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DavidH31 (Florida)
Posts: 5
Posted:
40 Unit Building Near Boston, MA.

What things do we need to do like have the elevator inspected, boiler room, and Fire Extinguishers? Are their other things we need to do? Any thoughts appreciated!
RichardP13 (California)
Posts: 3,868
Posted:
Good place to start is your local Department of Safety and the local Fire Department.
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
Don't forget insects! Who is responsible for bug/rodent control? Individual owners or the HOA? Something should decide if these protections are to be handled as a group or as individual responsibility.

Former HOA President
DouglasK1 (Florida)
Posts: 2,046
Posted:
That's sort of an open ended question, as Richard mentioned checking with local authorities is a good start. You should also read your governing documents (Covenants, by-laws, deed restrictions, etc.) to see if they identify what elements the association is responsible for. From there you might be able to determine what should be inspected. You didn't mention roof, but that is typically a biggie in condos.

Our situation is a bit different because we are single family homes, but our local county requires that we have an infrastructure inspection at least every three years by a licensed engineer. Since they do these regularly, they know what to check for. In our case it includes the roads, storm drainage system, brick wall, sidewalks, and a few other odds and ends.

If you have not had a reserve study done, that should be high on your list. A reserve study identifies the components that the association is responsible for, their expected lifespans and replacement costs, and helps you to determine how much money you should have in your reserves and how much you should be adding each year.

Escaped former treasurer and director of a self managed association.
RichardP13 (California)
Posts: 3,868
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By MelissaP1 on 02/11/2016 12:36 PM
Don't forget insects! Who is responsible for bug/rodent control? Individual owners or the HOA? Something should decide if these protections are to be handled as a group or as individual responsibility.

How do you go from what the OP asked to insects?
NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By RichardP13 on 02/11/2016 2:44 PM
Posted By MelissaP1 on 02/11/2016 12:36 PM
Don't forget insects! Who is responsible for bug/rodent control? Individual owners or the HOA? Something should decide if these protections are to be handled as a group or as individual responsibility.


How do you go from what the OP asked to insects?


Personal bug-a-boo?

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.
JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265
Posted:
David:

Google elevators, MA:

All elevators, except those in single family owner-occupied homes, must pass both an inspection and a practical test at least once a year. Elevators in single family owner-occupied homes must be inspected only every five years. An inspection is also required upon completion of any installation or alteration of an elevator. Elevators that have been determined to be safe are indicated as such with a posted certificate. It is the owner's obligation to ensure that their elevators have been inspected. Applications for inspections can be obtained via the link below
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Welcome, David! are you on the board?

I assume you're a high rise condo building? We are too. How old is yours? There should be a maintenance manual on the premises that answers many of your questions. It should say, for instance, how often your ceiling sprinklers must be inspected in your common areas & condos.

As Richard points out, your fire marshall will know some of your answers including about your fire extinguisheers inspections and how to re-charge them.

You must have boilers & generators. If you don't have manuals, write to the company that manf. them & request them. They will state the preventative maintenance you need to conduct on a regular basis.

How is your building heated and cooled? How is your water treated?

Do you have a full or part-time onsite building engineer? That person should be able to answer a lot of your questions.

Do you have property mgr.? That person should be able to help.

Along with the roof, that someone mentioned, your elevator contractor should be able to tell you about it (them?)

Does no one at your building know the answers to any of these questions????

DavidH31 (Florida)
Posts: 5
Posted:
Thank you everyone for your responses. I greatly appreciate the community and support. Let me add some detail.
In preparation for this role I read all the documents available at the registry of deeds including the master deed and document establishing the trust. I also read 183A which is the law governing condo associations in MA.

Specifically about insects. Under the governing documents I believe the unit owner is responsible for within the unit and the association outside the unit, but we take insects very seriously and usually pay for it out of common funds. Boston has had bed bug issues and if their is any lag in dealing with insects it can quickly become a wide scale issue.

The reserve study is a great idea and something we should do in the near term. In addition I was reading about the insurance and it seems like we should have someone estimate the cost to replace the building so that we can have the correct number on our insurance.

The building is about 40 years old. I have been through the building and can't find a maintenance manual. We have a contractor that preforms maintenance on the boiler whenever their is an issue. You are probably right that I can get the manual from the company. We do not have a building engineer. We have company that comes to do the inspection on the elevator and the roof was recently replaced.

I understand that the fire department can tell me specifically about the fire extinguishers and the elevator company knows the regulation around the elevator, but I feel like their is a whole set of questions I haven't even thought to ask. For Example to Douglask1's point I had the building needed a general inspection every three years.

My first concern is to identify a list of things that need to be done to be up to code and then to do things like a reserve study. I am trying to identify the questions that need to be asked and the appropriate source to answer them.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216
Posted:
I've found that local zoning inspectors can be a great resource. Also, better to get to know them when you don't have violations.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.
DavidH31 (Florida)
Posts: 5
Posted:
Thanks!
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Just what is your "role," David? Are you on the Board? what size is the Board? Do no directors know ANY thing about your building's infrastructure?

Are you saying that no reserves study has ever been done and your HOA has no reserves account? If not, how did your HOA pay for the new roof?

Again, do you have a property mgr?

In my urban area, a high or mid rise of 40 units would have at least a part-time building engineer! You must have pumps, motors, etc. and what about controlled access? Any entry systems? How are units heated and cooled? Individually or is there a central system?

There probably is no state requirement to have your building inspected, but there probably are muni requirements, e.g., the fire marshall inspects our high rise annually.
DavidH31 (Florida)
Posts: 5
Posted:
Seems like the local regulators are the consensus. It anyone found any really good books, please let me know. Thanks. David
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
They asked what they needed to get inspected... Bugs/Rodent would be something you would get an inspection for... Or am I just thinking too hard?

It is a good idea to get an idea of the full replacement cost of your property that the HOA is responsible for. You may find you can lower the price of insurance by agreeing to pay a certain percentage of it out of pocket. We had like a 20% of the full cost which lowered the monthly premiums. Although your HOA can get 100% replacement insurance but it will cost you. You may find it less costly to save up that difference than pay it long term till you need it. An evaluation you may want to assess first before shopping. Would it be cheaper to keep 25K in the bank in a Capital fund earning interest or spending it in premiums?

Looks like your going in a good direction. Good luck...

Former HOA President
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Among the regular posters here, I'm the only one who has a high rise HOA. I imagine you can go online an look for books about high rise apartment or residential maintenance.

To Melissa's point, we just renewed our building insurance policy, which costs about $85,000/ann. with a $10K deductible. But we're two 25 story high rises with 200+ residential units and several street-level commercial suits. We have three levels of underground parking. Our insurance includes D&O (directors & officers) coverage.

Your CC&Rs will tell you what your HOA needs to cover.

I'm curious a why you won't tell us what your role is, David? On the Board? Property Mgr., perhaps? Or just an interested Owner?
DavidH31 (Florida)
Posts: 5
Posted:
@KerryL1 is their away to private message you?

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