Once you are in your new building and operating business day to day, you’ll find a continued need for contractors to help maintain your investment. From grass mowing, bush trimming, parking lot sweeping, snow removal, HVAC systems maintenance, security systems software updates, to physical cleaning, there are a variety of contractors to consider. After we settled into our new building, we utilized our contractor evaluation list to choose the right contractors for our varied needs, though, of course, we handle building system maintenance ourselves.

When it comes to service and maintenance on building systems, the installation contractor/subcontractor is often a good choice as long as they provide it (some do not); you’ve already vetted them and were able to see their work during the initial project. However, if you need to look for a company, refer back to Part 1 of this article for the evaluation list.

Maintenance is crucial! You need to protect your investment and ensure that all of the effort that was put into your project works as well on day 1,825 as it did on day 1. A recent call between one of LONG’s experts and a doctor who had just finished building a clinic demonstrated this quite well. The doctor was not exactly thrilled that he would have to keep paying someone to have a brand-new system maintained so often. “I just don’t want to have to see you guys in here so often,” he said. Our expert replied with an apt analogy: “Well, I don’t want to see doctors so often either, but if I don’t want my body shutting down, I see you regularly.” He is now one of our maintenance customers.

Maintenance plans are not typically cookie cutter, as each facility has its own unique design and challenges that need to be tended to by skilled professionals. We often find that some of our current customers opted for the low bid from contractors who applied “cookie cutter” maintenance plans to their systems. After several years, the owners were facing large repair bills because their systems were not thoroughly tended to. HVAC systems need more than just belts and filters. You should keep this in mind as you vet maintenance contractors.

I stress the importance of communication quite often, and as part of the evaluation list, I believe it is the most critical attribute of a service company. Strong communication builds trust and often translates into work ethic and craftsmanship. Before deciding on a contractor, I highly encourage interviewing the key individuals in the company to ensure your expectations will be met, that they are actually listening to your concerns, and that they understand the specific needs of your building’s systems.

We understand what makes a good contractor, and we in turn extend these qualities to all of our customers. If you’ve recently completed a move into a new building and are looking for a tailored maintenance program on your building automation, HVAC, or security system, contact one of our experts today!