Property maintenance costs: A guide to data-driven budgeting with Planima-priser™
Industry standards for maintenance costs are too often based on theoretical calculations and outdated templates—not on what measures actually cost in real-world projects. This guide introduces Planima-priser™: data-driven maintenance costs based on reported data from over 15,000 properties, available to Planima customers.
91% of Swedish property owners are regularly forced to choose between urgent repairs and long-term investments—and 77% consistently choose the urgent option.
Without reliable cost data, it is difficult to justify preventive maintenance—reactive maintenance costs 25–30% more but is easier to defend in the short term.
Planima-priser™ are data-driven prices based on reported data from over 15,000 properties—not theoretical calculations or outdated templates.
Planima-priser™ cover over 1,000 measures across five categories—grounds, facade, roofing, interior, and technical systems—complete with pricing, intervals, and CO₂ data.
Why maintenance costs are harder to track than they should be
What does a pipe replacement cost? What is a reasonable price for a roof replacement? How much of the budget should actually go toward ventilation upgrades?
These are questions every property manager grapples with—but which are surprisingly difficult to get straight answers to. Most price sources in the industry are either locked behind expensive subscriptions, based on theoretical templates, or simply outdated. This leaves a large part of the budgeting process to gut feeling.
The result is evident in Forward to 2026: 91% of Swedish property owners state that they are regularly forced to choose between urgent repairs and long-term investments. And 77% prioritize the urgent option exclusively when budgets are tightened.
Not because they want to work reactively—but because they lack the data required to justify and defend the costs of preventive measures.
The consequence is well-known: reactive maintenance costs 25–30% more than planned, preventive maintenance. Yet, a majority choose the more expensive option—because they lack the figures that make the alternative defensible.
Planima-priser™ are designed to bridge that gap. The price list is based on reported data from over 15,000 properties—real costs from completed projects, not theoretical estimates. In this guide, you have the opportunity to access the 150 most common maintenance costs completely free of charge, and we provide the context you need to use them correctly. [[divider]]
What affects maintenance costs?
There is no simple answer to what maintenance costs. The price for the same type of measure can vary significantly depending on:
The age and condition of the property.
A 1960s building with original plumbing has completely different needs—and completely different costs—than a property from 2005. Older buildings often have more complex structures that require specialized expertise and more expensive solutions.
Geographic location.
Construction costs vary between regions. Metropolitan areas generally have higher labor costs, while the availability of specialized contractors can be limited in rural areas—which drives up prices in a different way.
The scope and coordination of the work.
A roof replacement carried out in isolation costs more per square meter than if it is coordinated with facade work—scaffolding costs are shared, mobilization is done once, and the contractor can offer a better price for larger volumes. This is one of the strongest arguments for planning across the entire portfolio, rather than property by property.
Timing and procurement.
Procuring in good time—not as an emergency—yields more bids and better prices. Seasonal variations also play a role. Outdoor work during peak season (April–October) can be more expensive.
Materials and workmanship.
The choice between a metal roof and concrete tiles, or between relining and a traditional pipe replacement, fundamentally affects the cost. The cheapest option does not always result in the lowest life-cycle cost.
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Why industry benchmarks aren't enough—and what you should do instead
As a starting point for budgeting, standard values for maintenance costs per square meter per year are sometimes used. They don't provide an exact figure for your specific property, but they help you quickly determine if you are even in the right ballpark.
There are also more detailed price lists on the market—with cost data per measure and unit. They are a step in the right direction, but are typically locked behind expensive subscriptions and are based on estimated production costs rather than what projects have actually cost. Furthermore, they are rarely updated—once a year at best.
Planima-priser™ is built differently: reported data from 15,000+ properties actively managed in Planima. This means that the prices reflect what was actually paid—not what it theoretically should cost—and that they are updated continuously to reflect reality as closely as possible.
Price data is a tool—not an answer in itself
But even the best price list only solves half the problem. A property with well-maintained upkeep and recently replaced pipes has fundamentally different needs than a property with accumulated maintenance debt. Applying the same standard to both provides a false sense of security—and in the worst case, a foundation that leads to decades of underfunding.
What actually determines if your budget is set correctly is not an industry benchmark or a general price list. It is a maintenance plan based on your property's specific needs, combined with price data that reflects real-world projects. That is why so many property owners choose Planima.
A simple health check
If you don't have a maintenance plan with all upcoming measures for the next 30–50 years and their associated costs, you don't know if your budget is set correctly. No template or price list will help you answer that question.
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What are Planima-priser™?
