INFO
At Ken-Hator, we brings over 30 years of experience in construction and engineering, leading top-tier projects across Israel. We’ve collected valuable insights, tips, and answers to support confident property management.
Tips for Clients of Building Management and Maintenance Companies - For Ongoing Service and Contract Closure
Pricing - Due to the fact that the market for building management and maintenance companies in Israel is unregulated, there is no fixed form of payment in the market. There are currently three common forms of payment in the market
COST+ method - A method that stipulates that the management company earns its profit based on a fixed percentage of the monthly maintenance fees paid by the building. The disadvantage of this payment method is that the maintenance company has no incentive to lower the annual maintenance costs of the building, as this would harm the company's monthly profit from the building, and sometimes the company even raises the COST of the building in order to increase its profit percentage.
FIXED PRICE – A fixed monthly payment to the management company that includes all building services, including electricity, maintenance, elevators, cleaning, insurance, and more. This method has the advantage that the building's residents can rely on the fact that any problem that arises in the building will be handled by the management company. The disadvantage of this method is that unreliable companies may leave buildings in debt to suppliers such as elevator and electricity companies.
Management fee payment – Most payments to suppliers pass through the committee itself, with the management company being one of the suppliers. This form of payment gives the committee maximum control over the current account.
Human capital - In a maintenance and management company, you must know who the people who will work with you are. Before signing a contract, insist on meeting the company representative who will supervise and provide service to your building.
Experience - It is necessary and advisable to check the past experience of the management company. Ask to see buildings that the company actually manages and go to inspect them. Do not rely on phone numbers of "recommenders" that the companies will provide you.
Conflict of interest - Almost all building maintenance and management companies work with regular suppliers. When the building's residents receive a price quote for work and/or services, they may receive it with an added "commission" from the management company or receive a higher offer than what the residents could have received elsewhere. However, it should be taken into account that choosing a specific supplier by the company is not necessarily because it is the cheapest, but because it may provide the best, most reliable, and efficient service. Therefore, the building's residents bear the responsibility to thoroughly examine the offers they receive.
Cheap company - It is advisable not to be tempted to necessarily go after the company that offers the cheapest price. This may turn out to be a mistake when it later manifests itself in poor handling of the building's systems, poor cleaning, or inadequate service. Of course, this clause may not be correct in cases where the company is new and wants to enter the field or if the company has other buildings in your area and can therefore offer a low price.
Transparency in expenses - Demand that the company provide regular reports of the building's expenses that will be transparent and available at all times.
*These tips are suitable for owners of shared residential buildings, offices, and factories.
*These tips are for recommendation only, the tips are directed to customers who are considering hiring the services of a building maintenance and management company or to customers who have already hired a maintenance and management company.
Building Management Company – Why Exactly?
Congratulations! That time of year has arrived, and you've elected a building committee.
Shoshana from the 3rd floor, with the cat, was chosen as chairperson, and everyone is happy as can be (yes, that same roof we'll get to shortly). It started well, the gardener came, the lobby fountain technician finally fixed the leak, and they even replaced the missing light bulbs in the parking lot.
But it turns out Shoshana's cat is sick, and she can't make it to the building committee meeting scheduled for that week, so it was postponed. One thing led to another, and the roof (our old friend) started to leak. The damage in Yaakov's apartment on the 9th floor isn't going to fix itself, and what do you actually do during a sprinkler inspection?
Yes, who hasn't been there? Now the arguments begin, and not all committee members are really eager to fulfill their roles because, let's be honest, who has the energy for that when they come home from work?
This is where we come into the picture.
Forget about building disputes, delayed maintenance, and a building aging due to neglect. We'll take all that headache and leave you with the simplest task – to enjoy yourselves, because you have a great building, and Shoshana's cat is really cute.
Between us, today's buildings require a lot of attention. From standard tasks like gardening and painting to disinfecting water reservoirs and periodic fire extinguisher inspections. With us at Ken-Hator Building Management and Maintenance, you'll enjoy peace of mind, while we take care of the building. After all, you deserve to rest, you're home...
What's the Risk of "Abandoning" the Building?
When the building committee isn't functioning, the little things can get missed. We're not talking about the gardening, which is something everyone sees, but about the little gnomes hiding in the building's hidden corners – namely, the fire extinguishers.
We all know how important fire extinguishers are, especially in high-rise buildings. In an emergency, we must handle the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible. A fire that breaks out (God forbid, knock on wood) on one of the floors must be brought under control swiftly before it spreads and, in extreme cases, also blocks the escape routes for residents on the upper floors.
Imagine, smoke, chaos, screams, and suddenly you discover that Moshe, the head of the building committee, hasn't bothered to order a fire extinguisher inspection for two years, and the only thing you get from the extinguisher when you really need it is a kind of weak and embarrassing "pffft." Don't forget to forgive Moshe; he didn't do it on purpose. He simply didn't know.
At Ken-Hator Building Management and Maintenance, the fire extinguisher inspection service doesn't require much headache. The inspection is done in-house (meaning, we do it), with skilled and excellent technicians from the company's team performing the periodic inspections with unparalleled meticulousness and professionalism in the country!
So don't say, "It won't happen to me." Call now and join Ken-Hator Building Management and Maintenance. And again, don't forget to forgive Moshe; he didn't know...
Meet the System
And today, in our segment "Meet the System," we'll get to know the building's water pressure boosting system. Yes, there is such a thing.
So, what are we talking about? Good question! Think for a moment that you live on the 10th floor, you invested in a shower with a huge window overlooking the st-u-n-n-i-n-g view of downtown Givatayim. The breeze is a-m-a-z-i-n-g, even the parking downstairs is very convenient. But what about the water in the shower? Alas! Weak drips that ruin all that urban fun.
Now seriously, so that the water pressure on the upper floors is equal to that on the lower ones, a water pressure boosting system resides in the building's basements. It consists of powerful pumps that "throw" the water upwards through the pipes. The system requires regular periodic maintenance, from monthly pipe inspections to an annual engineer's check of the entire system.
So, whether you've never heard of the system until now or you have, trust us, we know what we're doing.
Wow, That Was Unexpected! So, What Do We Do Now?
You know those days when no matter what – Murphy was right, and everything that could go wrong did go wrong. You argued about the air conditioning at work all day, forgot your lunch at home, and let's not even talk about the traffic on the way home. But then, finally, peace. You got home, feet up on the living room table, and the coffee's brewing. At that moment, Murphy wakes up; the leak you forgot about in the bathroom decided to take the rug for a swim and move the living room into the bedroom.
These and other malfunctions require fast, efficient, and high-quality handling. From the small repair in the toilet to fixing the damage to the floor, walls, and the apartment below. Your first phone call will be to the management company – come quickly, it's an emergency! How fortunate that at Ken-Hator Management and Maintenance, we come from a building and engineering background with 30 years of experience and countless top-level projects in Israel. Working with the best contractors and professionals in the field, we can bring you the best and most professional service.
And now, finally, you can rest. At least until the kids arrive...