Property Managers, a FREE method to cut your workload, phone calls while making customers even happier.
By Steve Hoogenakker
As I was cleaning out emails from 2009, I noticed I had about 100 emails from a multi-family townhome customer from this summers’ service. Wow, I thought, I didn’t realize we had as many back and forth communications. Besides, this didn’t count the 40-50 phone calls over the 7 month period or my attendance at a few meetings. In addition, when I looked through a few of the emails, it wasn’t uncommon to find that 3-5 people had been in the loop on each email!
An example might be a request to fix a downspout that was crushed. The process started with a client or resident with a call to the president, to the property manager, to me, I would write up our work order, it would come back completed, then I’d email back to the property manager again, he’d contact the homeowner or the client. The inefficiency of this madness is amazing once you think about it, but what can we do?
If it were possible to cut out 1/4 of the emails and time from beginning to end, it would be a fantastic creation, but I’ve found a way to cut out over half, and it’s free (for now).
To do this, we’d have to have a single place where the information resides. A single place accessible by the property manager, the contractor and (optionally) the client or board. We developed a method that works today and it’s free!
1. A spreadsheet is created for a commercial site. The spreadsheet would have 6-7 COLUMNS listed across the top 1. ASSOCIATION NAME 2. WORK ORDER #,3. DATE, 4.SERVICE REQUEST DESCRIPTION, 5.WORK ORDER RECEIVED (by contractor) 6.WORK ORDER COMPLETED, and 7.COMPLETION NOTES.
2. The file is uploaded and converted into Google Docs (free). You can then share it with whomever you wish. It’s easily done by inviting people to join using email addresses. Maybe the head of the grounds maintenance committee, president, property manager and contractor. If you want it available to the clients or the whole board, you can easily set permissions that allow the primary people to edit and update it, or just to view it.
3. You can set up notifications so that anytime a change is made you can be notified once a day or immediately. It works like this:
a. The property manager enters in the work order request using your internal work order #. The notification automatically goes to contractor.
b. Worst case, our office prints up the work order, marks the spreadsheet so everyone else knows that the work order was received with the date and sends it out to the field the next day. When completed, the office can enter it in as complete the following day, automatically updating everyone, or the same day if the crew calls it in. Best case scenario is if my operation manager or foreman has a mini-laptop in his truck, he can enter in the completion the minute it’s done! We can immediately markup the spreadsheet, along with any notes. Instead of the client or homeowner calling the pres to the property manager, prop mgr to me, they can view it on the web, and it’s not 9 to 5. It’s 24/7.
c. Everyone can view that the work order was sent, received, date done (or not) and any information. No phone calls were made, no emails were sent. A complete record of all work orders can be kept all year long, although that would be a pretty long spreadsheet.
We saved all of the emails and phone calls. If I have mobile computing, I probably got the work order out into the field and the completion back 1-4 days sooner, and again it’s your favorite price, it’s FREE!
It’s a V-8 slap in the forehead moment. Why hasn’t this been done before?
Google Docs is just releasing a method to upload all kinds of documents. Instead of a spreadsheet, maybe the property manager has an electronic work order. It might be uploaded, shared and updated by me, the contractor the same way as a spreadsheet . As property managers start to customize this idea, I’d love to hear from you and collaborate a method to really tweak this solution to meet your needs. Call me at 763-213-2410 or email me at Steve@Landscape.Pro.
