“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – this idea may properly apply to some things in life, but should never apply to how your community association is run. Preventative maintenance is key to the smooth and cost-effective operation of any community association. Deferred maintenance and repairs, or neglecting service requirements, often results in avoidable disruptions and increased costs of repair or replacement.
To avoid such disruptions, Boards should regularly execute preventative maintenance following a well-structured plan. A good preventative maintenance plan includes records of past inspections and repairs, a checklist of capital items the association maintains, and a schedule for regular inspections and future maintenance. When adhered to, the benefits of having a preventative maintenance plan include:
- Increased life span of capital items. Performing regular inspections and minor repairs extends the useful life of capital items such as roofs, siding, and concrete.
- Financial prudence. Executing a preventative maintenance plan results in early detection of minor issues before they become major costly problems, reducing the occurrence of unexpected problems that must be dealt with and paid for immediately.
- Efficient association operations. Acknowledging projects and costs through routine inspections and preventative maintenance can prevent some unexpected emergencies and allows a board to operate more efficiently.
- Increased property values. Looking after your community helps preserve its appearance and make it a desirable place to live. Well-maintained communities have a higher chance of maintaining or even increasing property values.
- Happy owners. Completing timely, preventative maintenance helps ensure the regular use and longevity of community amenities and fosters pride in home ownership.
We encourage all boards to develop and follow a preventative maintenance plan. A proactive approach to maintenance and repairs will help to keep your community a desirable place to live and protect the investment of all owners.
