Quick portfolio snapshot

• Tell me briefly how many buildings and total rentable square feet your portfolio covers.
• Which property types make up most of that portfolio (office, industrial, retail, multifamily, institutional)? Options: Office, Industrial / warehouse, Retail, Multifamily, Hospital / healthcare, Education / institutional, Mixed-use, Other
• How many assets currently show line items for deferred maintenance on your capital plan?
• Is any asset currently at immediate risk of closure or major tenant disruption because of a system or envelope failure? Options: Yes, No, Not sure
• Who on your team owns the capital budget and the facility condition data? Options: VP of Facilities / Engineering, Asset Manager, CFO / Finance, Operations Director, Capital Committee, Other
• Describe the most recent system failure that created a major unexpected expense and the short-term steps you took to contain it.

Where deferred problems show up

• What single impending failure in your portfolio would force you to accelerate capital spend immediately?
• When a component reaches end of life, how long does your team usually have before it affects operations? Options: Less than 1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, More than 12 months
• Which systems generate the most emergency replacement costs in a typical year? Options: Roofing and building envelope, HVAC and boilers, Electrical distribution, Plumbing and water systems, Elevators and vertical transport, Fire and life safety systems, Other
• How much of your annual maintenance spend would you estimate is reactive repairs versus planned capital? Options: Less than 10%, 10%–25%, 25%–50%, 50%–75%, More than 75%
• Tell the story of a deficiency that was under-estimated in scope or cost and the downstream impact it created.

Who signs, who pays, and what they expect

• Who on your leadership team can veto a proposed increase in this year's capital request? Options: Board member, CEO / Owner, CFO, Asset Manager, Other
• Name the committee or individual that approves multi-year capital plans and describe their approval cadence.
• Estimate the dollar threshold your facilities leader can reallocate without executive sign-off.
• When ownership or lenders ask for justification, what evidence convinces them most? Options: Detailed line-item cost estimates, Condition photographs and inspection reports, Lifecycle modeling and replacement timing, Comparative studies or comps, Risk and impact analysis, Other
• If an assessment shows larger costs than budgeted, who is expected to own communication to ownership and lenders? Options: Facilities Director, Asset Manager, CFO / Finance, External consultant, CEO / Owner, Other

The hard trade-offs, budget timing, and risk

• What capital decision you delayed this year do you regret now, and why?
• Point to projects in this year's plan you expect may be deferred again and explain the primary reason for each.
• Estimate the operational cost of a one-month schedule slip on a major capital project. Options: Less than $10,000, $10,000–$50,000, $50,000–$200,000, $200,000–$500,000, More than $500,000
• Describe your current method for prioritizing life-safety, revenue-protecting, and amenity work across the portfolio.
• Would a fixed-fee assessment with a guaranteed turnaround time make you authorize fieldwork more quickly? Options: Yes, Maybe, No

Alternatives you're weighing

• Point to the external firms, internal teams, and product options you are weighing, and where each has fallen short so far.
• Under what conditions would your current approach be sufficient to continue without hiring an external partner? Options: Stable assets with low deferred maintenance, Strong internal CMMS and reporting, Sufficient internal staff capacity, No lender or ownership pressure, Other
• Indicate whether any internal team is actively proposing to handle assessments and capital planning in-house. Options: Yes, fully in-house, Yes, partially with consultants, No internal proposal, Unsure
• If you keep the incumbent provider, what specific gaps would you expect to persist?
• Identify the one outcome that would make you switch from an incumbent and sign with a new partner this quarter.

