As many communities are scouring their budgets to
cut costs, the roofs are where many are missing a great opportunity for substantial
savings. Because the appearance of
the roofs has such an impact on property values, many communities in Florida
require that homeowners / residents keep their roofs clean – just like they
require that the lawns are mowed, bushes are trimmed, and driveways are kept
clean. The more proactive and comprehensively managed communities coordinate the
roof cleaning for the benefit of the community – making it more convenient for
the homeowners, maintaining a consistent look throughout the community,
minimizing disruption, and saving money
at the same time. This is where
communities in Central Florida and on the Treasure Coast can learn a lot from
their counterparts in Southeast and Southwest Florida.
It makes sense to most
people that coordinated maintenance will save time and money and when you're
dealing with an HOA community, the savings can be substantial. It's not unusual
for communities to save tens of thousands of dollars by making relatively
simple changes in their approach to property maintenance. If a community of 300
homes can save each resident $100 through coordinated maintenance, this will
translate into a $30,000 savings for that community. In an industry where there
is almost constant pressure to keep HOA dues low and avoid increases to every
extent possible, this is substantial.
So why are some Central Florida and Treasure Coast
communities not yet taking advantage of the opportunity to save so much money? It usually boils down to momentum. If the
management of the community does not already involve keeping the roofs clean,
some board members & property managers are reluctant to take on the added
responsibility simply because it’s not convenient. But sometimes it’s a
perception that getting involved with this will be arduous or open the
community up to liability. This is not true about keeping the roofs clean any more
than it’s true about painting, pressure cleaning, or landscaping. If management and the board vet their
contractors properly, the process is relatively smooth and does not increase
the exposure of the community – a fact
proven out in South Florida over the last couple of decades.
Communities throughout
Southeast Florida have been saving tens of thousands of dollars for decades by
managing the roof cleaning process. Southwest Florida has caught on to this
trend in the last 5-6 years. Now it’s time for Central Florida and the Treasure
Coast to catch up.
So if you’re looking for ways to save money, look
up. With the right approach, coordinating the
roof cleaning in your community will enhance the community’s image, preserve
and protect property values, and it will save the community money at the same
time.
Learn More:
- Roof-A-Cide Information for Board Members and Community Managers
- Stop by & See Us at The Show in Orlando on Sept. 26
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