Steve Hoogenakker
Concierge Landscape Environments
7150 Madison Ave
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Friday, April 2, 2010
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Fraudsters Beware, State Proposes Condo Cops
Could this happen in your state?) A new police force could soon be deputized to monitor the operations of thousands of Florida condominium associations, some of which are victims of fraud. Florida State Rep. Julio Robaina, R-Miami, and his counterpart Florida State Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Hialeah, have filed companion bills in the state legislature to create a four-person police force to be based in Fort Lauderdale to "investigate, enforce and prosecute" violators of five statutes that govern condominiums, homeowners associations, cooperatives, mobile home parks and timeshares, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "We are getting so many cases of potential fraud that most local police departments are too overwhelmed to deal with them," Robaina told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "And most often they are low priorities for police who must worry about robberies and murders. So, nothing happens. But all this police force will do is condo fraud cases." Currently, evidence of potential fraud at a condominium association must be collected and presented to police in order to initiate an investigation. This type of initiative is what led to two cases - both in Broward County - where police arrested board members and maintenance workers in connection to service contracts that were inflated or where the work was never completed. The condominium police force would be funded from Florida's $10.5 million Condominium Trust Fund, which is supported by a $4 annual fee collected from every unit in Florida. Peter Zalewski is a principal with the consulting company Condo Vultures® LLC and a licensed real estate broker with Condo Vultures® Realty LLC. Peter can be reached Steve Hoogenakker
Monday, June 16, 2008
Apartments, How to build Rain Gardens or Apartment Butterfly Gardens Part I
The Raingarden: A CIC’s contribution to cleaner water
By Steve Hoogenakker, Taylor Made Landscape and Jenn Morrow, Top Notch Tree Care
Many folks are not aware that the rain that runs to our storm sewers does not go to the municipal plant for treatment. It used to, but as growing communities increased pressure on treatment plants, cities nationwide disconnected storm sewers and routed them directly to the nearest lake or stream. In Minnesota, pride in our natural resources is strong, and residents are willing and eager to do their part to protect water quality.
Raingardens are a fabulous way for CIC’s to protect water quality. It is a garden or landscaped area with a very slight depression (usually 6-8 inches). A raingarden is designed to capture stormwater from rooftops, driveways and even streets, allowing it to soak into the ground along the deep root channels of beautiful plants (some native and some conventional).
Some of the benefits to CICs include an aesthetically appealing landscape feature, increased bird and butterfly activity, and credit for reduction of stormwater -which some cities are beginning to charge fees for! The list of benefits to the environment is long.
The current system of storm sewer pipes contributes largely to flooding and poor water quality in all water bodies. The water runs off so fast, our natural systems cannot absorb it. Prior to urbanization, stormwater soaked into the ground. Some of it made it all the way down to aquifers and some of it flowed slowly and laterally through the ground to lakes and streams. By the time rainwater reached a surface water, it was scrubbed clean by soil and microbes and cooled to the temperature that fish and other aquatic critters enjoy. Gutters and pipes allow over-heated stormwater to flush all the pollutants that collect on impervious surfaces to water bodies that are not able to treat or absorb the impurities nor are they able to accept the sheer volume – leading to serious flooding. Raingardens begin to repair the natural mechanism that slows, cleans and cools stormwater.
What about all the stormwater ponds that CICs have, aren’t those meant to protect water quality? The quick answer is, yes, they were originally intended as an answer to the Clean water Act mandate that stormwater be treated on site in new construction over five acres. They do keep stormwater and pollutants out of local lakes and streams, unfortunately they merely collect and concentrate those pollutants. They, just like natural ponds, do not have the capacity to treat stormwater. In addition they often become eyesores.
To intercept the stormwater that is piped directly into storm ponds (and would not be served by a buffer), raingardens can be installed in the path of down spouts and near the curb with curb cuts. These curbside raingardens allow water from streets to flow into the garden. They are designed to over flow back into the street if their capacity is exceeded, not into the lawn. All raingardens are designed to be dry within 24-36 hours after a storm to keep mosquitoes from breeding in them. Mosquito larvae need seven to twelve days of standing, stagnant water to mature. Raingardens actually act as ‘traps’ when mosquitoes lay eggs in them and the water drops since they cannot mature! In contrast, raingardens provide vital habitat for many desirable critters like birds and butterflies.
