Re-roofing For Your Entire Community Homeowners Association

How to tackle a large scale re-roofing project for your HOA with the support of an experienced property management company.

Key takeaways

  • An Association wide re-roofing project is an enormous undertaking and should be handled by experienced professionals.

  • It is a savvy business decision to contract a property management company to facilitate a large scale HOA re-roofing project so that each step is correctly executed.

  • By working with GPM, an established, experienced team of property management experts, you’ll quickly and easily complete an Association re-roofing project on time and within budget.

When the entire Association is overdue for roof replacement…

On an individual basis a homeowner communicates any roof issues to their HOA Board and property management company, who will in turn send a qualified roof repair team to assess the damages, then provide a quote. Once the repairs are complete, the roofers will invoice the Association, not the individual homeowners.

Providing and facilitating roofing services for the entire community at the same time, however, quickly becomes an arduous and complex undertaking for the HOA when it is no longer just one re-roof (which is still complicated!) but when it is time for Association wide re-roofing. Handling the complicated logistics, sourcing the right vendors who will provide fair pricing and quality, consistent work is not an easy task. Actually, it’s a demanding and time consuming process from start to finish, especially for any non-professionals, who often times, have their own responsibilities and 9 to 5 jobs to focus on.

There is no doubt, a community wide re-roofing project is an exhausting operation that requires the support of experienced experts. There are complications at every turn. Re-roofing projects call for critical decision making that could have problematic and long term repercussions if not appropriately handled. Needless to say, a large scale re-roofing project is not a good time for novice Board members to experiment or practice their property management skills. An Association wide re-roofing project is the right time for support from an expert. 

This is an excellent example of why working with Grant Property Management can greatly benefit your Association. Our experienced, professional property management team will facilitate your Association wide re-roofing project with experience and ease. We’ll help you from day one, and be there every step of the way until your entire re-roof project is completed. We’ll even be there after for walk-throughs and post-project reviews.

We know what to expect because we’ve done it before. We’ll take the lead on everything from vendors, materials, time-lines, permitting and billing.

If your entire Association is overdue for re-roofing, contact us today to see how we can help you keep a solid roof over your head!

Important considerations before undertaking a large scale HOA re-roofing project

When approaching an Association wide re-roofing project, here’s what you should consider:

Common challenges and pitfalls in re-roofing projects 

Logistics

A large scale re-roofing project for the entire Association is an immense undertaking.

Previous experience in facilitating a project like this would greatly simplify any challenges that may present themselves. This is because you’ll have insight into what problems could come up, and thus the ability to plan accordingly for, and in advance of, the issues arising.

Grant Property Management has experience in successfully quarterbacking Association wide re-roofing projects.

Construction and renovation while homeowners are living in the homes in an Association is a logistical nightmare. 

At best, ensuring that each phase of the re-roofing project is handled appropriately, using the right materials, and most importantly completed in the right order, is complicated. Then, add to this the challenge of homeowners and residents still living in their homes during these construction and renovation processes, and there could be some serious problems. Because many, if not most, homeowners will still be living in and using their homes throughout the re-roof, most (if not all!) functionality like electricity and will still need to be functional.

In the same vain, since this is not a new construction project, and the inside of the home is likely furnished, the roofing project cannot leave any gaps or allow any water to enter the inside of the homes. This means that even during the various construction phases the roof structures must remain in-tact. In order to achieve this the renovations must be scheduled in clusters, and any significant roof removal must be paired with reinstallation on the same day. This requires serious advanced planning, and inside out knowledge of re-roofing project procedures. It is very important to work with experienced vendors, and property and project managers.

Legal considerations, codes and vendor services

Our experience indicates that when selecting a vendor, especially for a large scale project, it is important to do your homework and due-diligence.

After securing experienced vendors, it’s imperative to check that they have accurate and up-to-date licenses in the state of Florida. You can check if your vendor has a current license and is legally certified to perform roofing projects through the Florida Licensing Portal here.

If you employ a vendor who is not licensed to provide services on your property your Association could face legal ramifications. In addition to potential legality issues, non-licensed vendors may provide faulty services or have a history of bad business practices, and you would not know.

Licensed vendors are the most likely to follow state coding standards and accurately procure permits. This alleviates tons of hassle from the Board.

Another aspect of legal considerations is to ensure your HOA is complying with county, city, and state code requirements throughout construction.

  • Do your project plans satisfy code conditions?
  • Have you obtained necessary permits?
  • Are you adhering to state, county, federal regulations for construction and renovation projects?

