Contractors, Management Company, Communication

Why is this so hard? Five years into being on the board and things still get screwed up. All of the time. Our very competent PM left our management company in January. She left a huge hole. She finally had us where we were running on sort of auto-pilot. Now we are back to square one. our new PM is a poor communicator - can even be counted on to make mush out of a clear directive. I am so frustrated. And yes, we are getting a new PM and awaiting a management proposal from another management company. Everything takes time. Too much time.

Lawn contractors - if it's grass and it's on our condo property, mow it.

Painters - if it's in the contract and it's been painted before, paint it. We hired you to do that.

Irrigation guys -If it's Spring, get us up and going before the grass is brown and our landscaping dies. Why do we have to call you every single year like this is some kind of surprise? if it's a sprinkler system and something's not right, fix it. If we report a problem, fix it. Any questions? You have my pone number and address. Just f-ing do it.

Landscapers - if it's a weed and you are supposed to be weeding, PULL IT. If it's an overgrown bush, trim it. If ANYTHING is standing in the way of you doing your job, please speak up. Now, not 4 weeks from now.

Snow contractor guys (I know it's not winter yet) - if it snows 3 inches or more. Plow and shovel.

It's not hard. Why does it take multiple phone calls and months to get things done?

The problem is that you are using contractors. Independent contractors. You are one of perhaps several dozen clients, each of whom thinks they are more important than you. Contractors perform best when there is a deliverable, such as a new roof by next Wednesday. Contractors are at their worst when there is no ending time and date for their work. (Or is there a date on which the weeds will stop growing?)

None of the problems you describe requires a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon. It's just plain old every day maintenance of the kind homeowners do for themselves every day.

The solution is to hire your own handyman. He will work on your schedule as you instruct him; he will not "pencil you in." Things will get done and it will cost you less.