Re: Long Term R&R fund for windows
From: Larry Miller (larry.millercharter.net)
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 13:03:43 -0700 (PDT)
We are also a condo model community. Our CC&Rs clearly define exterior door and 
window
maintenance and replacement as the responsibility of the homeowner. I could 
imagine that this
would be very problematic to be a community responsibility. These are long 
lived items where the
end of life may substantially depend on usage by individual owners. Wholesale 
replacement would
be difficult and probably unnecessary. The need for replacement is also likely 
to be somewhat
subjective as some might want to replace a certain window while others would be 
happy to live
with it.

I would suggest that windows replacement be a homeowner responsibility and, 
whenever the CC&Rs
are amended, that this be unambiguously added to the CC&Rs.

Larry Miller
Oak Creek Commons

-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Sailer [mailto:randy.sailer [at] oit.umass.edu] 
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 11:57 AM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: [C-L]_ Long Term R&R fund for windows


At Rocky Hill we are working on budgeting for our reserve for  
replacement for our common elements and those elements on homes that  
the association is responsible for (ie painting, roofs, etc). (We have  
a condo model).

Our by-laws aren't particularly clear about a few things. Far and away  
the biggest and most important (expensive) are our windows. We need to  
decide whether we should build our reserve to pay for window  
replacements or leave them to the responsibility of the homeowner.

Advantages of the community collecting:

Builds reserve and makes it easy to replace the windows when necessary.
Ensures windows are replaced when bad (thus preventing damage to other  
elements in the event of failure)
Forced savings for association members that makes sure the windows get  
replaced.
Community standard for quality of new windows easier to enforce.


Advantages of individual owners paying for replacement at time of need:

Lower on-going condo fee.
Individual unit owners responsible for maintenance (ownership of  
maintenance).


At some level, the community can decide on standards via our regular  
processes and enforce them. Also, the community has the ability to  
make or force repairs on a unit if something is wrong....

One thought we had was splitting the difference (community builds up  
reserve for half, homeowner pays half).

We are wondering what other condo based communities do? Are unit  
windows included or excluded...

Any thoughts? Advice?

Thanks,

Randy Sailer
Rocky Hill Cohousing
_________________________________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: 
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/




Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.