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Building owners encountering problems in building maintenance can now easily find solutions in the Building Maintenance Guidebook published recently by the Buildings Department.
"This 380-page full colour Guidebook is just like an encyclopedia addressing nearly every aspect of building maintenance, from basic rights and responsibilities of building owners to various technical aspects of building repair and maintenance works," the Acting Director of Buildings, Mr Cheung Hau-wai, said.
Speaking at a Press Conference today (Monday), Mr Cheung said that very often building owners or owners' corporations wishing to maintain their buildings properly did not know how to go about it and were at a loss as to where to turn to for information.
"The Frequently Asked Questions provide concise answers to many of the problems often faced by building owners and owners corporations," Mr Cheung said.
He said that the Guidebook was an ambitious and unprecedented attempt to compile most, if not all, of the fundamentals on building maintenance and management.
"Written in simple terms, the Guidebook provides building owners with essential information on building maintenance matters covering such diversified fields as statutory requirements, construction technology, project management and estate management.
"The Guidebook contains information on technical aspects of maintenance and procedures for compliance with statutory orders and details on engagement of professional and technical services.
"Sample tender and contract documents and indicative information on costs and professional fees for different types of maintenance and repair works are also listed in the Guidebook. These will be updated regularly in the department's web-site," he added.
The Guidebook consolidates the guidelines from the Buildings Department and other relevant sources for building owners, owners' corporations, owners' committees and personnel involved in building maintenance and management.
Apart from identifying the legal responsibilities of owners and usual problems encountered, it also enhances readers' awareness of the existing conditions of buildings and facilitates the formulation of plans for rectification and improvement as well as long term maintenance.
The Guidebook will be distributed free-of-charge to owners' corporations, building professionals and building management companies.
The Guidebook will be put on sale at the Government Publication Centre, Low Block, Ground Floor, Queensway Government Offices, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong from tomorrow (Tuesday). The price is $120 per copy for English version and $76 per copy for Chinese version.
End/Monday, July 8, 2002
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