- Contracts are priced on scope (M&E, fabric, compliance, soft services), the asset list, visit frequencies, reactive cover and the number of sites.
- As a very broad guide, planned M&E maintenance for a single small commercial building starts from a few hundred pounds a month; comprehensive multi-site FM is priced on tender.
- Comprehensive cover costs more per month but removes reactive bills; planned-only is cheaper until something fails.
- Compare quotes on the same asset list, frequencies and response times, or the numbers mean nothing.
There is no useful “per square foot” number for a maintenance or facilities contract, because two buildings of the same size can have wildly different plant, compliance obligations and service expectations. Pricing follows scope and assets. Here is how contractors build a price, what moves it, and how to make sure the quotes you compare are actually comparable.
The pricing models
Fixed fee for planned works, with reactive at agreed rates. Comprehensive fixed fee including reactive labour and often parts. Cost-plus or schedule of rates for larger estates, where the contractor charges agreed rates against a managed budget. Most single buildings are on the first or second model. Our guide to maintenance contracts explains the structures.
What drives the cost
- Scope. M&E only, or fabric and compliance too, or full FM with soft services.
- Assets. The number, type and age of plant: boilers, air conditioning, lifts, pumps, distribution boards.
- Frequencies. Monthly versus quarterly visits; manufacturer requirements.
- Reactive cover. Response times and whether parts are included.
- Sites. Number, spread and access.
- Condition. A building with a backlog costs more to bring under control.
A sense of scale
As a very broad guide: planned M&E maintenance on a single small office or retail unit typically runs from a few hundred pounds a month; a mid-size building with air conditioning, fire systems and compliance servicing bundled sits comfortably in four figures a month; comprehensive FM across a portfolio is priced on tender against the full asset list. Because scope dominates, treat these as orientation, not benchmarks, and get quotes for your building.
Compare contract quotes
Match with vetted maintenance and FM contractors and compare no-obligation quotes on a like-for-like scope.
What should be included
The asset list, the task schedule with frequencies, the compliance servicing and certificates produced, response times, call-out rates, parts pricing, reporting, and any exclusions (major plant replacement is normally excluded). A quote without an asset list is a guess. Our guide to statutory servicing lists the compliance items to check are inside the scope.
Comparing quotes properly
- Issue every contractor the same asset list and scope, ideally from a PPM survey.
- Fix the frequencies and response times you want.
- Ask for planned and comprehensive prices side by side.
- Compare exclusions and parts terms, not just the monthly figure.
- Check accreditations for the compliance items.
Getting quotes
ComSurv matches you with vetted maintenance and FM contractors who cover your area and property type, so you can compare no-obligation quotes on a common scope.
Sources & further reading
- RICS planned preventative maintenance standard — how planned maintenance is scoped
- RICS Find a Surveyor — surveyors who prepare PPM plans for contracts to price against
External links open in a new tab. ComSurv is a matching service, not a firm of surveyors, and is not affiliated with these organisations. This article is general information, not legal, surveying or valuation advice; take advice on your specific situation.