Do we have what we need to start

• Identify the readiness gaps that would block us from starting fieldwork on your target date. Options: Missing asset drawings, No CMMS access, No site access or escorts, Regulatory approvals pending, Insufficient internal headcount to support fieldwork, Data siloed across systems, Other
• Are asset drawings, equipment lists, and recent service records centralized and accessible to a third party? Options: Yes, fully centralized, Partially centralized, No, scattered across teams, We do not have these records
• List the core data sources we will need access to, such as CMMS, lease inventory, or O&M manuals. Options: CMMS or work order system, Lease inventory, O&M manuals, Recent inspection reports, Maintenance vendor records, Building automation system logs, Other
• Name the day-to-day contact who can coordinate site access, keys, and on-site escorts.
• Do any regulatory approvals, board reviews, or lender waivers need to happen before inspections can begin? Options: Yes – permits or approvals required, Yes – board or executive signoff required, Yes – lender consent required, No approvals needed, Unsure
• Would you accept a scoped discovery pilot on a subset of assets to validate assumptions if your data is incomplete? Options: Yes, Maybe, with conditions, No

How you'll decide this is worth it

• Pinpoint the metric your board would use to judge success in 12 months, for example forecast variance, reduced emergency spend, or percent of projects delivered on budget. Options: Forecast accuracy (variance %), Reduced emergency spend, Percent of projects on budget, Time to approval for capital, Occupancy or revenue protection, Other
• Choose the cadence you need for updated forecasts to satisfy owners or lenders. Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually
• Specify the acceptable variance range for cost estimates that would let you proceed to project scoping. Options: ±5%, ±10%, ±15%, ±25%, Other
• Do you expect a sample deliverable with prioritized deficiencies and high-low cost bands to shorten your internal approval timeline? Options: Yes, Probably, No, Unsure
• Assuming a pilot assessment validated the numbers, what internal step would immediately follow to accelerate contracting?

Clear next steps to get started

• Could anything stop you from signing authorization to begin fieldwork within 30 days? If so, what? Options: Yes – budget constraints, Yes – procurement / PO timing, Yes – data or access issues, No, nothing obvious, Unsure
• Select which documents and approvals your team can provide in the next two weeks. Options: Signed NDA, Access to CMMS, Asset drawings, O&M manuals, Board or executive memo, Purchase order or budget approval, Site access contacts
• Provide the names and roles of people who must attend a kickoff meeting to remove blockers and approve schedules.
• Give the earliest date your team can make a prioritized set of assets available for a sample site visit.
• Are there budget milestones or purchase order processes we should align with to avoid delays? Options: Yes – monthly or quarterly budget cycles, Yes – specific PO thresholds, No standard milestones, Unsure

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (Assessment SOW)
• Change Order Agreement
• Data Access & Site Entry Authorization
• Authorization to Begin Fieldwork (Notice to Proceed)
• Fee Schedule & Payment Authorization
• Confidentiality Agreement (NDA)

• Fieldwork Kickoff and Sampling Plan
• Site Inspection Working Session (instantiate per site)
• Operational Stakeholder Interviews
• Technical Evidence Review and Assumption Reconciliation
• Deficiency Prioritization and Cost Basis Workshop

