Homeowners trust board members to keep the community adequately maintained and habitable at all times for the benefit of all the members. However, it is essential to understand that achieving a well-maintained and active community goes beyond cleaning the compound and planting flowers- you are required to safeguard the amenities therein to ensure they serve the community well.
Note that, in addition to keeping the environment clean, regularly monitoring and maintaining the condition of the valuable assets in your community can save the board significant amounts of money in the long run.
Here are five maintenance tips to guarantee you long-term success:
Perform Routine Inspections
Preventing extensive damage from occurring requires routine inspections. In general, complete reviews take place annually (always refer to your governing documents). However, you may opt to regularly inspect different sections of the facilities to identify issues that may need to be addressed sooner.
During your routine inspections, pay attention to components and features for warning signs of significant issues such as broken lighting, peeling paint, safety hazards on sidewalks, etc. In addition to helping you address these issues proactively, inspections allow you to allocate maintenance funds accordingly.
Create a Maintenance Calendar
Maintenance calendars show what areas, facilities, and features need maintenance and what time and price. It also helps new board members know what to prioritize once they take up their specific roles. As a result, no aspect of maintenance is neglected at the expense of the community.
While creating a maintenance calendar, identify assets requiring regular maintenance, such as the HVAC systems. Then determine when the assets should be inspected and at what cost.
Have a Reserve Fund
Essentially, a reserve fund is a money set aside to finance additions to components, repairs, and future replacements that are bound to happen in the future. With a reserve fund, you can cater for these repairs and updates once they happen without interrupting your usual annual budget.
Some expenditures reserve fund finances include but are not limited to:
• Roof replacements
• Playground equipment
• Landscaping projects
• Pool pumps
• Replacing fence in damaged areas
• Road and sidewalk resurfacing
• Painting buildings
• construction and major renovations
Partner with a Qualified and Experienced Maintenance Vendor
Proper maintenance of your community comes down to how capable and experienced your maintenance vendor is. There are several advantages of working with a qualified vendor; for instance, they offer insight into how best to maintain your HOA so you can make informed decisions. Also, they provide top-notch services to create efficiency for the community while optimizing spending to ensure you get quality services at a reasonable budget.
While sourcing for a maintenance vendor, take note of the following:
• The vendor should have a proper understanding of the community
• The vendor should be licensed and insured
• The vendor should have proof of relevant documents and references
Keep Homeowners Informed
As primary shareholders of the community, homeowners are entitled to updates and regular communication about maintenance services. Therefore, before making and implementing any decisions, be sure to inform all necessary parties about possible disruptions to avoid inconveniences. Also, let them know how you came up with a decision and how it will impact the community in the long term.
By communicating with homeowners regularly about your decisions as board members, you demonstrate your efficiency as a leader and show your effort to include the rest of the community members in the decision-making process.
Properly maintaining your community is critical in guaranteeing long-term success and habitability in an HOA. While every community has its unique plan and guidelines for maintenance, these tips can help keep your community well-maintained and operational throughout the year.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, community maintenance is essential for long-term success. It requires dedication and consistent effort to ensure your community stands out from the crowd and provides an engaging platform for your members.
By following these tips, you can keep your community thriving over time by leveraging the right tools, maintaining clear communication channels, being proactive in responding to feedback.
Staff Writer
Camille Moore
