Hard FM and soft FM: what the difference means for your building
What each covers, which one your building actually needs, and the questions to ask when comparing facility management proposals.
What each covers, which one your building actually needs, and the questions to ask when comparing facility management proposals.
On this page
Facility management proposals are hard to compare because the terms are used loosely. Two providers can quote the same building at very different prices simply because one has priced hard FM and the other has priced everything.
The distinction is straightforward once stated plainly.
The split
| Hard FM (the building itself) | Soft FM (services to occupiers) |
|---|---|
| HVAC, chillers, AHUs, FCUs | Cleaning and janitorial |
| Electrical distribution and lighting | Security and reception |
| Plumbing, drainage, pumps, tanks | Landscaping and grounds |
| Fire systems and life safety | Waste management |
| Lifts and escalators | Pest control |
| Building fabric, civil and finishes | Catering and front of house |
Hard FM is what keeps the asset working and its value intact. Soft FM is what the occupiers experience day to day. Both matter; they are simply different disciplines with different labor models.
What a serious hard FM proposal contains
- An asset register built from a physical survey, not a template
- A condition assessment with each asset rated and its remaining life estimated
- A planned preventative maintenance calendar with frequencies justified by duty, not by convention
- A response-time matrix by criticality, with escalation routes named
- Defined reporting: what you receive, how often, and in what format
- A costed forward capital plan so replacements are budgeted rather than improvised
- Clear statements of what is excluded
If a proposal arrives without an asset register, the provider has priced a guess. That guess will be corrected later, and not in your favor.
Comparing proposals fairly
- Are both quoting the same asset list? Ask for it and compare line by line.
- Is manpower on site, visiting, or on call, and for how many hours?
- Are consumables and minor spares included, and up to what value?
- What are the committed response times, and what is the remedy if they are missed?
- Is out-of-hours attendance included or chargeable?
- Who holds and maintains the compliance documentation?
Price per square meter is close to meaningless without those answers. It is the most quoted metric in the industry and the least informative.
Taking over from an incumbent
A structured handover matters more than most owners expect. It should include asset verification against the outgoing register, transfer of documentation and warranties, capture of outstanding defects, and a parallel-running period so nothing falls between the two contracts.
The most common failure is the opposite: a new provider starts on the first of the month with no register, no history and no idea what was already broken, and spends six months discovering it at your expense.
Common questions
Most buildings need both, but they do not have to come from one provider. We specialize in hard FM and are happy to coordinate alongside your existing cleaning, security or landscaping contractors.
Usually within two working days across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The survey and the written findings report are free of charge and carry no obligation.
Monthly reporting on planned maintenance completion, reactive volumes, response performance and spend against budget, plus an annual condition report with a costed forward capital plan.
Because two buildings of identical size can carry completely different plant, condition and compliance requirements. A published rate would mislead you. We survey, report, then quote an itemized fixed proposal.
Services covered in this guide
Related guides
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