Auditing the Facility - RSMeans Online...Capital budget planning begins with compiling a complete...

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IntroductionCapital budget planning begins with compilinga complete inventory of the facility, includingequipment, that identifies existingdeficiencies. The Facilities Audit is a vehiclefor producing such an inventory; it is a systemfor thoroughly assessing the existing physicalcondition and functional performance ofbuildings, grounds, utilities, and equipment.The results of this audit are used to addressmajor and minor, urgent and long-term needsfor corrective action, for short- and long-termfinancial planning. The basic principlespresented here can be applied to any scaleoperation, from a single structure to a facilityconsisting of multiple building complexes indispersed locations.

The first step is determining the scope of theaudit. Next, the audit team is selected, and aset of forms is designed. A survey team thenrecords field observations on the forms forindividual building components. Finally, theinformation from these forms is summarized,prioritized, presented, and used to:

• compare a building’s condition andfunctional performance to that of otherbuildings within a facility

• define regular maintenance requirements• define capital repair and replacement

projects in order to eliminate deferredmaintenance

• develop cost estimates for capital repair andreplacement projects

• restore functionally obsolete facilities to ausable condition

• eliminate conditions that are eitherpotentially damaging to property or presentlife safety hazards

• identify energy conservation measures

The audit ultimately produces a databaseon the condition of a facility’s buildings,identifying the physical adequacy ofconstruction, material, and equipment, andassessing the functional adequacy of thefacility to perform its designated purpose. Thiscomprehensive inventory can be used to guideproperty management decisions and strategicplanning of capital assets, such as determiningthose expenditures necessary to extend the lifeof a facility.The audit procedures and forms included hereare for the purpose of identifying the conditionof buildings and assessing the cost and priorityof their repair. While this is a comprehensivestand-alone process, it is for the limitedpurposes of assessing costs and establishingpriorities for repairs. It represents only aportion of the requirements of a full facilitiesaudit. For further information and guidance onconducting a full audit, contact the RSMeansEngineering staff.

The Rating FormsThe audit approach involves conducting athorough inspection of a facility, thenemploying a systematic process of completingindividual forms for each component,following the order in which buildingcomponents are assembled. This is aself-evaluation process designed to fit all typesof structures. The audit procedure described isa “generic” approach that can be used as astarting point; the facilities manager shouldincorporate the special characteristics of anorganization and its facilities into anindividualized facilities audit.

Audits are best performed by the in-housepersonnel familiar with the building beingaudited. However, outside consultants may berequired when staff is not available or whenspecial expertise is required to further examinesuspected deficiencies.

Four types of forms that can be used toconduct the building audit are described here.A complete set of the blank forms ready forphotocopying follows.1. Building Data Summary

This form can be used to summarize allbuildings to be covered by the audit.

2. Facilities Inventory FormThis form is designed to collect the basicdata about a specific building’scharacteristics (name, identificationnumber, location, area), including landdata. One form is prepared for eachbuilding to be audited as summarized onthe Building Data Summary form.

3. Standard Inspection FormThe standard form for recording observeddeficiencies, it provides a uniform way tocomment on, prioritize, and estimate thecost to correct those deficiencies. TheStandard Inspection Form is designed tomake use of cost data from theMaintenance & Repair and PreventiveMaintenance sections of this publication.Cost data from publications such asRSMeans Facilities Construction CostData may be utilized as well.

4. System ChecklistsFor each major building system fromfoundations through site work, there is achecklist to guide the audit and record thereview process. The checklists areintended as general guides and may not betotally comprehensive. Be sure to makeany necessary modifications (additions ordeletions) required for the specific buildingbeing audited. The forms prompt the useron what to check and provide a place tocheck off or indicate by “Yes” or “No” thepresence of deficiencies requiring furtherdetailed analysis on the StandardInspection Form.

Auditing the Facility

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Completing theInspection FormsThe standard inspection forms are designed tobe used in conjunction with the systemchecklists. A system checklist of typicaldeficiencies for each building system iscompleted as part of the inspection process.Then for each building deficiency, a standardinspection report is generated listing theidentifying information as required on theform. With the deficiency defined anddescribed, the specific work items required tocorrect the deficiency can be entered,prioritized, and costed in Part 3 of the form.The priority rating is further described below.

Priority RatingsPriority rating is the inspector’s judgment ofthe priority of an observed deficiency. Therating provides guidance for facilities managerswho must review overall deficiencies anddevelop maintenance schedules and capitalbudgets. The following priority rating terms,commonly used in maintenance management,are a suggested guideline for priority values.The scale may be expanded as required to fitspecific needs.1. Emergency: This designation indicates

work that demands immediate attentionto repair an essential operating system orbuilding component, or because life safetyor property is endangered. A responseshould occur within two hours ofnotification.

