HVAC to ensure that the systems are safe and in working order.

Continuing to maintain an unoccupied building is necessary for retaining the highest resell value of a property. At the very least, it makes putting the building back into service much faster and less costly.