What should businesses do before curtain wall maintenance begins?

Before curtain wall maintenance begins, the business should complete the necessary approvals, appoint clear points of responsibility and establish the technical information needed to carry out the work safely and consistently. Good preparation reduces uncertainty on site and helps ensure that defects, remedial works and follow-up decisions are properly documented.

Confirm responsibility and approvals

A named property or facilities manager should coordinate the project and provide a clear route for decisions. The business should confirm who can approve additional investigations or remedial work if maintenance reveals a problem that was not apparent at the outset. Where the building is leased, managed jointly or subject to landlord requirements, the relevant permissions should be obtained before the contractor attends.

Any permit requirements, building management procedures and site-specific rules should also be checked in advance. This may include requirements for contractor induction, signing in, work authorisation or coordination with other parties working on the building.

Gather relevant building information

Useful information can include previous inspection reports, records of leaks or condensation, details of earlier repairs, product information and the dates of any known alterations. This helps the glazing contractor understand the curtain wall system and compare current observations with its previous condition.

Businesses should also identify relevant interfaces with adjoining elements, such as roofs, parapets, cladding, windows, doors and internal finishes. Water ingress or movement at a junction may not originate solely within the curtain wall, so understanding these interfaces supports a more accurate assessment.

Agree the inspection and reporting method

Before work starts, the business and contractor should agree what will be inspected and how the results will be presented. The record may need to distinguish between routine maintenance items, defects requiring further investigation and conditions that call for prompt remedial attention.

It is helpful to agree how photographs, marked-up elevations, defect references and recommendations will be used. A consistent record allows the facilities team to track issues across different elevations and make informed decisions about future maintenance.

Check the building and its systems

The responsible team should identify any building systems or areas that could affect the work, including alarms, automatic doors, ventilation equipment, roof-level plant and internal finishes close to the curtain wall. Relevant isolation or access procedures should be discussed with the contractor and the people responsible for those systems.

Where maintenance could expose concealed areas or affect internal finishes, the business should establish who will inspect those areas afterwards and how any resulting making-good requirements will be handled. This avoids confusion about the limits of the maintenance work.

Prepare occupants and neighbouring operations

Even where the work is confined to the external envelope, businesses should give affected tenants, staff and building users appropriate information about the planned activity. Notices should explain the nature of the work, any areas that may be temporarily unavailable and the person to contact with questions.

Businesses should also consider deliveries, loading areas, neighbouring premises and shared facilities. Clear communication helps the contractor work within the building’s normal management arrangements without creating avoidable conflicts.

Set the standard for materials and remedial decisions

Where replacement seals, gaskets, fixings, glass or other components may be required, the business should clarify whether the intention is to match existing materials, use an approved equivalent or develop a separate repair specification. The suitability of a replacement depends on the curtain wall system, its condition and the relevant performance requirements.

Any proposed remedial work should be assessed against current building and safety regulations, the manufacturer’s system requirements where available and the building’s long-term maintenance strategy. A maintenance visit should not automatically result in immediate replacement; the findings should be reviewed in context and prioritised according to condition, risk and practical consequence.

Complete the final pre-start review

Before attendance, the business should confirm the agreed scope, documentation, responsible contacts, permissions, reporting format and arrangements for reviewing findings. The contractor should have the information needed to understand the site and the business should know how observations, recommendations and any further decisions will be managed.

This final review provides a clear starting point for curtain wall maintenance and creates a reliable record against which future inspections can be considered.