• Review consolidated deficiency register
• Clear list of decision authorities, budget timing, and constraints that will drive prioritization decisions.
• Inventory of documents and data needed to resolve disputed conditions or unknowns.
• Provide copies of maintenance logs, service invoices, and recent equipment replacement records identified during the interview.
• Deliver a list of contact names and authority level for approvals and budget decisions.
• Collect tenant complaint logs or incident reports relevant to recurrent failures.
• Recap collected evidence and data gaps
• Consensus on condition ratings and which items will be included in the deficiency list.
• Prioritized list of tests or specialist inspections required to close high-impact data gaps.
• Provisional remaining useful life assumptions noted for use in cost and timing estimates.
• Schedule and define scope for any agreed destructive testing or specialist inspections.
• Prepare a reconciled condition rating register with linked evidence for inclusion in the assessment report.
• Record and track unresolved data gaps that will require assumption tags in the final report.
• Prioritized deficiency list with agreed timing windows and severity ratings for the assessment.
• Documented cost basis assumptions and provisional cost ranges tied to each prioritized item.
• Clear list of deficiencies that require additional validation before final costing.
• Produce the prioritized deficiency register with linked cost basis notes for inclusion in the facility condition assessment.
• Flag and schedule any items that require rapid follow-up testing to avoid delaying the assessment timeline.
• Compile a short assumptions appendix that documents lifecycle, unit cost, and contingency assumptions used in preliminary cost ranges.
• Confirm engagement scope and site list
• Finalized per-site inspection schedule and scope that can be issued to field teams.
• Agreed evidence standards and file structure for inspection deliverables.
• Documented access instructions and on-site contacts for each site.
• Publish the finalized site inspection schedule and per-site scope document to the shared workspace.
• Distribute the inspection checklist template and photo naming convention to all field staff.
• Client to provide electronic copies of site floor plans and recent as-built drawings where available.
• Safety and access confirmation
• Completed inspection checklist for the site with required photographic and measurement evidence.
• Preliminary deficiency list for the site with severity and urgency flags.
• List of data gaps or locked areas requiring follow-up access or documentation.
• Upload all site inspection checklists, annotated photos, and measurement notes to the shared repository using the agreed file naming convention.
• Log any urgent repair items as high priority for immediate client notification.
• Schedule follow-up access visits for any locked or inaccessible areas and document the required permissions.
• Confirm interview scope and roles
• Validated list of operational issues, their impact on use, and recent repair history to support severity scoring.
• Approve per-site inspection scope and roles
• Apply prioritization criteria
• Capture recent failures and maintenance history
• Walk exterior and envelope systems
• System-by-system reconciliation
• Identify items needing further testing or specialist input
• Define cost basis assumptions and ranges
• Document operational impacts and business constraints
• Walk mechanical and electrical plant spaces
• Set evidence standards and data deliverables
• Confirm decision authorities and funding constraints
• Confirm items for immediate inclusion in the assessment report
• Inspect vertical transportation and life safety systems
• Agree provisional lifecycle and failure timing assumptions
• Confirm schedule, access, and contact points
• Identify risks and contingency steps
• Agree on evidence to validate contested claims
• Capture immediate hazards and urgent repairs
• Complete site checklist and evidence upload plan

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• Submit final assessment deliverable package to buyer
• Receive written acceptance sign-off from designated buyer approver
• Schedule and complete formal acceptance review meeting
• Document any agreed revisions to the assessment deliverable
• Produce revised assessment deliverable when revisions are agreed
• Confirm acceptance criteria met for billing milestone
• Issue invoice tied to the acceptance billing milestone
• Obtain payment or remittance confirmation from buyer
• Lock final accepted deliverable and supporting evidence in project repository
• Capture formal authorization to proceed to the Capital Plan Walkthrough

• Capital Plan Walkthrough

• Confirm that the prioritized project ranking and timing align with your risk tolerance and budget cycles.
• Confirm the current state and its cost
• Deliver a refined capital plan PDF that updates top-project cost ranges and timing based on today's feedback within 10 business days.
• Agree on which projects should move to scoping in the next budget window and what additional cost verification is required.
• Overview of the prioritized multi-year plan
• Provide a one-page scope and verification checklist for each project agreed to move forward for budgeting approval.
• Confirm internal budget windows, decision-maker approvers, and the next board or lender presentation date.
• Walkthrough of top projects and timing rationale
• Identify remaining evidence or stakeholder approvals needed to present the plan to ownership or lenders.
• Schedule a scoping kickoff for the approved projects within 5 business days after plan acceptance.
• Impact on asset strategy and risk reduction
• Validate the recommendations and decision criteria

• Capital Plan Walkthrough
• Capital Plan Walkthrough Deck
• Capital Plan Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Contractor procurement and bid management
• Permit and AHJ coordination
• Construction project management and site oversight
• Budget tracking and change-order control
• Roof replacement and waterproofing installation
• HVAC system replacement and commissioning
• Elevator modernization construction oversight
• Electrical service upgrade and distribution replacement
• Plumbing riser and fixture replacement
• Building envelope repair and window replacement
• Fire protection and life‑safety system retrofit
• Temporary systems and tenant protection coordination
• Commissioning, testing, and performance verification
• Closeout documentation, punchlist, and warranty handover
• Capital financing and incentive qualification support

Contractor procurement and bid management

• Do you have a standard bid package or scope of work (SOW) template to issue to bidders (include sections for schedules, unit prices, alternates)? Options: Yes, No
• Which procurement method do you prefer for trade work (select the one that most closely matches your policy)? Options: Competitive sealed bids (low bid), Qualifications-based selection (QBS), Construction manager at risk (CMAR) / GMP, Design-bid-build lump-sum, Single-source / negotiated
• Who in your organization approves the short list and final contract award (role or title)?
• How will you score technical versus price criteria for bids (e.g., 60% technical / 40% price) and do you require references from comparable portfolio projects? Options: Price-weighted, Technical-weighted, Equal weighting, Custom (explain)
• Provide prequalification thresholds for bidders (minimum annual revenue, bonding capacity, safety experience modification rate (EMR)).

