A Day In The Life Of An RW Maintain Contracts Manager

We have talked in depth about the benefits of a partnering with a fire door maintenance contractor, including the savings and peace of mind it can bring to your business.

Being proactive with your fire door maintenance doesn’t just guarantee safety for your building and occupants, but it can also help you to avoid situations in which failing fire doors are spotted too late and require a bulk sum of cash to fix.

But, we thought we would share with you just what a day in the life of a RW Maintain Contracts Manager looks like. Sharing a little of our insights and experiences that we deal with daily!

A Typical Day Of A Fire Door Manufacturer Contracts Manager

Today is going to be a long day.

I woke up early with the intention of having a fulfilling breakfast before heading out, but I have to meet a client on-site at the University at 9AM, which is 120 miles from where I live. So, I hit the road straight away, knowing that I will have to get breakfast later.

At 8:50AM, I arrived on site, and I met with both the Estates Manager and Head of Compliance. We have been working with the University for almost a year now, and we have established a great relationship with them based on trust, capability, and knowledge.

It's always a pleasure to meet with these guys.

The Dangers Of Poor Fire Door Inspections

It’s 9:00AM, and the early-morning meeting is underway. However, things quickly turn sour. The Head of Compliance for the University has just received another fire door inspection report, and after reviewing it, we discovered that out of the 187 doorsets inspected, no less than 183 doorsets had failed.

The Estate Manager has his head in his hands, and I can see the disappointment on his face.

I'm consistently amazed by the low level of training and experience some fire door inspectors have. It is shocking to see the number of doors that have been failed, and it's probably because of the inspector's lack of experience.

We decided to visit the building, as it’s very rare for that many doors to truly be condemned in one sitting.

As I suspected, the report covers not only fire doors but also non-fire doors, which some might call a rookie mistake. We walked the site, and the client asked me to resurvey each doorset, which I found ironic because I will need to do that to establish which of these doorsets is really at fault.

Repairing Existing Fire Doors Instead Of Replacing Them

12:50PM. This might just be the best part of the day, as we’ve stopped for lunch. The canteen is pretty good here and always quiet.

This was the perfect time to review the findings based on what I have seen so far. We had reviewed 42 doorsets before lunch. 10 of these were non-fire rated doors that shouldn’t have been assessed initially. Fortunately for the client this might knock 25% off the total costs.

Out of the 32 fire doorsets inspected, six are damaged beyond repair. This is unavoidable, I'll measure these later in the afternoon, and our production facility will begin manufacture right away.

Notably, the rest of the doorsets are mainly gap issues. An issue for sure, but not one that requires a complete new doorset if the repairs are done correctly. For these doorsets, we will need to realign the leaves in the frames and reduce the frames on a couple of occasions.

Several approved repairs are also required. This kind of work is quite common and in this instance is needed because someone has added second locks whilst a couple of other door’s edges are damaged.

RW Maintain are fully certified to repair these doors, so we don't need to replace them. Not only does repairing existing doors to their full integrity save on materials, but it also reduces the costs to the client considerably – good thing they got a second opinion.

Surprisingly in our efforts to the severity of the fire inspector’s reports, I noticed that the inspector hasn't picked up on the gaps below the door leaves. Nearly every door leaf has a 20mm or so gap below it.

How did he miss this?

Okay, well it’s not a problem in this instance, as we have an approved repair technique for that too.

Saving Your Business Time And Money Through Fire Door Repairs

2:00PM. My inspection was finally complete and I summarized my findings of the first batch of doorsets to the Compliance Manager.

Out of the 42 doorsets that were initially failed, we only need to replace six doorsets. A far cry from the 183 doorsets the client had been told to replace initially. We will also carry out approved repairs on another 28 doorsets, a number which includes the additional fails I discovered, which the fire inspector had missed.

At 2:40PM, we agreed on a way forward. We will replace the six doorsets that are damaged beyond repair. We have already agreed on a replacement cost matrix with the client, so the price is clear and agreed upon right away.

The remaining doorsets will be treated under our betterment package rate, which on average costs less than half of what a full replacement rate would be.

What’s more the betterment package we have agreed for the client not only involves tackling the main issue but also involves us removing the architraves, replacing the intumescent protection, aligning the leaf into the frame, carrying out all the approved repairs as required, replacing hinges, along with any damaged or missing ironmongery.

At 3:00PM, the client left me alone to survey the rest of the doorsets. It’s clear to see that they trust my judgment based on my honest conversations with them throughout the day. They feel at ease because they know they’re getting the service that’s right for them.

Maybe this is the best part of the day after all.

Finally, at 5PM, I get to head back home. It has been a long day, and yet again I’m shocked and saddened to think about what the outcome would have been if the client wasn’t already working with RW Maintain.

138 replacement fire doorsets would have quickly become an obscene expenditure, and a needless one at that!

About RW Maintain

RW Maintain provide bespoke service packages for your business or buildings, including the inspection, repair and replacement of all fire-rated doorsets. For a fixed-term, you are assured that all fire doors are maintained in accordance with British standards, keeping you and your occupants safe.

If you have a building or project that would benefit from a maintenance package for your fire doors, contact an expert at RW Maintain today.