Condo/Townhouse Maintenance

[MotorHead]

Who does your landscaping, snow plowing etc and how much does your association pays for the year.

We are paying 40K+ a year and they are doing a lousy job.
Are we once again getting screwed ?

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Who does your landscaping, snow plowing etc and how much does your association pays for the year.

We are paying 40K+ a year and they are doing a lousy job.

Are we once again getting screwed ?

When I was the treasurer of a sub HOA in long bay for 10+ years we used CBH. We shopped every year and they were always a little higher but one year we decided to go with a lower estimates the service was absolutely terrible. I have found in this area especially with landscape and more importantly snow removal you get what you pay for


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[Patofnaud]

"We are paying 40K+ a year and they are doing a lousy job."

Hard to compare without a full picture. 40K for an entire complex? What does it include? Just snow/mowing?

For comparison, the single condo I had up near Waterville a year or so ago cost me $1,200/qtr ($4,800/yr) and included mowing/snow/exterior building maintenance and cable. Now, there were at least 12 unit, so 12 x $4,800 = $57.6K

[Woodsy]

It depends a lot on the size of your property.... and the scope of the work required.

If you think you are getting screwed.... get elected to the Board of Directors. I am guessing you are probably paying a fair price.


Woodsy

[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

get elected to the Board of Directors.
Woodsy

I have been offered a position, multiple times.
NO THANK YOU.

I do not have the time, I will not be able to do a good job, I can not commit my time.
I also feel people should not be on a board if they can not commit their time. This is not a joke.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

I have been offered a position, multiple times.
NO THANK YOU.

I do not have the time, I will not be able to do a good job, I can not commit my time.
I also feel people should not be on a board if they can not commit their time. This is not a joke.

I have been on boards, committees etc. you name it. The one thing I will say is that it is not as big a commitment as most people think.

I did 10 years on a board at one complex, Monthly meetings lasting at most 2.5 hours where long enough to get most business taken care of. Every so often something would come up between meetings but honestly not all that often. Now this assumes you have a good management company running the property.

If your association is self managed the time requirement can go up quite drastically.

Now with that said 40K per year is my actually be relatively low depending on the complex... When I was on the board of a 156 unit Garden Style condo complex, which had considerable lawns and shubs, as well as of course plowing in the winter to be done.... The contract was split in too, so that seperate vendors could be hired for each function. Most times however the same contractor got both....

landscaping including mowing was generally 20K-25K per year (this include bark much yearly)... however didn't include re-planting dead shrubs etc. which could add sometime an extra 5K-10K per year, if major replanting was required. (normally I would say the adders where about 2.5K per year, but some years it spiked, these include not only replacing dead orimental trees, and shurbs, but major updates to the landscaping from time to time.)

Snow plowing probably averaged around 30K per year... The contract was usually for around 25K.... and then there where fees, for having to remove snow from the property etc. during bad winters, that could run an extra 10-15K per year......

So if your property is paying 40K per year, and is of any size... your getting what you pay for....

MotorHead, it seems as though you are having some misgivings about your condo complex, if you want to get into more specifics, feel free to PM me so we can be more specific.....

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

I have been offered a position, multiple times.
NO THANK YOU.

I do not have the time, I will not be able to do a good job, I can not commit my time.
I also feel people should not be on a board if they can not commit their time. This is not a joke.

Coming from someone who is a board member...

If you can't commit to the time, you can always sit in on the meetings, especially budget and ask questions.

Woodsy

[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

I have been on boards, committees etc. you name it. The one thing I will say is that it is not as big a commitment as most people think.

I did 10 years on a board at one complex, Monthly meetings lasting at most 2.5 hours where long enough to get most business taken care of. Every so often something would come up between meetings but honestly not all that often. Now this assumes you have a good management company running the property.

If your association is self managed the time requirement can go up quite drastically.

Now with that said 40K per year is my actually be relatively low depending on the complex... When I was on the board of a 156 unit Garden Style condo complex, which had considerable lawns and shubs, as well as of course plowing in the winter to be done.... The contract was split in too, so that seperate vendors could be hired for each function. Most times however the same contractor got both....

landscaping including mowing was generally 20K-25K per year (this include bark much yearly)... however didn't include re-planting dead shrubs etc. which could add sometime an extra 5K-10K per year, if major replanting was required. (normally I would say the adders where about 2.5K per year, but some years it spiked, these include not only replacing dead orimental trees, and shurbs, but major updates to the landscaping from time to time.)