The city of Burnsville recently studied the effectiveness of raingardens. They installed 17 residential raingardens to capture street and roof runoff and measured an 82% reduction in runoff in 2004! They measured a 90% reduction in 2005 and a 93% reduction in 2006- illustrating that as the plants mature (and the root structures create more channels) the infiltration rate increases! The city of Maplewood has actively employed raingardens in city street reconstruction projects for over 10 years! Cities across the country are embracing simple raingardens to address serious stormwater problems including Kansas City, MO (with its 10,000 raingarden program launched in 20060, Portland OR and Chicago IL. The ‘ground work’ has been laid and practitioners have learned how to make raingardens work and look beautiful!
With both raingardens and shoreline plantings, proper plant selection and installation and maintenance are critical to their success. There is a wide pallet of colors and textures that will tolerate the water fluctuations common to these landscapes. Raingardens can be designed to be virtually indistinguishable from conventional gardens and landscapes while performing an important community service! Be sure to consult a contractor that is familiar with native plants and shorelines when pursuing projects like these.
Even if raingardens and ponds are not part of your landscape, a native garden can achieve environmental goals and can be incorporated into any plan. A simple butterfly garden can bring bright bold colors and delightful wildlife to an outdoor living space. They require less water and no fertilizers or weekly mowing and in that way, conserve water and other resources as well as protect water quality!
If your CIC is searching for ways to help the environment, they need not look far. Take a close look at how stormwater is ‘treated’ in your community as ask, ’is there a better way?’.
Jenn Morrow is currently is an Ecologist with Urban Ecosystems, a division of Top Notch Treecare. Jenn feels that a properly designed and installed raingarden is an inexpensive investment in our future. Jenn can be reached at 763-253-8733, or at Jmorrow@topnotchtree.com
Steve Hoogenakker is landscape consultant/contractor with 20 years experience working with cic properties and can be reached at 763-213-2410 or Steve@Landscape.Pro
By Steve Hoogenakker, Taylor Made Landscape and Jenn Morrow, Top Notch Tree Care
Many folks are not aware that the rain that runs to our storm sewers does not go to the municipal plant for treatment. It used to, but as growing communities increased pressure on treatment plants, cities nationwide disconnected storm sewers and routed them directly to the nearest lake or stream. In Minnesota, pride in our natural resources is strong, and residents are willing and eager to do their part to protect water quality.
Raingardens are a fabulous way for CIC’s to protect water quality. It is a garden or landscaped area with a very slight depression (usually 6-8 inches). A raingarden is designed to capture stormwater from rooftops, driveways and even streets, allowing it to soak into the ground along the deep root channels of beautiful plants (some native and some conventional).
Some of the benefits to CICs include an aesthetically appealing landscape feature, increased bird and butterfly activity, and credit for reduction of stormwater -which some cities are beginning to charge fees for! The list of benefits to the environment is long.
The current system of storm sewer pipes contributes largely to flooding and poor water quality in all water bodies. The water runs off so fast, our natural systems cannot absorb it. Prior to urbanization, stormwater soaked into the ground. Some of it made it all the way down to aquifers and some of it flowed slowly and laterally through the ground to lakes and streams. By the time rainwater reached a surface water, it was scrubbed clean by soil and microbes and cooled to the temperature that fish and other aquatic critters enjoy. Gutters and pipes allow over-heated stormwater to flush all the pollutants that collect on impervious surfaces to water bodies that are not able to treat or absorb the impurities nor are they able to accept the sheer volume – leading to serious flooding. Raingardens begin to repair the natural mechanism that slows, cleans and cools stormwater.
What about all the stormwater ponds that CICs have, aren’t those meant to protect water quality? The quick answer is, yes, they were originally intended as an answer to the Clean water Act mandate that stormwater be treated on site in new construction over five acres. They do keep stormwater and pollutants out of local lakes and streams, unfortunately they merely collect and concentrate those pollutants. They, just like natural ponds, do not have the capacity to treat stormwater. In addition they often become eyesores.
