Costs

When carrying out refurbishment, repairs or maintenance, cost is always high on the list of priorities.  However, when delivering best value, quality, durability and the environmental impact of materials are becoming increasing important, as is the quality and credentials of the suppliers and contractors.  Sustainable refurbishment is about taking a long-term view, not just for your properties and residents, but for the environment too.  By considering the whole-life cost  of refurbishment, specifying for greater environmental performance can be made easier. 

When commissioning refurbishment or maintenance programmes, you should not just consider the lowest initial price. This is because, over the property?s lifetime, there can be operational savings to the residents and the association.  An environmentally sound capital programme could cost more than a standard approach, but yield much lower running costs to residents.  

This will be especially true if the work is being done in line with a stock-condition survey, Decent Homes Standard or asset management strategy.  Linking whole-life costing to stock condition and asset management strategies, will help to provide best value for money.

The Housing Corporation has provided more information that will support the taking of future investment decisions on a whole-life cost basis.

Currently there is a lack of information on standardised and independently validated information on the life of products and components.  Many associations have set up their own database to research these issues.  The Housing Corporation?s work aims to  help provide a wider database for associations to access.

Green Street contains indicative information on the cost of approaches and products.  However, as prices change rapidly, the focus has been on indicative costs and possible payback periods.  Detailed information on the cost of carrying out energy-efficiency work is linked to the Energy models.  We suggest you contact contractors and suppliers to determine actual prices for your programme.

For more information on whole life costing follow these links:

Rethinking Construction: 20 Good Ideas for Rethinking Refurbishment, Repairs and Maintenance. The Housing Forum 2000.

Whole Life Costing - a clients guide from the Confederation of Construction Clients.