As it appeared in the March/April issue of Orange County CAI’s OC View  magazine (Pgs. 24 & 26)

http://www.mlppubsonline.com/publication/?i=105624

There was an article in the O.C. View that was a compilation of suggestions offered to business partners from some seasoned community managers.  The article was most helpful and in fact, I made it part of our company’s training manual for new sales consultants.  In the spirit of that communication, the following is a smattering of suggestions offered by some of the notable business partners in Orange County CAI that makes them eager to jump through hoops for you, the community managers.

Since the proliferation of smart phones and email, I really appreciate it when a manager’s email has their phone number in their signature below the body of the email.  This is helpful not only when I am in the field and replying to an email but also when I am following up with email at my desk and need to call!

I really appreciate getting an opportunity to bid on a new project, even with short notice.  It is extremely helpful to get very detailed information about the community and the scope of work.  If the information is lacking or late in arriving, so is the resulting report.

In my line of work, I offer different service options, depending on the scope of work, and it is helpful to know which level you and/or the board want.  If there is any doubt, I am happy to explain the differences.

Mike Graves, SCT Reserves

We appreciate the opportunity to submit bids for projects in the communities you manage. We also understand how many phone calls and emails you receive in a day from vendors, homeowners and board members.  After we bid a project and follow up on the status, it would really help us to know the outcome of the bid process.  If we know that the job was postponed, rebidding or awarded to another vendor it frees up our resources to serve you on other projects.  Some community managers send individual letters and that is really great, but even a quick email would be sufficient.

April Pigott, AV Builder

With the majority of information being sent electronically by photo and video, it seems that property walks are becoming obsolete. Property walks are very beneficial for the vendor and manager to be “on the same page”. I also know that in my experience as a property manager, it is much easier to understand exactly what is happening at a property and communicate more knowledgeably and accurately to the Board of Directors.

Mike Perlof, New Way Landscape

Here are some things a community manager can do to make us jump through any hoop of any size at any time:

Most reputable business partners strive to earn your trust.  It fosters a strong sense of loyalty when we are treated with integrity and respect.

Communication is extremely valuable, particularly when it relates to proposals.  We always appreciate it when a manager calls to question a proposal that seems out of line for some reason; either too high or too low.  Mistakes happen and it is always nice to be able to correct an error and not just have our bid tossed.

For many smaller companies, word-of-mouth is the only effective advertising that they can afford.  We know that the management community is a tight-knit group so if we do a good job for you, please let your peers and boards know.  If we don’t, please let us know.

We encourage community managers to invite us to board meetings when large or complex projects are being considered.  Our background and experience will help board members to better understand the project and the different options available to them.  We love it when community managers call upon us to help educate their boards.

Kimberly Weiss, Three Phase Electric

Many community managers have a stable of valued business partners in each trade and we work diligently to be included in that group.  One mistake that some managers make is to invite too many contractors to bid on a project.  If we arrive at a job walk and see anywhere from 6 to 12 other contractors there, it is dispiriting and it discourages contractors from spending too much time on putting a quality bid together.

It is very helpful to know when the board may be making a decision on proposals.  It enables us to follow up with the community manager and get jobs out of our files that were not awarded to us.

I am always impressed when I receive a “thank you” note from a manager who won a prize in the drawing at industry events.  Most business partners spend thousands of dollars supporting these types of events each year and this little courtesy means a lot.

Jack Rush, O’Connel Landscape

Remembering to include gate codes with your bid requests is very valuable; as is spelling out the street names and including any prefixes, such as Camino or Caminito.  In trying to be thorough, managers may send a map but the map only includes cross streets and no street address or city. This makes finding the community a bit challenging and costs managers time when contractors have to call for directions or additional information.

Providing a comprehensive scope of work and/or specifications makes it possible for contractors to present bids that are truly “apples to apples”.  When there is a clear set of bidding documents, it reduces the possibility of a bunch of unanticipated and expensive change orders during the work.

Confirming the license and insurance information of potential contractors before starting the bid process will save community managers time.  We have been in situations where the manager and the board went through the whole process only to find out that the contractor chosen did not have the proper license to perform the work.

