What planned maintenance costs depends on how it is priced, how big the premises are, how often visits happen and what goes on the checklist. Contractors usually charge one of three ways: a monthly retainer, pay-as-you-go by the hour, or a fixed price per planned visit. A fixed price per visit tells you each total before work starts, with no monthly commitment. Typical visit types are below, and a clear task list gets you the most accurate quote.
Prices at a glance
| Job | Typical price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Planned visit, small shop or office, agreed checklist | Fixed price per job | Usually half a day |
| Emergency lighting annual duration test and logbook entry | Fixed price per job | Usually one visit, plus battery recharge time |
| RCD testing and record, one distribution board | Fixed price per job | Usually 1–2 hours |
| Gutters cleared, single-storey unit, ladder access | Fixed price per job | Usually 1–3 hours |
| Door closer adjusted or replaced, per door | Fixed price per job | Usually under an hour |
| Dripping tap or running toilet repaired | Fixed price per job | Usually under an hour |
How are property maintenance contracts usually priced?
There are three common models: a monthly retainer, pay-as-you-go by the hour, and a fixed price for each planned visit or task. They can cost very different amounts for the same building, so it helps to know what each one actually buys.
A retainer is a set monthly or annual fee. It usually covers a number of visits or hours, sometimes with a promised response time for call-outs. Pay-as-you-go means you call a contractor when you need one and pay for the time on site, often with a minimum charge and materials on top. A fixed price per visit means the tasks for each visit are agreed in advance and priced as one total before anyone turns up.
- Retainer or contract
- Predictable monthly cost, but you pay in quiet months too.
- Pay-as-you-go hourly
- No commitment, but the bill is unknown until the job ends.
- Fixed price per planned visit
- Known total for each visit, no monthly fee.
Retainer, hourly or fixed price per visit: which suits a small business?
For most small shops, offices and units, a fixed price per planned visit gives the best mix of control and flexibility. A retainer can make sense for larger or busier sites that need guaranteed call-out times.
Retainers suit premises with a lot of reactive work, where having a contractor on call is worth paying for even in quiet months. Before signing, check what is excluded. Materials, out-of-hours call-outs, work above a certain value and anything outside the core trades are often charged on top, and notice periods can tie you in.
Hourly pay-as-you-go suits the odd one-off repair, but it makes planned maintenance hard to budget. The total depends on how long things take on the day, travel and merchant trips, and how time is rounded.
A fixed price per visit puts a number on each visit before it happens. You can change the list from visit to visit, drop a visit in a quiet season or add one before an inspection. The trade-off is that you book visits rather than having someone on call, so urgent repairs are arranged as they come up.
What does a planned maintenance visit usually include?
A planned visit works through an agreed checklist of checks and small repairs. The list depends on your premises, but most small businesses start with the items below and adjust over time.
- Lighting checks
- Failed lamps and fittings replaced, flickering tubes and drivers found.
- RCD tests
- Test buttons operated and results recorded; faulty devices flagged.
- Minor electrical repairs
- Damaged sockets, switches and loose fittings made safe or replaced.
- Taps, toilets and leaks
- Drips, running cisterns and slow leaks fixed before they cause damage.
- Door closers and hardware
- Closers adjusted, handles, hinges and locks tightened or replaced.
- Gutters and downpipes
- Cleared and minor repairs where safe access allows (ladder access; no scaffolding work).
- General repairs
- Signage fixings, shelving, ceiling tiles, sealant and touch-up decorating.
What makes planned maintenance cheaper or dearer?
The biggest factors are the size of the premises, how many tasks are on each visit and how easy it is to work while you trade. Grouping jobs into one visit is usually the simplest way to keep costs down.
- Size and layout
- More fittings, floors and rooms mean more to check.
- Number of tasks per visit
- Several jobs on one visit cost less than separate call-outs.
- Access
- High ceilings, roof access and locked areas add time and equipment.
- Working hours
- Work squeezed into a short window may need an extra visit.
- Condition
- Neglected premises usually need a catch-up visit before routine ones.
- Materials
- Like-for-like lamps and parts cost less than upgrades.
- Records needed
- Logbooks and certificates take time to complete properly.
How often should a business have planned maintenance visits?
