In the wake of the recession and facing an uncertain economic climate on the heels of a tumultuous presidential election, condo, co-op, and HOA boards may instinctively want to pinch pennies where they can, especially when it comes to maint…
Time will tell whether global warming and climate change eventually make winter—and its attendant snow, ice, sleet, and other challenging weather issues—extinct, but for now at least, the colder months can take a seasonal toll on buildings …
Most of us don't think much about the pipes that deliver water to our homes (and carry waste far away from them), but your building's plumbing health is a crucial part of basic maintenance.
Everyone’s always trying to build a better mouse trap, to find a better way of disposing of pests without poisoning non-pest critters (or people) or adding unnecessary chemicals to the environment. For example, New York City has been using …
Approximately one year ago in response to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at five buildings in the Bronx, New York City passed the most comprehensive and toughest law in the country for the monitoring of cooling towers and their mandat…
Whether interior or exterior, well-built, properly-maintained woodwork can last for centuries but if wood-boring pests like beetles, termites, and carpenter ants find their way into the wood, they can wreak all kinds of havoc. Wood-destroyi…
Plumbing. It’s one of those things for which we all should be grateful, but about which we rarely ever give a thought – at least not until we see water seeping out from under the bathroom door. Fortunately, if and when things go wrong, ther…
There are a lot of moving parts that contribute toward the functionality of a residential complex, whether said property is a condominium, cooperative, or a homeowner’s association. And these parts vary in complexity, to the extent that no …
Hector and Hedy Johnson bought a new condominium in Queens in 1995 and lived there for 19 years. In 2014 they sold the apartment to Leonard and Lena Smith. A year later, the condominium association’s board of directors voted to replace the …
Every month you break out the checkbook to pay your maintenance fees for your co-op. Naturally you expect that those fees go toward maintaining the upkeep of your residence. But for whatever reason, something goes wrong. It can be an infe…