Julie Villelli, ProTec Building Services

A couple of things that always endear me to community managers is their attention to the payment schedules and their support when things go not quite as expected.

Those managers who truly understand the challenges facing small businesses realize that cash flow is hugely important.  In many instances, the contractors have had to pay their labor and material costs long before an invoice is even sent to the manager.  If the payment terms are net 15 or 30 days but it takes 60 to 90 days to actually deliver a check, this puts the business partner at a severe hardship.  Having funds readily available and board members willing to sign checks promptly really helps!

Everybody knows that “stuff” happens.  When it does, it is great when a community manager stays calm and works with the business partner to come to a quick, fair and amicable solution.  After all, were all in the same business….serving our clients!

Bill Butler, PrimeCo Painting and Construction

From my perspective the main ingredient here is communication.  If I feel that the manager does not have time for me or that I am just another vendor then things start to change from my end and I tend to slow the process down until we start to communicate.  In addition, it is difficult to do my job correctly when there are several sources trying to discuss an issue with me and this invariably slows the process down and in some cases causes the process to stop completely. More times than I care to count I am contacted by board members, managers, attorneys, and even residents concerning a banking issue and things get messy in a hurry.  If we can establish a reasonable set of communication guidelines i.e. who should I speak with, when, where etc then the process is much smoother and the bank’s comfort level is improved.

Larry Hooper, Association Banking

One thing that would lessen the workload on community managers and board members is to limit the number of candidates for a particular job.  If you invite eight or nine potential contractors or consultants to participate in a bid, it automatically increases the manager’s workload by about 300%, assuming that you normally invite only three.  My experience has been that when you invite too many contractors to interviews with board members, the board members quickly become overwhelmed by all of the information and it frequently leads to analysis paralysis.  I understand community managers trying to share the wealth (opportunities) but the entire process is much more manageable when the community manager does some initial screening and invites three to four final candidates to participate and to meet with the board of directors.  I’m confident that most contractors would agree with this time-saving suggestion.

Mike Kiss, Summit Consulting and Architecture

Come on Baby, Light My Fire….or so sang The Doors.  The door below should be set on fire!

We frequently see improper doors used on the exteriors of buildings and doors that suffer a premature fate, due to the environment that they are in.  In the case of the doors shown above, they are made of a composite particle board and are really intended for use as interior closet doors.  As you can see, they are not faring well.

The metal door shown above is a casualty of the irrigation system.  While not visible in the photo, there was a sprinkler just behind the bush and door.  Even though it might have been properly directed, wind can cause the water to blow back on the door, into the vents, causing it to soak the wood piece in the bottom of the door.  Bubblers, in lieu of a spray head, could have averted this.  If there is no keeping moisture from the doors, a fiberglass door would be a better option when the door is replaced.  We frequently recommend fiberglass doors instead of metal-clad ones to eliminate the possibility of rusting.

And lastly, keep your doors protected with a good coat of paint.  The doors shown above would cost close to $2-$3,000 to replace and a fraction of that to paint.  They are getting so badly damaged that before long, the latter option will not be a viable one.  Please contact PrimeCo Painting and Construction for assistance and pricing with your wood replacement and painting projects.

When E.F. Hutton speaks, nobody listens…….because they’re out of business!  Maybe they should have listened to someone else!  When your buildings talk to you, you should listen.  Long before there is extensive damage to buildings, there are usually telltale signs of impending concerns.  If you look at the photo below, you can see rust stains creeping down the wood.  From the ground, the wood looks fine and you have to wonder where is the rust coming from?  We all know that wood doesn’t rust!  If you look at the same piece of wood from above, you can see that the there was a hole drilled to counter-sink the bolt but the caulking around the plug leaked, allowing water to get to the bolt.  It not only caused the bolt to rust but the moisture sitting in the hole provided a great medium for dry rot.

When you see blistering on wood, it is almost always an indication of dry rot (left photo).

A small hole in wood can be just a small hole or it can be the front door to the den shown to the right. 

Most of you know to look for termite droppings below holes in wood to confirm your suspicions.

There are some things about your buildings and their need for attention that just scream out to you.  I don’t think the photo below requires an explanation.