For many small premises, a visit every quarter is a sensible starting point, with some tasks done less often. The right rhythm depends on how hard the building works and what your duties require.
Some tasks have their own intervals. Emergency lighting is usually tested in line with BS 5266: a short function test every month and a full-duration test once a year. The monthly test is quick, and your own staff can often do it. The RCD test button on most boards has a notice saying how often it should be pressed. Gutters usually need attention in autumn after the leaves fall.
Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, employers and anyone in control of premises must keep electrical systems safe. Guidance commonly recommends a periodic inspection (EICR) every five years for offices and shops, and more often for some premises. Your insurer or lease may set its own intervals, so check those when you plan the year. We carry out EICRs as a separate fixed-price job.
Can maintenance be done around trading hours?
Usually, yes. Most planned tasks can be scheduled for quieter times, so customers and staff are barely affected.
We work every day from 8am to 8pm, so visits can often be arranged for early mornings before opening, later in the day, or quieter weekdays. Noisy or disruptive jobs, and anything that needs the power off, are best planned for when the premises are closed or quiet. When power has to go off, it is usually limited to one circuit at a time, and agreed with you first.
Tell your contractor about tills, fridges, servers, alarms and anything else that must not lose power without warning. A good contractor will plan around them rather than discover them on the day.
What should a maintenance report include?
A useful report shows what was checked, what was found, what was done and what still needs a decision, with photos. It is your evidence that the premises are being looked after.
Photos before and after each repair make the report easy to check without visiting the site, which helps if you manage premises from elsewhere or report to a landlord or head office. Items that need more work should be listed separately, with a price, so you can approve them or plan them for the next visit.
- Date and tasks covered
- Matched to the agreed checklist.
- Test results
- Emergency lighting and RCD results, ready for your logbook.
- Photos
- Before and after for each repair or defect.
- Defects found
- With a fixed price to put each one right.
- Certificates
- For any electrical work that needs one.
How should a business budget for property maintenance?
Budget in two parts: planned visits at a known price, and a separate allowance for reactive repairs. Planned visits are the easy part to fix; the allowance covers what nobody can predict.
Start with a list of every recurring task, how often it is needed and which visit it falls on. Ask for a fixed price for each visit, then add them up for the year. Put larger items that you know are coming, such as old light fittings or a tired consumer unit flagged on an inspection, into the year they are likely to be needed, rather than waiting for them to fail.
Review the plan once a year. If one visit always finds the same fault, fix the cause. If a task never finds anything, it may be safe to do it less often.
How do I compare maintenance quotes fairly?
Compare the total cost of the same work over a year, not the headline rate. Two quotes are only comparable when they cover the same tasks, the same frequency and the same paperwork.
- Same checklist
- Give every contractor the same written task list.
- What's excluded
- Materials, call-outs, access equipment and certificates.
- Tie-ins
- Minimum terms and notice periods on any contract.
- Unexpected work
- Is it priced and approved before it's done?
- Reporting
- Photos, test records and certificates as standard.
- Competence
- Check registers, such as NICEIC or NAPIT for electrics.
Questions
Do you offer monthly maintenance contracts?
No. We work job by job: each visit is one fixed price, agreed before work starts, with no contract. Call or WhatsApp when something needs doing, or book recurring checks, such as monthly emergency lighting tests, whenever you want them.
What happens if a visit finds something extra?
We stop, show you what we've found with photos and price it separately. Nothing extra is done without your approval. Small items can often be fixed on the same visit once you agree; larger ones can be planned for later.
Can electrical, plumbing and handyman jobs go on the same visit?
Yes. Lighting, taps, door closers, gutters and small repairs can all go on one list and one visit, with one fixed price. Gas work is the exception, as it needs a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Do we still need a periodic electrical inspection with planned maintenance?
Yes. Planned visits catch day-to-day faults, but an EICR is a full inspection and test of the installation. Guidance commonly suggests every five years for offices and shops, and your insurer or lease may ask for more. We carry out EICRs as a separate fixed-price job.
How do we get a price for planned maintenance in Leicester?
Send a list of the tasks and photos of the premises, or book a survey visit so the checklist can be agreed on site. You get a fixed price for each job or visit, with a reply within 24 hours and no contract to sign.