MAINTENANCE
PHILLIPA BURGESS | SHAKER PAINTING
A Winning New Years
Resolution: Act Now and
Save Money
I
f you are looking for a winning resolution
that you won’t have trouble keeping, consider acting now to save money. Who doesn’t
want to stretch their budget and keep a bit
more cash in their pocket? But it does take a bit
of initiative as many of us tend to want to put off
certain tasks until the cold of winter warms into
spring and summer.
In the apartment business there is always
maintenance and upgrade work to be done. This
is a great time to think about the types of jobs
can be started now. Engaging with vendors during some of their slower seasons can result in a
significant savings. The main considerations for
painting, roofing and landscaping in the winter
and early spring months are temperature, precipitation and moisture. It’s helpful to have a
good idea of what can be done, and what you’ll
need to consider when planning maintenance
projects this time of year.
Your apartment building interiors are not subject to any of the weather factors, so revamping
hallways and common areas can be time and
money well spent. Brent Rumpf, Owner at Shaker Painting says, “You will always get value from
a fresh coat of paint. With so many more new
apartment complexes being constructed, paint is
just one of the ways your building can stay competitive.” He adds, “We definitely slow down on
exteriors during the winter, but it’s a prime time
to for us to paint interiors.”
“You want to make sure your gutters are clean
during winter otherwise water may not drain properly and freeze causing unnecessary damage that
could have been avoided,” adds Pat DeNiro, President of The Roof & Gutter Guys. “With milder
winters on the front range and storms that pass
quickly, we can do most roofing and gutter projects
when it’s dry and the weather is above 40 degrees.
The key is allowing us flexibility so we can work
under the best conditions to get the job done right.”
It is a great time to consult with a landscaper.
Heather Tewahade of LandTech explains. “One
of the best landscaping projects that can be completed in the winter time would be a rock mulch
conversion on the beds in your community. Late
www.aamdhq.org
winter is also a good time to work on installing
raised garden beds for community gardens. This
way they are ready to go for the early spring
planting.” She continues, “Beyond planning and
maintenance of plants, trees, xeriscapes and irrigation, landscapers can help you out with the
installation of gazebos or pergolas.”
Lastly, some people may think they are saving
money by putting off a job until the weather turns
warmer, but instead they end up with failing/
peeling paint, cracks, dryrot, mold/mildew, water
damage and fallen trees – all conditions that are
very expensive to fix. The longer you wait, the
more you end up paying because of all of the costs
incurred from scraping, sanding, caulking, priming, wood replacement or structural repair. As
experienced managers know, it important to be
pro-active in scheduling maintenance throughout
the year.
Getting work done in the winter months and
saving money in the process, is definitely a winning resolution.
JANUARY 2015 • TRENDS | 33