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As Dollars Get Tighter, Some Projects Get Delayed
If something’s broken, you fix it. If it’s worn out, you replace it. It sounds like a simple equation, but when it comes
to capital improvements or renovation projects in cash-strapped times, it can
be a case of easier said than done.
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Running a Water-tight Ship
When condo-dwellers think “catastrophe,” it’s usually something dramatic, like a fire or huge storm laying waste to their
HOA. There’s another, far more insidious enemy of urban and suburban condo buildings,
however: H2O. Water damage may not have the same photogenic impact of fire, but
the havoc caused by it can be staggering, and can linger for years after the
initial leak has been resolved.
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Making Life Easier, Less Costly
Technological applications to residential building life are becoming more prevalent, and in some cases, they’ve even become more affordable than in the past. An “intelligent” building is able to monitor its environmental, mechanical, and lighting (among other) systems, through a computerized network of electronic devices. Maintenance, communications, security, and other residential building functions are now being handled by these new systems, whose upgraded operations are helping building personnel do their jobs more effectively. Read More
Restoring Buildings After Emergencies
Apartment buildings, whether cooperatives or condos, are inherently fragile. When that many units share the same plot of land, and the same walls, the same floors, the same elevators and stairways, standpipes and boilers, lobbies and roofs, disasters—whether broken water pipes or the tragic in the case of decomposing bodies, fatal fires or building explosions—have the potential to spread quickly. Thus, when something nasty befalls a building, the first order of business is to contain the problem. Read More
A Look at Building Anatomy
In many ways, the homes in a detached condo development resemble any other single-family dwellings: they have their own driveways, their own water and electric meters, distinct roofs, and heating and cooling systems. Other types of condo associations take the form of attached townhouses, or high-rise apartment buildings. Regardless of the architecture, a thorough understanding and regular maintenance of all the components that ultimately deliver the essential amenities like heat, air conditioning water, plumbing, and electricity is required in order for the association's operating systems to run safely and efficiently. Read More
Up on the Rooftop
Everyone needs a good roof over their head. And when you run a condo or co-op community, you're responsible for dozens or perhaps hundreds of people having one. With so many people to please and the increased complexity of roofing an entire community as opposed to just one house, HOAs have their work cut out for them. Read More
Transferring Control in Association Developments
Once the first home in a new community development is sold, its homeowner association is activated. And from that moment on, the association has to fulfill its obligations to the community and its residents. At the start of the process, the developer has a controlling interest in the community and gradually transfers power to the homeowners. How this is done can be key to starting off a new community with a well informed, prepared board of directors and happy residents. Read More
Crystal Clear Solutions for Pool Maintenance
When it comes to amenities in homeowner associations, few are as desirable and enjoyable as swimming pools. Having a semi-private place where people can swim or relax on a deck in the sun—without the hassle of actually maintaining the pool—is a big draw for condo owners and co-op shareholders. Read More
Minimizing Construction and Maintenance Disturbances
The noise, the dust, the fumes, the mess, the constant influx of workers, unsightly equipment and vehicles, the service disruptions—everybody wants to live in a well-maintained building or development, but one thing many co-op and condo dwellers dread is having to live through the actual repair-and maintenance process. Read More
Window Replacement
Good quality windows are essential to a building's aesthetic appeal, as well as its energy efficiency. But what is involved in changing out the old windows for the new? There are a few important things boards and managers should know about the process of a complete window replacement project for their building, be it a high-rise, a townhome, or a more spread-out condominium association. Read More
