Liabilities and Risks of Ignoring Issues: An Engineer’s Perspective Question: A recent reserve study identified a number of repairs/replacements that should be addressed in the community. However, while the reserve is being funded on a monthly basis, there isn’t enough in the current reserve fund for the repairs/replacements. With inflation and knowing that owners won’t….
Homeowner Associations News
Building Science: 101 Ventilation Best Practices
With winter approaching, I am often asked what cold-weather planning the building committee should be considering. Surprise is expressed when I suggest the condominium’s attics and their venting. It is true an attic only needs one tenth the ventilation in the winter than in the summer to control moisture buildup and temperature, but the wintertime….
Shine a Light on Safety
Lighting Safety – Exterior Lighting Plans and Considerations While our crime rate is low compared to the urban violence found in other parts of the country, some condominium and homeowner associations still recognize a need for security tools such as key fobs, Ring doorbell systems, cameras, gates, and guard houses. Of all these systems, perhaps….
Masonry Myths
Addressing the Reality Since brick masonry exterior facades are supposed to have useful lives of 100 years or more, a prevalent myth is masonry facades are virtually maintenance free, needing little discussion by the condo board, and a rare cost item in reserve fund studies. In reality, masonry maintenance is discussed often with a great….
Building Maintenance Check List
A Proactive Approach is Best If you are responsible for your condo or HOA’s physical condition, this is no time to relax. Planning now can pay big dividends in being able to hire a repair contractor before the spring/summer crunch arrives. With that in mind, the following list can provide a guide to issues….
Water Damage is No Joke
Now more than ever, building managers and condo boards have been reviewing the cost of deferred repairs and their fiduciary responsibilities when it comes to facility safety and maintenance. But where to look first? There are many types of condos: from high-rises to townhouses, to one-story duplexes, buildings with flat roofs or high-sloop roofs, buildings….
Where Does Danger Lurk?
Most Common Areas of Concern As a member of the board or the property manager, what element of the condominium complex poses the greatest risk to the unit owners and liability to the association? Slips and falls during the icy season? Decks collapsing from rot? Electrical fires? Well, if you picked “decks,” you are almost….
Paving: Proper Maintenance is Essential
When was the last time you thought about your parking lot? The honest answer most likely is, not in recent memory. We know it’s not a question of out of sight–out of mind, parking lots are highly visible. However, they aren’t very interesting. As a result, paved areas don’t always get the maintenance attention they….
Top Ten Building Problems
During our 30+ years in business, we have inspected thousands of buildings for structural and mechanical issues. We are often asked by both prospective buyers and property managers to name the most common problems found in buildings. Interesting enough, new buildings can have more hidden problems than older properties whose defects have manifested themselves over….
Welcome Home: Out of State Condo Owners & COVID-19 Complexity
This summer more than ever the return of out of state condo owners will be an increased challenge for the many condominium communities in those areas most popular to tourists. New England has a significant population of condominiums along its rocky coast and mountainous regions serving as primary or secondary homes for bi-latitude unit owners…..