Snow plowing probably averaged around 30K per year... The contract was usually for around 25K.... and then there where fees, for having to remove snow from the property etc. during bad winters, that could run an extra 10-15K per year......

So if your property is paying 40K per year, and is of any size... your getting what you pay for....

MotorHead, it seems as though you are having some misgivings about your condo complex, if you want to get into more specifics, feel free to PM me so we can be more specific.....

Thank you for your offer, I appreciate that.

I do not have an issue with the board or any of the owners.
In fact, I think my neighbors are terrific people. I like every single one of them.

I have been on a association board before, I know what it takes and how much work it is. If you want something done right or researched correctly you either must do it yourself of pay the management company extra.
I do not want to name names here.

I do however have issues with the contractors in this area.
I know they are hiring illegal aliens paying them below minimum wage.
Half cannot even speak English, so that should tell you something.
I do not have an issue with the hired help, they are trying to make a living.
I am sure they do that have health insurance or any other benefits.
I do have an issue with the big business owners.

Here is a quick calculation:
A crew of three shows up once a week for a year, that is 52 weeks.
A they work 10-hour days, 52*10*3 = 1560 hours.
Lest say they are making $ 10.00-hour (though I highly doubt that) 1560 * 10 = $15600 I will even round it up to $16000

Last checked, we were paying 42K a year for
Snow Plowing
Snow Shoveling/Blowing
Lawn Mowing

Everything else is extra.
If you want new flowers, that is extra
if you want the snow removed from the property, that is extra
If you want mulch or whatever, that is extra.

I will even up the 16 to 20k
42 – 20 = 22k Profit from one property.

If that is not price gouging, what is.

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Thank you for your offer, I appreciate that.

I do not have an issue with the board or any of the owners.
In fact, I think my neighbors are terrific people. I like every single one of them.

I have been on a association board before, I know what it takes and how much work it is. If you want something done right or researched correctly you either must do it yourself of pay the management company extra.
I do not want to name names here.

I do however have issues with the contractors in this area.
I know they are hiring illegal aliens paying them below minimum wage.
Half cannot even speak English, so that should tell you something.
I do not have an issue with the hired help, they are trying to make a living.
I am sure they do that have health insurance or any other benefits.
I do have an issue with the big business owners.

Here is a quick calculation:
A crew of three shows up once a week for a year, that is 52 weeks.
A they work 10-hour days, 52*10*3 = 1560 hours.
Lest say they are making $ 10.00-hour (though I highly doubt that) 1560 * 10 = $15600 I will even round it up to $16000

Last checked, we were paying 42K a year for
Snow Plowing
Snow Shoveling/Blowing
Lawn Mowing

Everything else is extra.
If you want new flowers, that is extra
if you want the snow removed from the property, that is extra
If you want mulch or whatever, that is extra.

I will even up the 16 to 20k
42 – 20 = 22k Profit from one property.

If that is not price gouging, what is.

Lets not forget the landscape company has to pay for liability insurance, equipment maintenance, taxes, new equipment etc etc.

Woodsy

[SAMIAM]

Regarding this comment,
"I know they are hiring illegal aliens paying them below minimum wage.
Half cannot even speak English, so that should tell you something"
I believe he is mistaken. Stephens and Miracle farms both have many Spanish speaking employees but they are American citizens from Puerto Rico and are paid a competitive wages.
Both companies donated to help families of their employees when the island was ravaged by hurricane Maria
Can't speak for everyone but having dealt with both over the years, I've found them to be very professional and responsible.

[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Regarding this comment,
"I know they are hiring illegal aliens paying them below minimum wage.
Half cannot even speak English, so that should tell you something"
I believe he is mistaken. Stephens and Miracle farms both have many Spanish speaking employees but they are American citizens from Puerto Rico and are paid a competitive wages.
Both companies donated to help families of their employees when the island was ravaged by hurricane Maria
Can't speak for everyone but having dealt with both over the years, I've found them to be very professional and responsible.

I am glad to hear there are exceptions, most landscaping contractors hire cheap labor, paying below minimum wage.
As I said, I do not want to name names.