While few would argue that regular, thorough building inspections are important for the safety of both people and property, the increasing number - and rising cost - of mandatory inspections has co-op and condo boards looking for more affor…
When it comes to the list of most important systems to maintain—and potentially the most expensive to replace—in a multifamily building, windows are definitely near the top. The useful life of a given window depends on a number of factors, …
Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…
As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…
A new NYC law will place yet another inspection requirement on co-op and condo communities with parking facilities on their premises. Known as Local Law 126/2021, the measure is only the latest in a long and growing string of ordinances pas…
October marked the beginning of heating season in New York City. For those of you who have cast iron radiators to heat your apartments, here’s a helpful tip: Radiator valves will turn your radiators on and off. Simple right? But did you k…
Indoor plumbing is a minor miracle: clean water on demand, at the temperature one chooses, right out of the tap. What would have been the height of luxury just a couple of generations ago is now considered a bare necessity. Miraculous as it…
In early 2020, our firm was hired to prepare a reserve study for an unremarkable 136-unit, 12-story condominium in south Florida. It was the kind of association you could drive right by without noticing, not much different from all the othe…
In an ideal world, every New York City building owner, manager, condominium association, and co-op board issued a Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP) notice for exterior defects during their previous Façade Inspection and Sa…
When the mercury hits 95, the last thing most people have on their mind is a major snowstorm, and how it might affect their building’s entry vestibule, lobby, and other high-traffic common areas. Be as that may, summer is actually the time …