Leaks happen all the time. American Leak Detection, a nationwide company (unrelated to the Scooter Libby trial), claims to have discovered 1.4 million leaks last year alone—and that's just one company! Common as they are, leaks can cause…
You've heard it before—first impressions are everything, whether it's for a job interview, a first date, or the curb appeal of a new home. So, if your condo or homeowners association has begun to look a little shabby or as out-of-date, perh…
People are pretty rough on parking lots. Not only do we drive on them, but we leak oil and transmission fluid on them, pour salt on them when it snows, and leave it there well into spring. Snow plows and heavy garbage dumpsters goug…
The real estate mantra is location, location, location, right? After that, it's price, square footage, condition, state of the market and maybe rooms with a view or available financing terms. This is all true—but there's a rel…
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 kno…
Water leaks are the bane of many an apartment owner—and many a building superintendent. The innocent drip-drip-drip sound can augur waterfall-like hardship if not properly addressed. Leaks can cause major structural damage, ruin property…
Whether your HOA or condo development has a full-time maintenance staff, a few supers or maintenance people, or just occasional contractors, those workers are covered by federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, gui…
Every home has its own foibles, its own creaks and sounds that we, as its inhabitants, know so well. We know that our ovens run a little hot or that our clothes washers need a little kick in the middle of the spin cycle to keep them going. …
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 …
Any board or manager that arranges for a contractor to come onto their property to do a project or render a service always hopes that the job will be done well, or that the service will be delivered exactly as expected. While the majorit…