To intercept the stormwater that is piped directly into storm ponds (and would not be served by a buffer), raingardens can be installed in the path of down spouts and near the curb with curb cuts. These curbside raingardens allow water from streets to flow into the garden. They are designed to over flow back into the street if their capacity is exceeded, not into the lawn. All raingardens are designed to be dry within 24-36 hours after a storm to keep mosquitoes from breeding in them. Mosquito larvae need seven to twelve days of standing, stagnant water to mature. Raingardens actually act as ‘traps’ when mosquitoes lay eggs in them and the water drops since they cannot mature! In contrast, raingardens provide vital habitat for many desirable critters like birds and butterflies.
The city of Burnsville recently studied the effectiveness of raingardens. They installed 17 residential raingardens to capture street and roof runoff and measured an 82% reduction in runoff in 2004! They measured a 90% reduction in 2005 and a 93% reduction in 2006- illustrating that as the plants mature (and the root structures create more channels) the infiltration rate increases! The city of Maplewood has actively employed raingardens in city street reconstruction projects for over 10 years! Cities across the country are embracing simple raingardens to address serious stormwater problems including Kansas City, MO (with its 10,000 raingarden program launched in 20060, Portland OR and Chicago IL. The ‘ground work’ has been laid and practitioners have learned how to make raingardens work and look beautiful!
With both raingardens and shoreline plantings, proper plant selection and installation and maintenance are critical to their success. There is a wide pallet of colors and textures that will tolerate the water fluctuations common to these landscapes. Raingardens can be designed to be virtually indistinguishable from conventional gardens and landscapes while performing an important community service! Be sure to consult a contractor that is familiar with native plants and shorelines when pursuing projects like these.
Even if raingardens and ponds are not part of your landscape, a native garden can achieve environmental goals and can be incorporated into any plan. A simple butterfly garden can bring bright bold colors and delightful wildlife to an outdoor living space. They require less water and no fertilizers or weekly mowing and in that way, conserve water and other resources as well as protect water quality!
If your CIC is searching for ways to help the environment, they need not look far. Take a close look at how stormwater is ‘treated’ in your community as ask, ’is there a better way?’.
Jenn Morrow is currently is an Ecologist with Urban Ecosystems, a division of Top Notch Treecare. Jenn feels that a properly designed and installed raingarden is an inexpensive investment in our future. Jenn can be reached at 763-253-8733, or at Jmorrow@topnotchtree.com
Steve Hoogenakker is landscape consultant/contractor with 20 years experience working with cic properties and can be reached at 763-213-2410 or Steve@Landscape.Pro
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Take inventory of your home using technology
everything you own in your living room. That's the list you'll have to work with if a disaster destroys the contents of your
living room. Since most people have a hard time recalling exactly what they have in every room of their house, a
documented home inventory helps to easily identify exactly what was lost. Insurance experts say taking full, detailed
inventory before disaster strikes is the best way to protect everything you own in the event of a disaster. If your home
insurance policy has replacement value coverage designed to restore your home to its pre−disaster condition, you may not
get all you are due if you don't know what you own. An inventory is also necessary for reporting tax−related losses. It can
also help you determine the value of your belongings and, with that, your exact insurance needs. Today, technology makes
taking inventory easier than ever and, by using some of the latest technologies, creating, storing and updating a home
inventory is easier than ever.
Taking inventory
To take a complete inventory for each item, whenever possible, include:
· Item name and quantity.
· Description of the item.
· Manufacturer or brand name.
· Serial number or model number.
· Where the item was purchased or obtained.
· Receipt or proof of purchase.
· Date of purchase or age.
· Current value and or replacement cost.