2. Urgent: Work demanding promptattention to alleviate temporary emergencyrepairs or a condition requiring correctionwithin one to five days to prevent asubsequent emergency is classified asurgent.

3. Routine: A specific completion date canbe requested or required for routine work.This includes work that has no short rangeeffect on life safety, security of personnel,or property. Routine work can be plannedin detail and incorporated into a tradebacklog for scheduling within twelvemonths.

4. Deferred: Projects that can be deferredinto the following year’s work planning areclassified as deferred.

Cost Estimates forMaintenanceA major characteristic of the audit describedhere is the application of detailed costestimates. To prepare cost estimates for workrequired to correct deficiencies, detailedinformation about the nature and extent of thefacility’s condition is required at the beginningof the audit. However, when cost estimates areincorporated, the audit process generateshighly useful summaries outlining majormaintenance costs and priorities. Includingcost estimates allows for comparisons to bemade in order to prioritize repair andreplacement needs on a project-by-project andbuilding-by-building basis.

Other ConsiderationsA problem which may have to be settled bythe audit leader is what to do with mixed-usebuildings, those that have recent additions tothe original construction, or buildings thathave, under emergency circumstances, beenforced to house new activities for which theywere not designed. Such problems will have tobe dealt with individually by the audit team.

The data gathered in a facilities audit must bekept current, gathered consistently, andregularly updated. An annual cycle ofinspections is recommended. Eachorganization initiating a comprehensive auditand continuing with annual cycles ofinspections will benefit from organizing datain a systematic format. Conducting annualaudits in a consistent format provides the basisfor monitoring the backlog of deferredmaintenance and preparing effective long-termplans and budgets for maintenance and repairoperations.

The forms are designed for ease of field entryof data and manual preparation of summariesand reports. The forms can also be createdusing basic word processing and spreadsheetsoftware or database programming. Althoughthe self-evaluation process is readily adaptableto data processing programs, not everyorganization has the capabilities or resourcesavailable. For those without computercapabilities, a manual method of storing andupdating must be developed and used.

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Summarizing theAudit DataInformation collected on the audit forms iscompiled and used to determine the conditionof the facility’s buildings and what should bedone to maintain and/or improve them.Summaries of a building audit can serveseveral purposes, some of which are listedbelow.

• Routine Maintenance Needs: A currentproperty owner may be interested inplanning and estimating a program for thecost of routine operations and maintenance.

• Major Maintenance: A current orprospective property owner may want toevaluate major maintenance needs to planand estimate the cost of a correctiveprogram.

• Deferred Maintenance: A backlog ofroutine and major maintenance can beaddressed using a survey of conditions toplan and budget a deferred maintenanceprogram.

• Renovations and/or Additions: Prior todeveloping feasibility studies on alternativesto renovations and/or additions, a survey ofexisting conditions may be necessary.

• Capital Budgeting and Planning: Acomprehensive audit of facilities conditionswill incorporate major maintenancerequirements into overall capital needs.

ConclusionThe information and forms for conducting anaudit of the facility are included in RSMeansFacilities Maintenance & Repair Cost Data toprovide a method for applying the cost data tothe actual maintenance and repair needs of aspecific facility. The Facility Audit presentedhere is a subset of a more comprehensive auditprogram. The more comprehensive approachincludes assessment of the building’sfunctional performance, as well as additionalforms and procedures to incorporate the cost ofmaintenance and repair into a comprehensivemulti-year facility management plan.

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For customer support on your Facilities Maintenance & Repair Cost Data, call 877.801.5724.

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A10 FOUNDATIONS INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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A20 BASEMENT INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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B10 SUPERSTRUCTURES INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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B10 SUPERSTRUCTURES INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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B20 EXTERIOR CLOSURE INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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B30 ROOFING INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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B30 ROOFING INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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C10 PARTITIONS & DOORS INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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C30 WALLS & FINISHES INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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C30 FLOORS & FINISHES INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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C30 CEILINGS & FINISHES INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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D10 CONVEYING INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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D20 MECHANICAL/PLUMBING INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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D30 MECHANICAL/HVAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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D30 MECHANICAL/HVAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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D50 ELEC./SERVICE & DIST. INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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G20 SITE WORK INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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H10 SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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H10 SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST


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