There are two main reasons that school building management is often more challenging than that of the average commercial building. Firstly, there are the well-documented budget constraints which impact near-enough every single educational institution. Secondly, there are the extremely specific and strict windows of time in which you can fit in your projects – working around term times.
The combination of these two factors, all while trying to best serve the hundreds – or even thousands – of students who regularly visit the site, make this task very daunting.
Luckily for you, Facilities Management Solutions are experts at project management and trade co-ordination, and with our advice and support, you can take all the stress out of your projects, and focus your energy on providing the best possible experience for the pupils of your school.
Tight Windows
With the building full of people and inaccessible to trades for the majority of the year, anything more than a minor repair always comes with scheduling challenges.
However, the good thing is that these tight windows in which you need to complete projects are well signposted and set in stone, meaning you know exactly when you’re able to book in your works. And we know that, too! Our fantastic project management team make a habit of reaching out to our school / college clients in and around Milton Keynes prior to half terms to ensure that we don’t miss these opportunities.
If you need a project completed within one of these short breaks, you simply need to reach out to us and we will do whatever is required to efficiently take advantage of this window, providing high-quality works that are catered to your requirements, schedule and budget.
Plus, because we don’t come with any hidden costs or monthly retainer fees, you’re not wasting money on a service that you can’t take advantage of during term times!
Planning Ahead
While it’s all well and good having one of our amazing team reach out to you to make sure that you don’t forget to book in whatever works you may need, it’s always advantageous to plan ahead and involve us as early in the process as possible.
Commercial building management is our bread and butter, it’s what we do every day, which means our expert project managers have exceptional foresight and lots of experience in planning and then co-ordinating a wide variety projects across our practically unlimited list of services.
However, the best part about working with FMS, as opposed to a national facilities management company or individual different tradespeople for each service, is the fact that you will have one single point of contact. Your project manager will remain the same, allowing you to build a relationship with them and achieve the maximum possible continuity when planning jobs. This is a huge advantage, as they will know your site better than anyone, and you can more easily co-ordinate works without requiring regular site visits – which can be very difficult to schedule for educational clients.
No matter what works you need done, whether it’s an urgent plumbing repair, or a major air conditioning replacement, we can assist you – and no project is too big or too small. Our objective is to provide the complete facilities management solution, with a bespoke offering that fits around your schedule.
Taking Advantage of Summer
While a half term break is plenty of time to complete most projects, anything which requires more time, or involves an extended period of prep, will have to take place during the summer holidays.
Our advice is simple, take full advantage of the time that’s available!
Obviously, if you have a major project that you need completed, it’s best to schedule it during the summer. However, it’s also the perfect opportunity to clean up that long list of tasks which shouldn’t be particularly time-consuming projects, but which need to be done, and could potentially turn up remedial works if there are any problems.
- Full Site Survey and Walk-round (a completely no-obligation service that we offer for free, for our clients)
- Annual Servicing: Boiler and Plant Room Servicing, BMS Systems, HVAC and Air Handling Units
- Annual Assessments: Legionella Testing and Fire Safety Risk Assessments
- Electrical Safety Checks: PAT Testing and Fixed Wire Testing
- Roof and Gutter Survey
These are all very simple services which you can tick off at the beginning of the summer period, allowing ample time to solve anything that is flagged by the surveys / servicing.
Plus, if you go with us at FMS, you can get all of the above (and whatever else you may require), all through one single point of contact. All you need to do is call 01908 034040, and you can resolve every single building management headache with a single conversation.
Pre-Planned Maintenance
Maintenance contracts can be a very beneficial way to simplify your building management. Get everything down on paper, work out exactly what you need, and spread the costs more evenly across the year. This type of set up can be extremely beneficial for educational facilities, because it evens out what can otherwise look like a huge spike in spending at certain times of the year.
For example, if you wanted to schedule in all of the annual works that I listed above, plus one reasonably large unique project, all during the summer break, that might mean you pay over 75% of your annual building management spend within two months. If you’d rather put a payment plan in place then we can facilitate that.
Not only do you spread the costs, to avoid paying for everything when summer comes around, it also sets aside an exact pre-determined portion of your budget to cover all of the mandatory annual services and tests. This offers more clarity on what you can afford to spend on unique projects.
We always celebrate the fact that we don’t require any monthly retainer fees or hidden costs, but we are flexible, and are always happy to find the best option for each individual organisation we work with.
If you’d like to find out more about the bespoke options we can facilitate to best suit your school, or any commercial site, drop us an e-mail.
A Reliable Building Management Partner
At the end of the day, no matter what type of building you manage, the most important thing is simply that you can trust in your partner (or partners) to get the job done and provide the support you need.
As a local business, who exclusively works within Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas, we ensure that we can guarantee reliable, reactive support, and attend your site promptly when you call upon us. Your assigned project manager will be your first port of call for all your school building management, from a minor leak to your big summertime renovation project. This is the complete facilities management solution, making your life easier, while still achieving excellent results.
To find out more about how Facilities Management Solutions can provide stress-free building management solutions that fit into your schedule, and within your budget, call us today on 01908 034040.