Next, provide an additional documentation of everything your own by creating visual images of your belongings. If you're
doing a digital video inventory with a motion or still camera, start in one corner of the room and work your way around until
you cover the whole room. Don't forget to inventory closets, the attic, the basement and other storage areas. Don't forget to
include items such as mattresses, luggage, clothing, small appliances, sports equipment and garden tools. Even carpets,
drapes and flooring should be listed on the inventory list and photographed. Update your inventory list and image files after
your make new purchases. Store your inventory in a safe place, away from the insured property. If disaster strikes and your
list is at the disaster site, it could be destroyed. A secure Web server provides you with the means to store your inventory
away from home. Digital photographs or videos can be uploaded into cyberspace for safekeeping. Internet service providers
often include free Web space. Using digital technology to create and store a home inventory also helps speed the process
when it's time to update your inventory once a year or after subsequent purchases. In the event of a fire or other household
catastrophe, an inventory is only as good as its most recent update. You can visually document your inventory without using
digital technology. Conventional photos can be developed and delivered on a compact disc. Older 16 millimeter and
videotapes can been transferred to digital−video−discs (DVDs). Tax experts suggest using the same inventory−taking
techniques after a disaster to record the damage and to compare the condition of your home to its pre−disaster condition.
Steve Hoogenakker, CIC Midwest, Multi Housing Association, CAI Minnesota, Showcase Landscape, Delano Minnesota, Minnesota
living room. Since most people have a hard time recalling exactly what they have in every room of their house, a
documented home inventory helps to easily identify exactly what was lost. Insurance experts say taking full, detailed
inventory before disaster strikes is the best way to protect everything you own in the event of a disaster. If your home
insurance policy has replacement value coverage designed to restore your home to its pre−disaster condition, you may not
get all you are due if you don't know what you own. An inventory is also necessary for reporting tax−related losses. It can
also help you determine the value of your belongings and, with that, your exact insurance needs. Today, technology makes
taking inventory easier than ever and, by using some of the latest technologies, creating, storing and updating a home
inventory is easier than ever.
Taking inventory
To take a complete inventory for each item, whenever possible, include:
· Item name and quantity.
· Description of the item.
· Manufacturer or brand name.
· Serial number or model number.
· Where the item was purchased or obtained.
· Receipt or proof of purchase.
· Date of purchase or age.
· Current value and or replacement cost.
Next, provide an additional documentation of everything your own by creating visual images of your belongings. If you're
doing a digital video inventory with a motion or still camera, start in one corner of the room and work your way around until
you cover the whole room. Don't forget to inventory closets, the attic, the basement and other storage areas. Don't forget to
include items such as mattresses, luggage, clothing, small appliances, sports equipment and garden tools. Even carpets,
drapes and flooring should be listed on the inventory list and photographed. Update your inventory list and image files after
your make new purchases. Store your inventory in a safe place, away from the insured property. If disaster strikes and your
list is at the disaster site, it could be destroyed. A secure Web server provides you with the means to store your inventory
away from home. Digital photographs or videos can be uploaded into cyberspace for safekeeping. Internet service providers
often include free Web space. Using digital technology to create and store a home inventory also helps speed the process
when it's time to update your inventory once a year or after subsequent purchases. In the event of a fire or other household
catastrophe, an inventory is only as good as its most recent update. You can visually document your inventory without using
digital technology. Conventional photos can be developed and delivered on a compact disc. Older 16 millimeter and
videotapes can been transferred to digital−video−discs (DVDs). Tax experts suggest using the same inventory−taking
techniques after a disaster to record the damage and to compare the condition of your home to its pre−disaster condition.
Steve Hoogenakker, CIC Midwest, Multi Housing Association, CAI Minnesota, Showcase Landscape, Delano Minnesota, Minnesota
Friday, September 21, 2007
Preparing Your Association for Winter
IMPORTANT LANDSCAPE and SNOW PREPARATIONS
It’s been a hot, dry summer. Many landscapes suffered damage this summer. While the turf will show the damage right away, the trees may take a year or more to show stress.
Tim Pearson of Concierge Enterprises advises that if brown areas of the lawn haven’t come back, then the fall (August 20th – Sept 20th), is really the best time to re-seed the lawn. Look for bluegrass mixes for sunny areas, fine or red fescue mixes for shady areas. A mixture of perennial ryegrass of up to 50% is advised to provide fast cover and shade for the tender bluegrass shoots that take their time germinating.
