Rough estimate of PPM expense

Rough, back-of-the-napkin calculation question.

We've got a 20-unit, 2-story w/ a basement building built in the late 1800s with rather generous landscaping needs and about 1-1.5 hours of mowing its various blocks of grass around it in the summer. Maintenance tends to be plugging the holes in the dike and meeting with vendors to do projects such as cleaning out the dryer vents from the building's laundry room maybe every other week, sometimes a bit more often.

Interior cleaning of the common elements is done twice a month by an independent vendor. Basic check writing, which barely rises to the level of bookkeeping, is done by another independent vendor.

The person who has assumed the "property manager" function is one of the original Association Owners, living in the building, but, over the past two years, has taken that from a volunteer effort to becoming the Association's second largest expense after the total line item for insurance without any agreement, approvals, or oversight from the Board. We need to address that, but may find ourselves suddenly without anyone doing any of it.

If the Association were to hire a PPM company to take these three tasks on under one umbrella, what do you think the monthly cost would be, either as a total, or on a per unit basis?

TIA.

hat size is your board now, Thomas? Any vacancies? (Just trying to "see" your situation better.)

Currently two, may go to its max of three. As I've told everyone here repeatedly, either we do it ourselves, or we pay someone to do it. If we can't find a way to have the current situation continue, but with the Owner who's been his own free agent to do and spend however he pleases now under Board control, then we have to pay for it, and before I spend a bunch of time on this, I'm just wondering what a ballpark cost for a real PPM runs.

For instance, I have a friend in Chicago in a 5-unit building, and they each pay $300 / month solely for their PPM. But, that's a choice they've made because they can afford it and they're all way too busy to self-manage. If that sounds reasonable for a 20-unit building, then there's no point to even bother making any calls, because that's not going to happen. If it's more on the order of $50-$75, and the Owners are encouraged to do the little things themselves, like bus the grounds for litter, etc., then we might have a plan B.

I think your over complicating things. We were self ran HOA. Only had a bookkeeper. Had special checks with a two signature on them. That was bookkeeper and two officers. Our contractors submitted the bills to the bookkeeper. We paid them after. Just made sure they were approved before submitting.

No reason to have to change up your vendors if licensed and insured. They just submit bill to bookkeeper. This would be similar to what a PM would do for you. However, they may pick out the vendor. Plus whatever other duties you want to pay them to do. Otherwise decisions are still within the HOA board.

It comes down to how much work you and your neighbors want to put in. If not much, then hire a PM. If can do it yourselves then no PM.