What a property maintenance work order is for
A maintenance tech may handle six work orders across three buildings in a day. A work order with the unit, the tenant's description, access arrangements, the approval limit, likely parts and the photos to take means one trip per problem and an invoice line the manager understands without calling.
What to put on a property maintenance work order
- Unit and problem as reported.
- Tenant access and notice.
- Approval limit for this job.
- Parts likely needed.
- Photos before and after.
A worked example
A leaking kitchen faucet in unit 4B; the tech's copy carries no prices.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check faucet, kitchen, unit 4B | 1 | each | Your price |
| Replace cartridge if leaking at the handle | 1 | each | Your price |
| Check under sink for water damage | 1 | each | Your price |
| Photo before and after | 1 | each | Your price |
Note the tenant access window. A locked door with no notice is a wasted trip billed to nobody.
Line items property maintenance companies use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly walkthrough | visit | Common areas, exterior and the punch list. |
| Work order labor | hour | Billed by the hour with a minimum. |
| Unit turnover, paint and repairs | each | Per unit; scope in the note. |
| HVAC filter changes | each | Per unit, filter size. |
| Smoke and CO detector check | each | Test and battery swap per unit. |
| Light bulbs and fixtures | each | Common area lighting. |
| Gutter cleaning | ft | Per foot of gutter. |
| Grounds care visit | visit | Mowing, trimming and litter. |
| Snow and ice, per visit | visit | Walks and entries. |
| Parts and materials | each | At cost plus your markup. |
| After-hours call | each | Emergency rate and minimum. |
| Trip charge | each | For work orders outside a scheduled visit. |
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer, the site and the date.
- Add who is assigned, the arrival window and access.
- List the tasks and materials in the order the crew will need them.
- Put gate codes, pets and anything to protect in the site notes.
- Print it for the truck or send it to the crew's phone as a PDF.
Free tools for property maintenance
- Maintenance plan pricing calculator
- Lawn care cost calculator
- Gutter cleaning cost calculator
- Labor rate calculator
The same work order for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpentry, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, deck, drywall, duct cleaning, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, glass, gutter, handyman, holiday lighting, home inspection, hood cleaning, hvac, insulation, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, masonry, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, restoration, roofing, security system, septic, siding, snow removal, solar, tile, tree service, water treatment, waterproofing, window cleaning, window and door.
More for property maintenance companies: how property maintenance companies run on Koira.