Free tool

What is reactive maintenance costing you, and what could you recover?

Quick answer

This free calculator estimates the recoverable value of shifting work from reactive to planned maintenance. It uses your annual maintenance spend, your current and target reactive percentage, and how many times more expensive reactive work is than planned work (commonly cited as around three times).

Reactive work is the most expensive way to maintain a plant: emergency labour, expedited parts, and collateral damage. This calculator estimates what you could recover by moving some of that work to planned. Enter your own figures; nothing leaves your browser.

$

Total annual maintenance spend (labour plus materials and contractors).

%

Share of maintenance work that is reactive today. If unsure, many under-managed plants sit between 45 and 65 percent.

%

A realistic improved level. Below 20 to 30 percent is widely treated as well-managed.

x

How many times more a reactive job costs than the same job planned. Three times is a commonly cited rule of thumb.

Estimated annual recoverable value-

How it is calculatedShifted spend = annual spend x (current % - target %). Recoverable value = shifted spend x (1 - 1/multiplier).

Estimates only the cost premium of reactive over planned work on the portion you shift, so it is conservative and ignores the additional production and downtime savings that usually follow. An estimate for orientation, not a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Why use a reactive cost multiplier?
Because the same job costs more done reactively than planned, once emergency labour, expedited parts, and disruption are counted. Three times is a commonly cited rule of thumb; adjust it to your own experience.
Does this include production losses?
No. It only counts the maintenance cost premium, which makes it conservative. Reducing reactive work usually also cuts unplanned downtime, which is often the larger prize. Size that with the downtime cost calculator.

See where your plant is leaking profit.

Score your operation across five leak zones in 3 minutes, or book a free 30-minute Fit Call to confirm whether a Diagnostic is the right next step.

15 questions. 3 minutes. Instant grade. No email required.