As for the sprinkler system, you probably noticed areas with poor coverage. Most systems had some areas that couldn’t be kept green. A landscape or irrigation contractor can tell you if there is enough water flow & pressure to add sprinkler heads to these areas. If you don’t have a sprinkler system yet, you can usually get a bid or ballpark figure from a reputable contractor. It might be something to budget for the future.
Getting ready for winter.
Tree wrap should be put around trees that have smooth bark to prevent cracking during freeze-thaw cycles. Sometime in Late October or November is usually fine.
Rick Anderson of Concierge Enterprises recommends that the irrigation system is blown out by October 31st. Rick also discussed repairing main lines and zones before the blow out to make sure that the air pressure stays high enough to blow out the zones and keep the system safe over the winter.
If you have an RPZ backflow, your association is required to have it inspected once per year, and rebuilt every 5 years. The backflow is important because it protects the drinking supply!
Getting the Property ready for winter.
Get under contract with your snow contractor early. Don’t wait until the last minute when your preferred vendor has made commitments with too many other clients. Make sure the language in the contract is clear about trigger depths. (A trigger depth is the snow depth in 24 hours that starts the snow removal process). A 2” trigger depth is most common with 1” being used at some associations. The cost of going from a 2” to a 1” might be about 40% higher because we would assume we would be out 30-40% more often.
Just as important as a clear contract is clear expectations with the residents. Send a letter out advising residents of who the snow contractor is, the trigger depths, and let them know what they can expect and more importantly, what not to expect. This will save everyone phone calls and disappointments all season long. Items that cause confusion between the board, contractors and residents are:
Will we be getting sand/salt automatically?
Where will sand barrels be placed?
Trigger depth.
Explain the difference between a breakout and a full plow.
Ideas on garbage placement on garbage day when heavy snow is forecast
Are city sidewalks included?
Finally, give them one phone number to call in case of a serious problem so they don’t leave messages with everyone on the board trying to find the right person.
Set expectations with the residents so if their car is in the driveway, it probably won’t be plowed. If the car can’t be put inside, then park it tight to one side so as much snow as possible can be removed.
Piling of snow. We get excited about piling snow! If the HOA was designed with areas to put snow, we’re happy, for those HOA’s designed by someone in California, you want to agree up front where it’s OK for the contractor to put snow.
Staking. Your contractor should be staking your property. Lathe, fiberglass, or the newest staking fad, irrigation flags. Lathe isn’t very pretty, but stands above most snowfalls, fiberglass is expensive and rarely used. Irrigation flags are small, unobtrusive, but will be covered with the first 6” snowfall.
Stakes are turned into Light Sabres or swords by 12 year olds, so expect some to be removed. Some residents also dislike the stakes and remove them. This might lead to more turf and curb damage over the winter.
Finally, work with your contractor to develop a simple color coded map of the areas to be plowed and shoveled, & preferred areas to pile snow. Now that video and pictures are digital, it would take 15 minutes to drive down each road filming the curb lines, noting what the site looks like before winter hits so damages can be assessed in the spring.
Following all of these ideas will help you enjoy winter and help you and your contractor have a successful snow season. A quiet HOA is a happy HOA? In the case of winter, I’d say a resounding yes!
This article was written by Steve Hoogenakker of Showcase Landscape and Tim Pearson of Concierge Enterprises. Steve can be reached at Steve@Landscape.Pro or 763-213-2410 and Tim can be reached at 763-286-6285.
Steve Hoogenakker has 20 years in the landscaping and leadership field. He can be reached by email at Steve@Landscape.Pro. Much of this information can be found in the excellent book, Crucial Conversations.
Steve Hoogenakker, MHA, CAI, CIC Midwest, MNLA, PLANET, MTFG, Showcase Landscape
It’s been a hot, dry summer. Many landscapes suffered damage this summer. While the turf will show the damage right away, the trees may take a year or more to show stress.
