Case Study

---

Building Finishing Services have worked in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council (ECC) over the last 4 years on their Voids Maintenance & Repair contract. ECC are the 2nd largest council in Scotland and have a housing stock of roughly 20,000 homes.

Through this partnership and the approach being taken, ECC have made considerable financial savings on their Void Maintenance and Repair budget. Repairing items that previously would have been replaced can also lead to time savings and which helps to reduce the timescales to re-let properties and keep void rent loss to a minimum.

By taking an average of 100 properties into view, the following works cost estimations can be made:

• Component:                 Cost to Replace:     Total (100 units):    Cost to Repair:      Total (100 units):
• Bath (Steel enamel)    £500/unit                £50,000                    £90                           £9,000
• Worktop                        £150/unit                £15,000                    £55                           £5,500
• Window                        £300/unit                £30,000                    £80                            £8,000
• Door                           £1500/unit              £150,000                    £200                         £20,000

Total Cost of Turnaround:                                    £245,000                                                   £42,500

Total Cost Savings to ECC by 

Repairing over Replacing:                                    £202,500

Our task with ECC is always to repair where possible; overhauling windows & doors (including mechanisms and ironmongery), paint matching to worktops & baths and sealing for future damage prevention. One of our greatest assets is our ability to work efficiently & agile, responding to emergency calls and providing unique repair solutions to difficult jobs. Our extensive experience & reputation within the Repairs arena gives our clients confidence that the job will be completed in line with their demands.

Budget is not the only thing at the top of ECC’s agenda; they have been very forward thinking in their drive towards the Race to Zero and undertaking the Scottish Government’s directive of “make things last”. ECC identified that BFS could provide a vital step in the right direction by allowing them massive CO2 emission savings in the process of repairing scratches, dents, burns and bumps on doors, windows, worktops, baths and showers and bringing the item back to ‘as new’. 

Positive outcomes all round:

✅ Prevention of excess CO2 emissions by Repair over Replace logic

✅ Huge financial savings achieved

✅ Much quicker turnaround in re-letting Void property, allowing less downtime in rental income

✅ Happy tenants 

Our work has been greatly received and judged by the housing managers and inspectors within ECC, with feedback in a recent survey indicating that they would advise little improvement to our services and that they would recommend us to others.

Get in touch and find out what we could do for you!

Testimony

" I would highly recommend the service of Building Finishing Services to others. They are friendly, accommodating and always willing to go the extra mile for their client. In our council properties we have difficult jobs to complete within challenging environments, but BFS are able to efficiently carry out repair works fir us on our voids program, saving us time, money and helping us save CO2 emissions. BFS have even managed to provide solutions to jobs that other specialist companies could not repair i,e flooring and glazing repairs." 

- Team Manager, City of Edinburgh Council