Building Shape & FOrm

The influence of building shape & form on maintenance expenditure can be summarised as follows :

• High rise Buildings vs. Low -Rise Buildings
• Complex Buildings vs . Simple Buildings
• Old Buildings vs. New Buildings

High-rise Buildings vs. Low - rise BUildings

Generally maintenance costs are higher for high-rise building than for low-rise ones of similar shape . This is due to :

• The higher proportion of service like lifts & lighting ;
• more communal areas
• problems of accessibility for redecoration & repair.

Complex Buildings vs. Simple Buildings

• Complex Buildings vs. simple Building
• Complex -shaped buildings are also more expensive to maintain because of additional costs incurred in providing :

1. temporary support systems .
2. slower working rate
3. higher overheads .

Old BUilding vS New BUilding
Older Buidings are also more expensive to maintain because of the need to replace or repair more components which have reached their useful and economic lifespans . The effect of age on high-rise buildings is even greater because of a higher proportion of services to be overhauled or replaced .