Unplanned maintenance
NRM3: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance works, defines ‘unplanned maintenance’ (or unscheduled or reactive maintenance) as: ‘…reactive and non-emergency work activities that occur in the current annual programme (i.e. maintenance carried out to no predetermined plan). Activities may range from unplanned/unscheduled maintenance of a nuisance nature requiring low levels of skill for correction, to non-emergency tasks involving a moderate to major repair or correction requiring skilled labour.’
Business-Focused Maintenance (BG 53/2016), written by Jo Harris and published by BSRIA in May 2016, states: ‘Reactive or unplanned maintenance is the ad-hoc, unscheduled repair or replacement of assets when they fail. It can be cost-effective for non-critical assets to be run to failure, but the unpredictable nature of the work makes it difficult to manage for essential assets unless the response time can be reliably implemented.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Building owner's manual.
- Business focused maintenance.
- Facilities management.
- How to manage construction plant.
- In-house or outsource maintenance.
- Maintenance.
- Predictive maintenance.
- Preventative maintenance.
- Proactive maintenance.
- Reliability centred maintenance.
- Resource management.
- RICS.
- Scheduled maintenance.
- Soft landings.
Featured articles and news
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.