Suffice it to say that maintenance is a critical factor in preserving the aesthetics and property values of your buildings.  Watch for things that might be caught early and avoid greater costs down the road.

Thanks to our Construction Manager, Jason Pearson, for his assistance with this Tip!

http://www.hoalawblog.com/2012/03/deferred_maintenance_another_c_1.html#more

March 5, 2012, Oceanside, CA —Bill Butler, director of business development for PrimeCo Painting & Construction, recently earned the CAI Educated Business Partner distinction from Community Associations Institute (CAI).

CAI members earn the distinction by taking a two-part course, Business Partner Essentials, and passing a subsequent exam.  The online course was developed by CAI, a 31,000-member association dedicated to building better communities.

Created by industry leaders, the course introduces critical aspects of working with community associations and important elements of being a successful CAI Business Partner.

“We are committed to providing the best possible service to our community association clients,” says PrimeCo President, Brett Musgrove. “Education is a big part of that commitment.  Our key employees need to understand not only our business, but also the nature of the community association business, and this CAI course is part of that training.”

Butler is the first PrimeCo employee to earn the Educated Business Partner distinction and one of the first in California.

Headquartered in Oceanside, PrimeCo serves large condominium complexes throughout Southern California by offering wood replacement, siding replacement and painting of exterior surfaces. Learn more at www.primecopainting.com.

Visit www.caionline.org/bpcourse to learn more about Business Partner Essentials.

Working in partnership with 59 domestic chapters, one international chapter and housing leaders in other nations, CAI provides information, education and resources to associations and the professionals who support them. Visit www.caionline.org or call (888) 224-4321.

http://cai.caionline.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=EducatedBP

I just can’t take the pressure!….but wood can.  Many folks have heard about pressure-treated lumber and perhaps even seen some wood components that have the tell-tale dimples on them that indicate the wood has been chemically treated.  The purpose of treating wood is to thwart termites and dry rot.

Most commonly, wood for exterior use is treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ).  The key components are copper, which acts as a fungicide and a quaternary ammonium compound, which acts as an insecticide.  The wood is immersed in the liquid and then placed in a pressure chamber where the applied pressures forces the chemical into the wood.  The pressure assures that the chemical makes it to the core of each piece of wood.  The dimples that is often seen on pressure-treated lumber (left photo) are to open the wood’s surface, making it easier for the chemical to penetrate the wood.  It is possible to have some types of wood pressure treated, without having the dimples (right photo) but it is much more expensive.  It is important to use galvanized fasteners (brackets, nails or screws) when installing pressure treated lumber because the high copper level in the wood will adversely affect metals without the zinc coating.

As a rule, pressure treated wood is used where lumber will routinely come in contact with soil or moisture.  It is great for fence posts and other fence members.  It has sometimes been used as the horizontal cap rail on balcony railings or other horizontal surfaces that typically have moisture sitting on them.  In this case, you have to weigh the functional benefit versus the appearance of the wood.

For those of you who enjoy a good campfire or evening in front of your fireplace, you should not burn pressure-treated lumber.  It will give off chemicals in the smoke that could prove hazardous to people who breathe the smoke.  If  you have any doubt, don’t burn wood that has the dimples or a green tint to it.

Thanks to Raymond Torres of Ganahl Lumber Company for his assistance with this Tip!

PrimeCo Painting and Construction, has been awarded the contract to paint various components of the exteriors of Renaissance Capri, a 188-unit condominium community in La Jolla.

The current project is part of a three-phase renovation plan that will result in the entire community being repainted and having damaged wood replaced.

The condominium community is near the University Town Center and is professionally managed by Courtney Parvis, of The Prescott Companies in Carlsbad.

Board President Rob Campbell was assisted by board members Bill Boric, Janis Dean and Judy Thickston during the contract negotiations and contractor selection process.

Saber Guennoun, of Dunn-Edwards Paint, assisted the community with paint specifications and color selection.

PrimeCo’s Octavio Partida will serve as the project manager for the community, assisted by on-site foreman Erasmo Garcia.