Permit and AHJ coordination

• Which authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) will issue permits for the project and do you have existing permit records for the property (building permit numbers, prior plan approvals)?
• Identify required permit types for the scope (building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression, elevator) you expect to be pulled. Options: Building, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire suppression, Elevator, Other
• How will plan review comments be routed and tracked (your PM, local architect, third-party expeditor)? Options: We route through in-house PM, Architect/engineer handles, Third-party expeditor required, Unknown
• When do you need permits to be secured relative to the construction start date (number of weeks)? Options: Permit secured before mobilization, Within 2 weeks of mobilization, Within 4 weeks of mobilization, TBD
• Provide any known AHJ constraints or special conditions (historic district reviews, noise curfews, street parking permits) that affect schedule or method.

Construction project management and site oversight

• Which level of on-site supervision do you require (daily superintendent, resident engineer, weekly visits)? Options: Daily superintendent on site, Resident engineer with weekly superintendence, Weekly site visits only, Owner oversight only
• Who will be the primary on-site contact for daily coordination (role/title and contact availability windows)?
• Describe your required safety and access protocols we must enforce (lockout/tagout, hot work permits, COVID protocols, tenant LOTO windows).
• For milestone management, indicate required schedule reporting cadence and format (weekly Gantt update, 2-week lookahead, critical path updates). Options: Weekly Gantt update, Biweekly lookahead, Monthly milestone report, Daily log summaries
• Specify required documentation deliverables during construction (daily reports, photos, submittal logs, RFIs, inspection checklists).

Budget tracking and change-order control

• Select the contract types you expect for awarded trades so we can model contingency and billing (multiple may apply). Options: Lump-sum, Guaranteed maximum price (GMP), Time-and-materials with not-to-exceed, Unit pricing
• Name your required change-order approval threshold and approvers (e.g., >$5,000 requires VP approval).
• Indicate the contingency percentage you want tracked separately in the project budget (select typical range). Options: 3-5%, 5-10%, 10-15%, Custom (explain)
• Estimate how frequently you want cost-to-complete reconciliations and earned value updates (weekly, biweekly, monthly). Options: Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly
• What acceptance criteria will confirm final cost acceptance for each project (examples: final signed lien waivers, approved change-order log, verified contractor invoices)?

Roof replacement and waterproofing installation

• Which roof membrane systems are under consideration at the property (TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen, built-up) and are existing roof drawings or roof survey reports available? Options: TPO, EPDM, PVC, Modified bitumen, Built-up roof, Unknown / roof survey required
• How much of the roof area is planned for replacement now versus deferred (square feet or percentage)?
• Specify required roof insulation performance targets (R-value or U-factor) and any wind uplift design standard to meet.
• Indicate if you require mock-ups or sample roof sections for owner review prior to full installation. Options: Yes, mock-up required, No, mock-up not required, TBD
• Identify tenant protection and sequencing constraints for roof work (daytime access restrictions, staged replacement to keep HVAC on), including any tenant notice lead times.

