Deferred maintenance
Deferred maintenance, often referred to as Deferred Maintenance and Repair (DM), is most common in the US and Australia but may also be used in the UK. The US Department of Energy refers to it simply as "Maintenance and repairs that were not performed when they should have been or were scheduled to be and which are put off or delayed for a future period."
When budgets are under pressure, it can be tempting to put off planned and preventative maintenance programmes as a way of saving money. However, not only will it be necessary to face those costs at some point, they may in fact be higher than if they had been dealt with sooner, as straight-forward repairs become major replacements.
Job order contracting (JOC) is a procurement method (primarily used in the United States) for contracting construction services. JOC is often applied to deferred maintenance work that has accumulated over time.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
Comments