Condo Media - November 2021 - 39

Winthrop, MA - Underside of a parking deck where a metal pan and bar joist suffered
major damage from water puddling and leaking through the concrete deck.
solutions that may not address the
root cause, leaving the problem
unsolved. The decision to defer or
downplay vital repairs ultimately
costs an association much more in
the long-term. The " cheaper fix "
generally does not last and prompts
the need for re-work - or worse,
it creates many larger issues that
require further investment.
Frustrated unit owners are then
forced to pay to augment the shortterm
fix because it didn't address
the root cause of the repair issue.
A best practice is for association
representatives to work with responsible
maintenance professionals to
proactively evaluate their property's
needs and then plan, budget, prioritize,
and sequence building maintenance.
ASSOCIATION SIZES AND
THE ROLE OF PROPERTY
MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONALS
An association's size affects how preventative,
corrective, and routine property
maintenance issues are handled.
Careful attention should be
paid to existing complaints
of ongoing water leaks,
air infiltration, cracks,
or other irregularities.
l Large associations are likely to
engage the services of a third-party
property management firm. Association
trustees should work closely
with their property manager to
develop comprehensive building
maintenance plans. Property managers
can recommend and work with
reputable consultants to request
building surveys and develop reserve
analysis reports that realistically
plan and budget for facility repairs.
l Small associations that are selfmanaged
must rely on volunteer
trustees to keep up with the property's
maintenance demands. Selfmanagement
is not ideal, as it yields
mixed results depending on the
trustees' commitment, activity level,
and level of property knowledge.
THE ROLE AND VALUE
OF A COMPREHENSIVE
BUILDING SURVEY
A property manager or association
is wise to engage an engineering firm
or building consultant to complete a
detailed building survey to establish a
comprehensive assessment of the building's
condition and systems.
A thorough building survey typically
evaluates a building's façades, roof system,
mechanical systems, electric systems, elevators,
parking structures, plazas, and all
common-area elements. Careful attention
should be paid to existing complaints of
ongoing water leaks, air infiltration, cracks,
or other irregularities. For example,
owners with assigned parking spaces may
report vehicle stains caused by chronic
leaks in sections of the parking garage.
A comprehensive building survey
serves as a practical reference document
that enables the association to proactively
plan for and manage the facility's
specific cycles of repair and replacement
instead of periodically incurring unanticipated
large repair bills. Depending on
the age and history of a building or parking
garage, a budget and timeline can be
developed to address and prioritize the
maintenance and eventual replacement
of surveyed items.
November 2021 CONDOMEDIA 39
Condo Media - November 2021

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