Planima-priser™ is a database of data-driven prices for maintenance measures—based on a synthesis of actual, reported data from 15,000+ properties managed in Planima. Unlike theoretical calculations and industry averages, they reflect what maintenance measures actually cost in completed projects.
Each measure in the database has a reference price, a unit, a recommended maintenance interval, a description, and Scope 3 CO₂ data. The prices include labor and materials and should be viewed as rough guidelines for planning and budgeting—not as precise documentation for procurement.
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What is included?
Planima-priser™ by category
Planima-priser™ are organized into five categories that cover all of a property's maintenance needs. Below is a description of what each category contains and what typically drives costs within it.
Grounds
Costs for ground work are primarily driven by material choices, accessibility, and whether the ground requires preparation through excavation or drainage. Asphalt is generally cheaper per square meter than stone or paving but has a shorter lifespan.
Facade
Facade costs vary dramatically depending on material and condition. Painting a wooden facade is a completely different undertaking than re-plastering a stucco facade. The major cost item for facade work is often the scaffolding—which makes coordinating with window and roof work extra cost-effective.
Roof
Roof replacement is among the most expensive measures. The price difference between replacing roofing felt and concrete tiles with new underlayment is significant. Coordinate roof work with facade and sheet metal work whenever possible—the setup costs are shared.
Interior
Interior costs depend heavily on the nature of the measure. Simple surface renovations like painting are one thing; a complete kitchen replacement excluding appliances is another. Wet room renovations in connection with pipe replacement are among the most expensive interior measures.
Systems
Technical installations are the most complex—and often the most expensive—measures. A complete pipe replacement includes sewage, water, and new wet rooms. Relining can extend the lifespan of existing pipes, but it does not always cover a full replacement in the long run.
Planima-priser – Mockup
Want to explore Planima-priser™ on your own?
Planima-priser™ is part of Planima’s maintenance platform and available to all Planima customers. Want a taste before you become a customer? Unlock the 150 most common measures – completely free of charge.
Maintenance measures with price, interval and Scope 3 CO₂
The 150 most common measures open to all – the full database in Planima. A data-driven price list compiled from real reported data from more than 15,000 properties.
All prices are open and available in Planima – the simplest, market-leading maintenance platform for forward-thinking property owners.
How price data is used in maintenance planning – The KPA connection
Data on maintenance costs is not particularly exciting on its own. It is when it is placed in a context that it creates value—and that context is maintenance planning.
In the KPA methodology (Know–Plan–Act) , price data plays a central role in the Plan step: you combine knowledge of the property's condition (Know) with the right price data to develop a plan that is credible enough to budget and make decisions on. The goal is ±15% precision—enough to prioritize, budget, and communicate with the board and management. No more, no less.
Use the prices to: Create an initial maintenance plan.
With prices and intervals for each measure, you can quickly build a plan that provides an overview of the next 30–50 years. This is the Know step—and starting rough is enough. A "good enough" plan that starts guiding decisions next quarter is always better than a perfect plan in eighteen months.
Budget at the right level.
Instead of guessing or relying on individual quotes, a data-based price list provides a more representative picture. A quote reflects a project at a single point in time; Planima-priser™ reflects thousands of completed measures.
Compare and prioritize.
When you see all upcoming measures with costs and intervals in a consolidated document, it becomes easier to answer: what must be done now, what can be coordinated, and what can wait?
Communicate with management and the board.
Credible cost estimates are the difference between a maintenance discussion that ends with "we'll see what the budget allows" and one that results in an actual decision.
Planima-priser™ is based on data reported back by property owners who work in Planima every day. Actual costs are reported continuously, which means the database is constantly updated and reflects real market conditions – not theoretical calculations.
In Planima’s planning tool you have access to the full database of 1,000+ measures, including intervals, descriptions, automatic indexation and Scope 3 CO₂ data.
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Maintenance costs for different types of property owners
Public housing companies
You report to the board and owners and often manage the tension between short-term budgets and long-term property economics. Credible cost documentation—based on data, not gut feeling—makes it possible to justify preventive investments even in tough budget discussions.
Municipalities
You manage properties with different technical conditions and political ownership structures. A price list based on real projects provides a common factual basis that enables cross-sectoral prioritization—without it having to become a political battle over money.
Private Real Estate Companies
Maintenance debt is a measurable financial risk that directly impacts net operating income. With accurate pricing data in your maintenance plan, costs become predictable, procurement becomes more cost-effective, and your management team can move away from reactive firefighting.
