Maintenance Burden Calculator

Maintenance cost has many layers. This calculator rolls up per-unit burden.

Total units

In-house labor

Contractor spend

Turnover spend

Emergency spend

Burden per unit

$1,613

Total burden

$387,000

Turnover share %

21.96%

How the math works

Burden = in-house + contractors + turnover + emergency. Per unit = burden ÷ units.

Break the burden figure by source in annual review — a portfolio at $1,300/unit is a different operational picture if 60% is turnover than if 60% is emergency. The first means high tenant churn; the second means system failures. Same dollars, different fixes.

How to Use

Enter total units.
Enter annual in-house maintenance labor.
Enter annual contractor spend.
Enter turnover make-ready spend.
Enter emergency after-hours spend.
Read per-unit burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Benchmarks?

MF garden: $750-1,200/unit/yr. MF mid-rise: $1,100-1,800. Class A luxury: $1,800-3,000. Class C: $900-1,500 (more frequent, simpler). Office/industrial very different; this calc tuned for MF/residential context.

Common gaps?

After-hours and emergency often 2-3x base rate. Turnover make-ready buried in capex rather than maintenance. Vendor mark-ups on management-contracted work (10-20%). Each hides actual per-unit burden.

Controlling burden?

Preventive maintenance programs (quarterly HVAC, annual plumbing flush). In-house staffing above 70 unit mark. Vendor bid stacking to hold pricing. Emergency vendor list with pre-negotiated rates.

How often should I rerun this?

Rerun this calculator whenever inputs change materially — new rent roll data, rate moves, loan balance updates, or quarterly operating data. For active deals, monthly refresh is typical. For stabilized assets under monitoring, quarterly is fine. Treat the output as a decision tool, not a one-time answer — market conditions evolve and so should your analysis.