Research shows the real cost of wrong hardware choices
7th April 2020

Some types of buildings can incur up to 19% of their total maintenance budget on architectural ironmongery despite the initial spend being proportionately far less, according to new research published by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongery.

The research has analysed what proportion of a project’s overall cost and ongoing maintenance is attributed to door hardware such as handles, locks, hinges, door closers and other essential ironmongery.

“This research underlines the financial significance of making better choices about the architectural ironmongery in our buildings,” said Douglas Masterson, technical manager of the GAI.

“When it comes to specifying products and asking for advice on routine maintenance, we would always suggest consulting with a Registered Architectural Ironmonger (RegAI). They will also be able to assist with choosing the correct product for the application, the best practises for checking its ongoing performance, and the best options for any building owner’s budget.”

“As a proportion of a project’s value, the budget needed for specifying architectural ironmongery has increased over the last 40 years, most likely in response to increasingly robust standards for safety, accessibility and other improvements in the built environment, advances in technology such as access control products, and the quality of products themselves.

“Maintenance regimes have also moved on significantly since the 1980s. New building elements such as heating and ventilation systems, air conditioning systems and IT networks are now a higher percentage of annual maintenance costs. The demands of increased health and safety regulations and an increase to the UK minimum wage has also impacted on costs.

The research was conducted on behalf of the GAI by AMA Research. The full research results are available for GAI and IAI members to download on the GAI website.

www.gai.org.uk