This phase of the renovation plan is expected to take about a month, according to Bill Butler, director of business development for PrimeCo.

http://www.sddt.com/construction/notebook.cfm?PublicationDate=2012-02-10

Fifty bucks for a Rolex!…..I’ll take two!  Tourists along the streets of New York frequently encounter vendors who offer seemingly great prices on products that appear to be something that they are not.  Ok, let’s not pick on New York, the same thing happens all over the county, including here in Southern California.  Communities are often offered great prices on what seems like a valuable service, only to be burned.  Below are some examples of a paint job that went for far below the prices offered by other competing bidders:

Water has been added to the paint, causing a separation of the resins and tint.  This is evidenced by the white drips and run-off.  In my    experience, this is the most common fear expressed by board members and clients.

The old paint that is visible through the new paint and the lack of filling any of the cracks is further evidence of insufficient  paint.  While paint won’t fill all cracks, it would certainly have filled some of these smaller cracks if the proper consistency/quantity of paint had been applies.   Paint that is applied too thinly will not provide the protection of the substrate that is intended.  It also means that the life of the paint job itself will be substantially decreased.

The edge of the garage door jamb was not cut in to the weather stripping on the garage door.

We’ve all heard the old adage “If it is too good to be true, it probably is”.  People who make decisions on price alone are legal prey of contractors who are willing to cut corners to foist sub-standard work off on unsuspecting clients.  A word to the wise, question proposals that are priced significantly lower than other bids.  If good specifications were provided for the work, most reputable contractors will be within 5-10% of one another.  Everyone understands the current economic situation and is being more prudent with their money but taking an unreasonably low bid may not be the best answer.  That low bid may end up costing you more in the long run.

Bill Butler, Director of Business Development, is pleased to announce that his firm, PrimeCo Painting and Construction, has been awarded the contract to paint exterior surfaces of Alhambra Regency, a 60-unit, mixed use community located along Main Street, in Alhambra. 

The painting is part of a renovation project being done by general contractor, AV Builders of San Diego, according to CEO Tony Madureira.  Robert Canup, also of AV Builders, is serving as their jobsite superintendent.  The construction management on the project is being performed by John Van Blerck and Robert Detro of JVB Construction Management, located in Poway.

Larry Ratliff, manufacturer’s representative for BASF, was responsible for the development of paint specifications to meet some unique requirements of the building’s exterior components, including waterproofing of the masonry surfaces. 

PrimeCo’s project manager, Rigo Tovilla, Jr., is responsible for overseeing their work and is being assisted by on-site foreman Edgar Lorenzo.

PrimeCo Painting has been providing services to condominium communities, apartment owners and commercial building owners in Southern California for over 18 years.  Located inOceanside, the firm can be reached at (800) 881-8067 or by email at bill@primecopainting.

http://www.sddt.com/construction/notebook.cfm?PublicationDate=2012-01-06

Chris Erickson, sales consultant for PrimeCo Painting and Construction, with offices in Oceanside and Costa Mesa, is pleased to announce that his firm has been awarded the contract to provide wood replacement services for Pointe Surfside, a 102-unit condominium complex located in Huntington Beach, CA .  The HOA community is under professional management by Jan Standish of Golden West Property Management, located in Cypress, California.

The community is undergoing replacement of major wood components as a part of an enhancement project.  Architect, William McCulloch, has been retained by the homeowners association to oversee the wood replacement project as the construction manager.  Rudy Rodriguez of Garden Grove provided the community with structural engineering and consultation.  Board president, Janet Cabourne was assisted by board members Michael Carralero, Mary Whaley, Patricia Enna and Gus Zakka in the vendor selection and contract negotiations.  The anticipated cost of the project is roughly $160,000 and is expected to take approximately two months to complete.

Octavio Partida, PrimeCo’s project manager, advises that the wood replacement will be done under the supervision of lead carpenter, Abe Salah.  Edwin Scott of Frazee Paint assisted the community and PrimeCo with paint product selection.

PrimeCo Painting has been providing services to condominium communities, apartment owners and commercial building owners in Southern California for over 18 years.  Located inOceanside, the firm can be reached at (800) 881-8067 or by email at bill@primecopainting.

http://www.sddt.com/construction/notebook.cfm?PublicationDate=2012-01-13