HVAC system replacement and commissioning

• Which HVAC assets are targeted for replacement (RTUs by roof section, central chiller, packaged units, fan-coil units) and are equipment schedules available? Options: Rooftop units (RTUs), Central chillers, Boilers, Fan-coil units, Packaged units, Unknown / survey required
• Who will own sequencing of operations and final setpoints decisions (your facilities team, mechanical engineer, third-party commissioning agent)? Options: Facilities team, Design engineer, Third-party commissioning agent, TBD
• Indicate any performance or efficiency targets required (AHRI rating, COP, IEER, minimum SEER) for replacement equipment. Options: AHRI / COP target, Minimum SEER / IEER, No specific target, TBD
• Provide the required commissioning scope for HVAC (functional performance tests, sensor calibration, sequence verification, as-built control point list).
• Estimate desired commissioning reporting deliverables (commissioning plan, test procedures, final commissioning report with deficiencies logged). Options: Commissioning plan, Test procedures, Final commissioning report, O&M training session

Elevator modernization construction oversight

• Which elevator code requirements and standards apply (ASME A17.1, local elevator code) and do you have existing elevator inspection certificates?
• How many cabs are in scope for modernization and do you require staged modernization to keep one car in service? Options: Single cab, Multiple cabs with staged work, All cabs out of service
• Specify required modernization components (controls, hoistway repairs, door operators, cab finishes, seismic upgrades).
• Name acceptable testing and acceptance milestones for elevator commissioning (no-load run, loaded run, final elevator inspection certificate).
• Attach any manufacturer or service-provider limitations we should honor (preferred elevator vendors, existing warranties to maintain).

Electrical service upgrade and distribution replacement

• Which electrical upgrade is required (service entrance replacement, main switchgear, distribution panel replacements, backup generator) and do you have an existing single-line diagram (SLD)? Options: Service entrance replacement, Main switchgear, Distribution panels, Backup generator, Unknown / SLD required
• Who will coordinate utility company work and service changeover windows (utility contact on file or we arrange coordination)? Options: We will coordinate utility, You provide utility contact, We arrange and manage utility coordination
• Specify required power outage limits and acceptable outage duration for tenant-critical circuits (hours per outage, maximum number of outages).
• Indicate protective device and labeling expectations for distribution replacement (arc flash study needed, updated panel schedules). Options: Arc flash study required, Panel schedules to be updated, No arc flash study
• Identify required testing and certification for new electrical gear (insulation resistance tests, torque logs, factory witness tests).

Plumbing riser and fixture replacement

• Which plumbing elements are in scope (main riser replacements, fixture retrofits, domestic hot water heater replacement, storm drain repairs)? Options: Riser replacement, Fixture replacement, Domestic hot water system, Storm drains, Unknown / survey required
• How many vertical riser stacks or riser feet are affected and are riser as-built drawings available?
• Specify fixture schedules or manufacturer preferences and any accessibility or ADA requirements to meet.
• Indicate your requirement for temporary water shutoffs and tenant notification lead times (hours notice, after-hours work allowed). Options: Standard business hours only, After-hours allowed with notice, Emergency-only
• Identify water quality or code constraints that affect replacement (backflow preventer requirements, water heater relief valve set points).

Building envelope repair and window replacement

• Which envelope components are targeted (masonry repairs, sealant replacement, window units, curtainwall remediation) and are glazing performance specs required (U-value, SHGC)? Options: Masonry, Sealant, Window replacement, Curtainwall remediation, Unknown
• Who will approve mock-ups for new glazing or sealant details prior to full-field installation? Options: Owner rep, Architect, Engineer, Contractor
• Specify expected warranty terms for installed envelope work (years for materials and workmanship). Options: 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, Custom
• Indicate required air and water infiltration test criteria (ASTM air leakage limits, water penetration test thresholds) for completed work.
• List any historic preservation or façade review constraints that will affect methods or materials.

Fire protection and life‑safety system retrofit

• Which life-safety systems are in scope (sprinkler modifications, fire alarm upgrades, smoke control, egress lighting) and do you have existing NFPA 13/72 design drawings? Options: Sprinkler system, Fire alarm, Smoke control, Egress lighting, Other
• Who is your preferred fire alarm or suppression service provider, if any, and are existing inspection records available?
• Specify required acceptance testing milestones for fire protection (hydrostatic test, main drain tests, panel acceptance, AHJ witness tests).
• Indicate whether system downtime can be tolerated or if phased work is required to maintain full coverage. Options: Full downtime allowed, Phased to maintain coverage, Emergency-only outages
• Identify any trigger conditions that require immediate AHJ notification (systems taken off-line, occupant load changes).