You can click this link to review the Advanced Code Requirements for Residential Construction, but coding and permitting is not an easy process, and we recommend working with a qualified and seasoned team of professionals in the industry.

This is not a simple project, and should not be treated as one.

An experienced property management company like Grant Property Management is well versed and stays up-to-date on code requirements. By working with our expert team, you’ll never have to worry if your vendors have current licensing, if the permits have been applied for, or if you are obeying code requirements because our team will take care of these matters for you. Not only do we know which things have to be done, we know how to do them. This should offer your Board peace of mind and your residents the assurance and trust they need that the job will be done right.

Vendor considerations extend beyond just obtaining a licensed roofer. Ensure that you’ve selected a competent and organized team and with skilled laborers who know what they are doing. Before they start, ask for work samples by way of photos or visit sites where they’ve previously rendered services.

Re-roofing an entire community is a momentous task, so you want to be able to make sure that they can actually complete the project as promised. Ask for some references and verify that they are a credible vendor who provides quality work. Assure that the work they promise corresponds with the finished project.

A good and experienced vendor will be able to provide:

  • accurate estimates
  • examples of completed projects
  • material suggestions
  • project speculations
  • realistic timelines

While we’re on the topic of legality, remember to ensure that your Association is insured, too! Not only will it protect your property in the event of damage, faulty work, or other problems, it’s also the law! Click here to read about Florida Statutes and requirements regarding HOA insurance.

Realistic timelines for completing re-roofing projects in an HOA

The biggest way to determine a realistic re-roofing timeframe for your Association wide re-roofing project is with advanced organization and planning. In order to establish an accurate timeline for your Association re-roofing you should consider the following questions:

  • How many homes are in the Association and/or need re-roofing?
  • How many phases or steps are involved in our re-roofing project?
  • How long will it take our vendors to realistically complete each step of the project?
  • Do our vendors have experience and will they actually be able to deliver their services as promised? (see above Vendor Services)

It’s also important to consider the Association’s vision for the project. One common concern is the uniformity of the completed project. Each home should be consistent both in quality of project and appearance. The completed re-roof must look professional and follow the Association’s previously established guidelines. From materials used to installation procedures, the Board should work with the property management company and the vendors to achieve consistency in the completed project.

The biggest hurdles and challenges of an Association wide re-roofing project- don’t go at it alone! 

There is a huge margin of error in a construction and renovation project of this caliber across an entire HOA. The chance for problems, emergencies, or other unnecessary costs to be incurred is high. The likeliness of these issues only increases when Board members or other non-experienced residents attempt to manage the re-roofing project.

We highly recommend working with experienced, professional property managers to quarterback the re-roofing project for your Association. Don’t take on this immense project without a qualified team. Grant Property management will handle your entire re-roof project from start to finish the right way. Then, your Board can stay focused on actually running your Homeowners Association.

The benefits we can provide as industry professionals assisting with your re-roofing project:

Aside from providing experienced know-how and removing the headache from your Board, Grant Property Management offers:

  1. 30 + years of industry experience
  2. A team of qualified, licensed professionals
  3. Network of talented, certified vendors
  4. Knowledge of procedure, steps, and project needs
  5. Organization and securing realistic timelines
  6. Negotiate fair pricing with vendors
  7. Project management
  8. Knowledge of common pitfalls to avoid
  9. Announcements and communication throughout the project to notify the Board and homeowners/residents of progress
  10. Timely project completion- get it done in less time, without the headache!

Step by step overview of an Association wide re-roofing project 

Curious about the actual steps involved in a substantial roofing project? Here we provide a  list in sequential order from initial planning and overview to project completion.

This is a basic roadmap and  guide to a large-scale re-roofing project so you have an idea of what to expect and don’t get lost or overwhelmed along the way. But, our team will be here to support your re-roofing project throughout the journey at each step of the way.

