Category: Maintenance

As cases of the new coronavirus increase here in the US, the crisis has led to a number of questions from condominium boards to the effect of:  What should we do to protect the condominium and its members? What is our responsibility for the…

Some lucky apartment owners can come home from work on a cold winter’s night and warm their feet by a roaring fire while drinking a hot toddy.  A working fireplace is a coveted amenity for many, adding a dash of vintage charm to prewar apar…

Anytime you have hundreds, or even thousands of people living in close quarters – in a multifamily co-op or condo building, say – certain challenges will inevitably arise. One of the bigger ones is how to maintain the flow of fresh, hygieni…

No matter how well-constructed and carefully maintained, no mechanical system lasts forever – and that goes for elevator cabs and equipment just as much as it applies to roofs or boilers.  At some point, your building’s vertical transportat…

Security is always a primary concern for homeowners. In a multifamily building without a doorman, the first line of defense is the front entrance – which more often than not features some sort of intercom system to enable visitors to announ…

Do you remember when you were a kid, and the closest thing you had to a cell phone was two cups with a string pulled taut between them, speaking into one cup to see if your friend holding the other could hear you? That long-ago game worked …

When you close your eyes and picture any building, you are quite likely imagining its facade – the outer shell which protects and contains all of the hustle and bustle that goes on within. In a residential property, the facade is what separ…

Home is where the heart is, sure – but it’s also where most of where any given owner or shareholder’s money is. For most people, their home represents their single biggest investment. And in a community association, both individual units an…

Whether it’s a balcony, terrace, patio or roof deck, outdoor space is many an apartment owner’s dream.  Desirable – and valuable – as they are, these spaces do present specific maintenance considerations for individual owners, co-op corpora…

Cities are crowded. That’s a simple fact. In the best of circumstances, there’s noise, dirt, dust, and the usual urban pests. Add to that the construction of a new building next to or nearby yours, and annoyance can quickly become overwhelm…