Tim Pearson of Concierge Enterprises advises that if brown areas of the lawn haven’t come back, then the fall (August 20th – Sept 20th), is really the best time to re-seed the lawn. Look for bluegrass mixes for sunny areas, fine or red fescue mixes for shady areas. A mixture of perennial ryegrass of up to 50% is advised to provide fast cover and shade for the tender bluegrass shoots that take their time germinating.
As for the sprinkler system, you probably noticed areas with poor coverage. Most systems had some areas that couldn’t be kept green. A landscape or irrigation contractor can tell you if there is enough water flow & pressure to add sprinkler heads to these areas. If you don’t have a sprinkler system yet, you can usually get a bid or ballpark figure from a reputable contractor. It might be something to budget for the future.
Getting ready for winter.
Tree wrap should be put around trees that have smooth bark to prevent cracking during freeze-thaw cycles. Sometime in Late October or November is usually fine.
Rick Anderson of Concierge Enterprises recommends that the irrigation system is blown out by October 31st. Rick also discussed repairing main lines and zones before the blow out to make sure that the air pressure stays high enough to blow out the zones and keep the system safe over the winter.
If you have an RPZ backflow, your association is required to have it inspected once per year, and rebuilt every 5 years. The backflow is important because it protects the drinking supply!
Getting the Property ready for winter.
Get under contract with your snow contractor early. Don’t wait until the last minute when your preferred vendor has made commitments with too many other clients. Make sure the language in the contract is clear about trigger depths. (A trigger depth is the snow depth in 24 hours that starts the snow removal process). A 2” trigger depth is most common with 1” being used at some associations. The cost of going from a 2” to a 1” might be about 40% higher because we would assume we would be out 30-40% more often.
Just as important as a clear contract is clear expectations with the residents. Send a letter out advising residents of who the snow contractor is, the trigger depths, and let them know what they can expect and more importantly, what not to expect. This will save everyone phone calls and disappointments all season long. Items that cause confusion between the board, contractors and residents are:
Will we be getting sand/salt automatically?
Where will sand barrels be placed?
Trigger depth.
Explain the difference between a breakout and a full plow.
Ideas on garbage placement on garbage day when heavy snow is forecast
Are city sidewalks included?
Finally, give them one phone number to call in case of a serious problem so they don’t leave messages with everyone on the board trying to find the right person.
Set expectations with the residents so if their car is in the driveway, it probably won’t be plowed. If the car can’t be put inside, then park it tight to one side so as much snow as possible can be removed.
Piling of snow. We get excited about piling snow! If the HOA was designed with areas to put snow, we’re happy, for those HOA’s designed by someone in California, you want to agree up front where it’s OK for the contractor to put snow.
Staking. Your contractor should be staking your property. Lathe, fiberglass, or the newest staking fad, irrigation flags. Lathe isn’t very pretty, but stands above most snowfalls, fiberglass is expensive and rarely used. Irrigation flags are small, unobtrusive, but will be covered with the first 6” snowfall.
Stakes are turned into Light Sabres or swords by 12 year olds, so expect some to be removed. Some residents also dislike the stakes and remove them. This might lead to more turf and curb damage over the winter.
Finally, work with your contractor to develop a simple color coded map of the areas to be plowed and shoveled, & preferred areas to pile snow. Now that video and pictures are digital, it would take 15 minutes to drive down each road filming the curb lines, noting what the site looks like before winter hits so damages can be assessed in the spring.
Following all of these ideas will help you enjoy winter and help you and your contractor have a successful snow season. A quiet HOA is a happy HOA? In the case of winter, I’d say a resounding yes!
This article was written by Steve Hoogenakker of Showcase Landscape and Tim Pearson of Concierge Enterprises. Steve can be reached at Steve@Landscape.Pro or 763-213-2410 and Tim can be reached at 763-286-6285.
Steve Hoogenakker has 20 years in the landscaping and leadership field. He can be reached by email at Steve@Landscape.Pro. Much of this information can be found in the excellent book, Crucial Conversations.
Steve Hoogenakker, MHA, CAI, CIC Midwest, MNLA, PLANET, MTFG, Showcase Landscape
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