Companies that own real estate but have a different core business
Logistics, industrial, and other companies that own properties without property management as their core business often lack the internal expertise for maintenance budgeting. Planima-priser™ provides a reliable cost basis that makes it possible to plan and justify maintenance investments—without being dependent on external consultants for every decision.
Parishes and congregations.
The Church of Sweden's property portfolio often includes culturally significant buildings with high and difficult-to-estimate maintenance costs. Using Planima-priser™ as a foundation for cost planning makes it easier to budget realistically and communicate maintenance needs to diocesan leadership and the congregation.
Housing Cooperatives
Since 2024, the Cooperative Housing Act requires new housing cooperatives to have a maintenance plan that extends at least 50 years into the future. The K3 accounting framework effectively requires component depreciation. Planima-priser™ provides the necessary cost data—without needing to hire a consultant for every update.
Next steps: From price data to data-driven budgeting
Price data is a foundation. A maintenance plan is a decision-support tool. And a decision-support tool that actually drives results—one that is linked to budgets, reported to the board, and updated by your own organization—requires a platform that keeps it alive. That is what the Planima maintenance platform is built for. In the Planima platform, you get:
01. Strategy
Every customer builds their unique maintenance strategy with Planima as the foundation.
02. Consulting
Through Planima Professional Services and our Customer Success team, you have access to expert support whenever you need it.
03. Data
Planima-priser™ with 1,000+ measures and industry insights from 15,000+ properties, directly in the platform, as well as AI-driven insights into your maintenance planning.
04. Planning tool
The market-leading tool for maintenance planning, built for the entire maintenance cycle.
Whether you want to see how Planima handles price data in practice, dive deeper into industry insights, or have a conversation about your organization's maintenance situation—there is a natural path forward.
Frequently asked questions about property maintenance costs
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Data-driven costs lead to better decisions than estimates. Planima-priser™ is based on actual reported data from 15,000+ properties, which provides a more reliable basis for budgeting and planning than theoretical calculations.
Reactive maintenance is expensive. Without a credible cost basis, urgent measures are often prioritized, even though they cost on average 25–30% more than planned maintenance.
Costs are influenced by more factors than just the measure itself. The property's condition, geographic location, material choices, coordination, and timing of procurement have a major impact on the final cost.
The goal is "accurate enough"—not exact. A cost precision of approximately ±15% is enough to prioritize, budget, and make strategic decisions. Detailed design comes later.
Price data only becomes valuable in the right context. When costs are combined with ranges, CO₂ data, and a long-term maintenance plan, they become a decision-support tool that helps the organization prioritize, communicate, and plan proactively.
How much should a housing cooperative set aside per square meter per year?
There are no universal benchmarks that hold up – costs vary too much depending on the property's age, condition and maintenance history. The only thing that actually answers the question is a maintenance plan that shows the actual maintenance needs over the next 30–50 years. Read more about maintenance planning for housing cooperatives at planima.se/kundgrupp/bostadsrattsforening/
Is it cheaper to renovate or replace a component?
It depends on the component's condition and remaining service life. Renovating windows instead of replacing them can be wise if the frame structure is sound. But if the renovation only buys a few years, the total life-cycle cost may end up higher. It's a trade-off best made with input from a maintenance plan.
What is the difference between maintenance and investment?
Maintenance preserves the property's existing condition – for example, re-roofing or replacing windows. Investment raises the condition beyond the original – for example, adding balconies or a solar panel system. Both should be included in planning for a complete overview, but they are accounted for and financed differently.
How are maintenance costs indexed?
Construction costs change continuously and vary from year to year. In a long-term maintenance plan, costs should be indexed annually to reflect actual price changes. In Planima, indexing happens automatically, keeping the plan up to date without manual work.
What does a professionally prepared maintenance plan cost?
A traditionally prepared maintenance plan for a Swedish housing cooperative normally costs SEK 5–40/m², depending on the property's size and complexity. For municipal, public housing or private property companies, the cost of maintenance planning can vary widely. In Planima, you build and update your maintenance plan continuously as part of the platform – without having to order a new inspection every time the situation changes.
How can I reduce maintenance costs?
Three main strategies: coordinate actions (share scaffolding costs, bundle procurements), plan well ahead (avoid emergency prices and limited competition) and work preventively (identify and fix problems early, before they cause consequential damage). That's exactly what the VPA method is built for.
Why do prices vary so much for the same action?
The same action can cost twice as much depending on the property's age, choice of materials, accessibility for workers and machinery, procurement method and whether the work is coordinated with other actions. The price ranges in Planima-priser™ reflect the actual spread in completed projects – not a narrow ideal scenario.
