One of the most important aspects of effective property management is finding the right moment to outsource the maintenance tasks to a professional subcontractor. Maintenance of properties can become very time consuming, especially when one owns or manages a number of properties that need maintenance at the same time. Outsourcing property maintenance services has a number of advantages, which is why more real estate brokers and property management companies are choosing this option.
Outsourcing property maintenance simplifies the working schedule, as the subcontractor helps to set deadlines and see updates for the given tasks on a regular basis. As a result, you are always aware whether the work plan is going accordingly. Regardless of the size and complexity of the project, you need to find a reliable subcontractor for your maintenance work.
Main Pros of Outsourcing Property Maintenance
People operating in the real estate management market face numerous problems. Subsequently, this can lead to overall workload increase. In order to come out with better results, it is important to understand the benefits of outsourcing some of the services, such as property maintenance.
1. It is cost-effective and allows to focus on the important
First of all, outsourcing property maintenance is highly cost-effective and will help you concentrate on income generating activities. Most importantly, you won’t need to make additional capital expenditures for buying additional equipment. This will contribute to the ultimate goal of reducing maintenance costs.
It is important to note that applying to a property maintenance company on time and avoiding the “run until it fails” method will also help you to reduce potential costs in future. Therefore, outsourcing this service will help you focus mostly on important tasks and be sure that the property is maintained in a good condition.
2. Outsourcing frees up a lot of time for real estate brokers
Real estate broker’s day-to-day responsibilities include a number of tasks that are critical for generating leads, such as contacting different people, writing emails, researching the market, etc. Thinking about additional tasks such as property maintenance can take a long time and block the sales funnel. Therefore, that will be a good option to find a safe partner for outsourcing.
In short, outsourcing property maintenance means that you can free your time and concentrate on work related tasks. To avoid further complications it is also important to do proper research before hiring a subcontractor.
3. Hiring a contractor is a more flexible way
One of the major advantages of contracting a professional provider is that you will get full flexibility and won’t need to think about small details along the way. A good property maintenance crew will take care of your property and make sure that it is cleaned, well-functioning and maintained everyday.
When you recruit an in-house crew, you must adhere to plenty of rules and regulations that don’t exist when you hire a contractor. Additionally, there are local regulations that you need to follow once maintaining the property. If you hire subcontractors that have a presence in your community, they will be up-to-date of all necessary laws.
4. It simplifies the recruitment process
Your subcontractor can provide enough flexibility to deliver the proper staffing level and required skillset promptly, all together at a lower cost and time investment. It allows hiring specialized property maintenance services as needed rather than investing in creating in-house competencies.
Also, by outsourcing property maintenance services, you can fully manage what is being done and be sure to pay for negotiated results. It allows you to develop and execute more effective maintenance services that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to handle on your own.
Main Cons of Outsourcing Property Maintenance
There are a variety of responsibilities associated with property maintenance services and several cons of outsourcing these services. Besides knowing all the benefits of outsourcing, you must also note all potential problems in order to make the right decision.
1. You need to pay special attention to the quality
As for cons of outsourced maintenance services, the first one goes for the quality. Some contractors are more interested in gaining more profit rather than focusing on the final result, so their strategy is to do as many jobs as they can. That means the work you send out may arrive quickly, but it will be of worse quality than what you anticipated from your products or services.
Therefore, it is important to search for a reliable partner. Generic online searches may not come up with the results you want, or they may take longer to find an exact match for the type of service provider you need. To solve this problem define location-based search to narrow down the selection range. This process can be more easy by using specific platforms such as: Yelp, Thomasnet, and Merchant Circle.
2. Failing to deliver a service
Sometimes it’s risky to trust a third party service provider. The main challenge here is lack of control over the contractor, but if managed properly this can turn out to be an advantage.
First tip to find a trusty service provider is looking at the feedback of previous clients. Ask colleagues who have experience of outsourced maintenance services. Check online reviews, ratings, take into consideration the reputation of the contractor and shortlist them for further assessment.
3. It becomes hard to find a suitable candidate
There is a risk of finding a trusted third party service provider. Search and more search is essential as there might be contractors with fake reputation. Your maintenance outsourcing partner should ideally be certified and have a staff with relevant experience. It does matter also if the equipment is up to date and can fulfill required tasks.
Finding a great contractor is time and work well spent. It can be challenging to find the right fit. But keep these lists in mind to get you started in the right way. When you employ a traditional third-party service provider for property maintenance, you’ll save time for your business growth as with in-house crew, you may have a backlog of work orders to complete, delaying your ability to respond to customer requests.
