Everything has its season, goes the old saying—and that’s especially true when it comes to common area upgrades. Planning and executing these projects takes time, and often the weather, temperature, availability of contractors, and other seasonal variables have to be factored into the process in order for it to run smoothly. As we head into prime spring and early summer, it’s a good time to consider what types of projects your board-management team should be putting on the docket. 

Get Some Fresh Air

There are certain projects that are ideally started in the springtime, though the planning for them may begin well before then. Toward the top of the list, says Marilyn Sygrove, principal and president of Manhattan-based Sygrove Associates Design Group, is the replacement of entry doors. “If your doors are damaged or in disrepair, or make your building look dated, you know it may be time for a change.” Similarly, “If your entry doors haven’t been sealing properly when closed, they’re likely damaged,” she explains, “and that wastes valuable energy. ” 

Clearly, the cold months aren’t the optimal time to undertake this upgrade. Snow and freezing wind would be whipping through your lobby, and your lovely new doors would be subjected to ice and salty slush before they’d been in place for even a few weeks. Spring is the first opportunity for a break in cold temperatures, and therefore a much more comfortable time for building staff and residents to go doorless for a day or two.

“The milder weather of spring is the ideal time to replace doors so lobbies don’t get cold and miserable,” says Sygrove. “Your door staff will appreciate it, as well as anyone waiting in the lobby or vestibule for a school bus or a car service.” 

Even though it’s a relatively minor project, Sygrove recommends that boards and managers start planning six months out for a full door replacement. “Start planning in December or January,” she advises, “so that aesthetics can be resolved and fabrication time is factored in for a spring delivery and installation.”

Planning for Bigger Projects

While your doors are getting their glow-up, spring is also a good time to plan and prepare for any lobby or hallway renovations to be completed during the summer months. Sygrove points out that many communities prefer to do more involved or potentially disruptive interior capital projects during the time of year when many residents are away.

For a major lobby remodel, for example, Sygrove outlines the steps as follows: “Start by preparing a preliminary design scheme,” she says. Working with your hired design professional, and possibly an in-house committee, “The board should then finalize one design. Management can then prepare bid documents, and the board and management will then hold a series of meetings to review the bids. They may then meet with prospective vendors and determine who they would like to hire.”

Even if you have all of the paperwork and contracts signed, however, Sygrove cautions against lifting a hammer and starting the mess before all the necessary supplies are readily available. “In terms of the overall timeline, it’s important to consider procurement time for materials,” she says. “Everyone seems to forget this, and it takes time.” The average waiting period for materials can be as much as 12 or even 16 weeks, so in addition to planning way ahead, it’s also best to have a conversation with the awarded contractors to make sure the timeline you’re working on is realistic. “Make sure you leave ample time to meet your beginning-date goal,” warns Sygrove, or you will have a very unhappy resident population.  

Whether superficial or more involved, pre-planning your project will get you started on time and at the right time. As the weather improves, it may just be the time to spring into action.