Price is easy to compare. Quality is harder.
When committees go to market for building management services, they often focus on the one thing that's simple to measure: the fee. But the cheapest quote and the best value are rarely the same thing.
The difference between a building manager who protects your building and one who's just going through the motions doesn't show up in the price. It shows up in how they answer questions about their approach, their experience, and their systems.
These 10 questions will help you separate the professionals from the pretenders.
Buildings are complex technical assets. The person managing yours should understand how they actually work — not just how to process invoices and coordinate contractors.
What good looks like: Experience in construction, trades, engineering, or facilities management. Specific knowledge of building systems. The ability to explain technical concepts clearly.
Red flag: Purely administrative background with no technical training or construction experience. Someone who relies entirely on contractors to understand what's happening in your building.
A building manager stretched across too many sites can't give any of them proper attention. They're constantly reactive, always behind, never able to think strategically.
What good looks like: Three to five buildings per manager, depending on complexity. Clear limits on portfolio size. Recognition that quality requires capacity.
Red flag: Eight, ten, or more buildings per person. Vague answers about workload. A business model that depends on stretching staff thin.
High turnover means constant restarts — new people learning your building from scratch, losing institutional knowledge, rebuilding relationships. It's disruptive and expensive.
What good looks like: Average tenure of three years or more. Specific examples of long-serving staff. Evidence of investment in people — training, development, career progression.
Red flag: Can't answer the question. Tenure under two years. High turnover explained away as "industry standard" rather than addressed as a problem to solve.
How a manager onboards a new building tells you everything about their approach. Are they systematic? Do they have a process? Or do they just show up and start reacting?
What good looks like: A structured onboarding process with defined phases. Asset audits, compliance reviews, contractor assessments, documentation organisation. Clear milestones and deliverables.
Red flag: Vague answers about "getting to know the building." No documented process. No mention of compliance verification or asset assessment.
Contractors do most of the physical work in your building. How they're selected, verified, and supervised directly affects quality, cost, and risk.
What good looks like: Pre-qualification processes. Insurance verification before every job. Competitive quoting for significant work. Quality oversight and documentation. A panel of trusted suppliers with negotiated rates.
Red flag: "We use whoever's available." No mention of insurance verification. No process for comparing quotes or assessing quality. Reliance on single contractors without competition.
Regular, structured reporting is how you know what's happening in your building. It's also how you hold your manager accountable.
What good looks like: Weekly updates as standard. Monthly formal reports covering work completed, compliance status, issues identified, and budget tracking. Quarterly strategic reviews.
Red flag: Reporting only at AGM time. No commitment to regular updates. Vague assurances that "you'll hear from us when there's something to report."
Fire safety, WHS, contractor insurance, essential services — there are dozens of compliance obligations in any strata building. Missing them creates liability.
What good looks like: Proactive tracking systems. Automated reminders for deadlines. Regular compliance audits. Clear processes for fire safety, AFSS, contractor verification. Compliance status included in standard reporting.
Red flag: "We make sure things are done when they're due." No mention of tracking systems. Reactive approach to compliance — dealing with issues as they arise rather than preventing them.
In an unregulated industry, voluntary accreditation signals commitment to professional standards. It's not everything, but it's a meaningful filter.
What good looks like: ABMA membership and accreditation. Ongoing professional development. Engagement with industry bodies and standards development. Recognition of the importance of raising industry standards.
Red flag: No industry memberships. Dismissive attitude toward accreditation. No evidence of professional development or industry engagement.
References matter — but not all references are equal. You want to speak with committees at similar buildings who've worked with this manager for years, not months.
What good looks like: Willingness to provide multiple references. Long-term client relationships — three, five, ten years. References from buildings similar to yours in size and complexity.
Red flag: Reluctance to provide references. Only recent clients available. References from buildings very different to yours. Excuses about client confidentiality.
Things will go wrong. Equipment fails. Contractors underperform. Emergencies happen. How a manager handles problems tells you more than how they handle routine operations.
What good looks like: Clear escalation processes. After-hours emergency protocols. Senior management involvement for serious issues. Documented incident response procedures. Transparency about past problems and how they were resolved.
Red flag: "We handle everything." No clear escalation path. No mention of emergency procedures. Defensiveness about past problems rather than honest reflection.
Beyond specific questions, watch for these warning signs:
Vague answers to specific questions. Good managers can explain their approach clearly. If answers are generic or evasive, the systems probably don't exist.
Focus only on price. If a manager leads with how cheap they are rather than how good they are, that tells you their value proposition.
Reluctance to provide references. Confident managers are happy to connect you with satisfied clients. Reluctance suggests there aren't many.
No clear onboarding process. If they can't explain how they'll get to know your building, they probably don't have a systematic approach to management either.
Can't articulate their approach to common scenarios. Ask how they'd handle a lift breakdown, a major leak, or a compliance failure. Good managers have clear answers because they've thought about these situations.
The right building manager makes committee life easier. Problems are prevented or handled quickly. Communication is clear. You can trust that your building is being protected.
The wrong building manager creates ongoing stress. Surprises become constant. You're never quite sure what's happening. The building slowly degrades while the invoices keep coming.
These 10 questions won't guarantee you find the perfect manager. But they'll help you identify the ones who are serious about doing the job properly — and avoid the ones who are just going through the motions.
Your building deserves more than the cheapest option. It deserves someone who'll actually protect it.
Evaluating your current management — or going to tender?
Take the free Building Management Scorecard to benchmark your current arrangements against what good actually looks like.
Dino Biordi
Founder & Managing Director, LUNA Management
25+ years in construction | NSW ABMA Independent Review Panel
A Building Manager oversees the safety, security and maintenance of designated properties and ensures that these properties comply with all applicable regulations. A Building Manager is also known as a Facilities Manager, Caretaker or Resident Manager. They are assisting the Owners Corporation with managing the common property, controlling the use of the common property by non-residents, arranging the maintenance and repair of common property.
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