Temporary systems and tenant protection coordination

• Which temporary systems are required during work (temp power, temporary heating/cooling, temporary domestic water) and do you have preferred vendors for short-term rentals? Options: Temp power, Temp HVAC, Temp water, Temporary enclosures, Tenant protection barriers
• How should tenant protection be documented and approved (tenant protection plan, photo pre-construction condition surveys)? Options: Protection plan required, Photo condition surveys, Tenant sign-off required, No formal documentation
• Specify notification lead times for tenant-impacting work (minimum hours or days notice before noisy work or access interruptions). Options: 48 hours, 72 hours, 1 week, TBD
• Indicate responsibility for temporary system metering and payment (owner pays rental, tenant reimburses, contractor includes in bid). Options: Owner pays, Tenant reimburses, Contractor includes
• Identify finish-protection standards to be enforced in tenant areas (floor protection types, dust partitions, negative air).

• Handover and Operational Health Check
• First Measurement, Early Outcomes Review
• Monthly Operational Issue Burn-down
• Quarterly Portfolio Performance Review
• Annual Reprioritization and Backlog Review

• Produce an updated multi-year cashflow and publish the revised forecast reflecting agreed reprioritization.
• Scope enhancement requests chosen for scheduling and document acceptance criteria.
• Update the issue tracker with resolution owners, ETAs, and status notes.
• Portfolio financials and spend versus plan
• Validate whether capital spend versus plan percentage is within acceptable tolerance.
• Confirm funding decisions for high-priority deficiencies and any required scope adjustments.
• Produce an agreed reprioritized list and updated multi-year forecast for the next quarter.
• Confirm scope of sustain activities and owners
• Document project priority changes with rationale and publish to stakeholders.
• Identify candidate projects for deferment if budget constraints remain and prepare impact statements.
• Annual outcomes and backlog trends
• Agree the updated multi-year capital plan and budget for the next fiscal year.
• Reduce or set a plan to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog dollar value.
• Ensure every prioritized initiative has a named owner and a monitoring cadence documented.
• Finalize and publish the next fiscal year's capital budget and multi-year forecast.
• Assign owners to all prioritized initiatives with target start dates and monitoring checkpoints.
• Schedule quarterly follow-ups for the coming year to monitor progress against the updated plan.
• Operational access to required asset and project data is confirmed for the sustain team.
• Named client-side owners agreed for sustain governance and reporting.
• Immediate blockers are documented with remediation actions and target dates.
• Provide any missing asset data files, as-built drawings, and warranty documents for ingestion into the portfolio tracker.
• Publish the sustain-team RACI that names owners for budget, scheduling, and issue resolution.
• Log and assign remediation items with target completion dates in the issue tracker.
• Present initial outcome data
• Determine whether percent of projects on schedule is within the acceptable range or requires remediation.
• Agree cost reforecast actions for projects with unacceptable cost variance percentage versus estimate.
• Assign remediation owners and dates to close remaining implementation blockers.
• Prepare corrected project schedules for delayed projects and circulate an updated master schedule.
• Issue cost reforecasts for projects with greater than acceptable cost variance and document assumptions.
• Assign owners and resolution dates for remaining implementation blockers in the issue tracker.
• Review new and closed issues since last meeting
• Reduce open issue count through closure or movement to a scheduled remediation.
• Lower the median days to resolution for operational issues month over month.
• Decide which enhancement requests are scheduled for the next planning window and which are deferred.
• Close low-risk issues with permanent fixes and record resolution details.
• Validate data and system access
• Schedule adherence and project delivery performance
• Asset strategy and long-term timing review
• Discuss top three blockers blocking project progress
• Root-cause analysis for off-target metrics
• Update multi-year capital plan and budgets
• Triage enhancement requests
• Critical deficiencies funding review
• Review project closeout and O&M transfers
• Agree corrective actions and timelines
• Early adoption signals and handoff workflows
• Reprioritization and forecast adjustments
• Owner assignments and monitoring cadence
• Confirm reporting and next check
• Agree next actions and update issue tracker
• Open issues triage and immediate remediation actions