    1. Initial planning– during this phase, the Board (and homeowners) discuss re-roofing visions, expectations and needs. General plans and timelines are created. Budgets are estimated and allocated. RFP’s are initiated.
    2. Vendor selection– the Board and property management team will review the submitted proposals and select the vendor(s) who can best complete the project within the established budget and timeline. Vendors will be invited to share work samples, collect actual property specs and provide licenses.
    3. Project initiation– once the vendor has been approved, materials will be selected and purchased, permits will be applied for, homeowners will be advised and the property will be prepared for renovation.
    4. Re-roofing begins– when permits have been received and materials have been delivered, the vendor(s) will begin re-roofing on homes in the Association according to the established plan and timeline. This means working in phases, and clusters, and completing certain stages of the project before others. Initial payments will be rendered.
    5. Mid-project review– at this stage the Association re-roofing project will be underway and Board members, property managers, and vendors/project managers will meet to check in. They’ll do a physical walkthrough of the property, inspect the completed works, update timelines and budgets (if necessary) and give the go-ahead for the re-roofing to be completed.
    6. Re-roofing completed– by this time vendors will have completed their portion of the renovation and construction, and returned the property and homes to normal functioning conditions. Residents will submit requests for any outstanding work
    7. Permit and code confirmations– property managers will audit the project results to ensure permit and code requirements have been met, and complete remaining correspondence with state or county government agencies. When compliance paperwork is received, final payments will be rendered to vendors.
  • Project completion- Board members, property managers and vendors will perform a final walkthrough on property to note any specifics and review the completed re-roofing project. Notices of project-completion will be provided to residents. 
  • Follow-up- 90 days after project completion, property managers, vendors and the Board will meet for a follow-up review of the project. Any unresolved issues will be addressed, concerns or updates will be corrected.

Still not sure if a professional property management team will benefit your HOA re-roofing project? Review the following case studies. These describe real scenarios when our assistance was integral to the safe effective completion of the project.

Case Study Association 1

One south Florida Association of more than 200 homes was overdue for a large-scale re-roofing project. The Board thought they’d be able to handle the extensive re-roofing on their own because they’d successfully self-managed for several years. They commenced the re-roofing project without the support of experienced property managers but quite quickly ran into problems.

Because they were inexperienced they not only ordered the wrong materials, but they ordered wrong materials to excess and wound up with immense quantities of the erroneous roofing product.

As if this was not a calamity enough, they did not obtain (or even apply for) the appropriate permitting before the project started. For this reason, the State of Florida could not help with the incorrectly ordered materials, and actually served a citation to the Association for beginning construction pursuits without permits.

When the Board did eventually contact Grant Property Management, we were able to immediately offer guidance and expertise. As soon as we got up to speed on the project, we offered our services to help them complete the project the right way.

The first thing we did was apply for backdated permits. We advised the Board to pay the citation and attach copies of the submitted permit requests to prove intent to rectify the error. The county issued expedited permits and waived the applicable fines.

Next, we were able to re-order the right materials in the accurate quantities and even managed to return the over-ordered/incorrect materials for a partial refund.

The project was completed within a short time of the pre-established timeline and the Association was grateful for the support.

Case Study Association 2

This Association re-roofing project began in a rush. Because there was leaking reported by some residents, the Board opted to speed up the project by eliminating some crucial steps of the procedure. Unfortunately, one of the important steps the Association excluded was performing an adequate vendor review. Therefore, they selected an unlicensed, uninsured vendor- which turned out to be a scam business.

On the day of ‘project commencement’ the vendor showed up with a team of ‘skilled workers’ who began demolishing roofs throughout the Association. After only 1 week of demolition and providing falsified ‘proof’ of material orders, the vendors requested the first installment of payment- or half of the full project costs.

The Board paid the vendors and shortly after the payments were received, the vendors vanished. The workers no longer showed up to complete the project and left open/demolished rooves exposed to rain and other elements, worsening the existing leaks!

When the Association contacted us, they had already spent half of their budget and were not nearly half-way done with the project! We stepped in and provided immediate expertise, and experience.

We created a plan for the Association to update the re-roofing budget plan, and reallocate funds from other Association projects in order to avoid special assessment to homeowners to complete the project. We were also able to help secure an established vendor to complete the project within close proximity to their initial project completion timeframe and within the open-permit deadlines.

We also helped the Board find the fraudulent vendors and press charges to recoup the monies lost.

We were glad to see this project completed and put an end to the immense pitfalls this Association faced during their re-roofing project.

Work with an experienced property management company for your Association re-roofing project!

Although we understand many Associations would prefer to save money on property management fees and complete projects on their own, some projects are just too big and require too much attention and experience. Ultimately, the money you spend on property management services for a large-scale project like this, will actually save you money, time, and often a lot of hassle!

Completing your Association re-roofing project on time and on budget

Association wide projects are complicated and cumbersome, especially if attempted by a Board who are not property management experts. Even more challenging is a large-scale re-roofing project, because there is a lot at stake and too much room for error. How can you ensure that you’re working with a quality roofer, that the project will be completed on time, or that the estimated prices will be on par with the completed project?

Our 30+ years of property management experience have provided us with the insight and knowhow to quickly and easily complete Association wide re-roofing projects. From employing the right crew to assessing the issues, to contracting the right vendors to complete the project, we’re here to facilitate the process so you don’t have to start from square one when tasked with an enormous re-roofing endeavour.

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