How to Choose the Right Condominium Maintenance Company

TAMPA, Fla. - Nov. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- A condominium building is a great place to live, and affords its residents with a variety of neighbors, amenities and services – but above all, the convenience of property management.  When something happens to your building or property, where can help be found?  Most property owners may simply ask friends and acquaintances for referrals, check the yellow pages or wait for the next sales call.

When it comes time to maintain the property of a condominium building, it may be helpful to know what to look for and what to ask when interviewing potential contractors. Good homework cannot be substituted and finding the right contractor is key to making sure the job gets done well!  In Florida, property managers are licensed, and that should be the first step in selecting a new condominium maintenance company.

1 – VERIFY LICENSE

In the great State of Florida, many condominium managers and contractors are licensed with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).  Licensed contractors must provide you with their license number on the estimate paperwork and any other marketing information.  In Florida, if you are hiring an organization, ensure that the key owners are accredited LCAM – Licensed Community Association Managers – as issued by the State of Florida.

2 – VERIFY INFORMATION

It’s a sad industry fact, but true, many contractors out there who will work for a fraction of the cost, are willing to put your building and tenant’s safety at risk.  Make sure that the contractor’s information supplied is real – the website is real, the phone numbers work, their Tax ID# is real and that their business address is correct.  You may be surprised at how many contractors are willing to fake this information.

3 – GET PROOF OF INSURANCE

All commercial insurance carriers can provide their insureds with a custom insurance certificate with the client’s information listed for the jobsite.   Not all contractors are required to have commercial insurance, but why risk it if there is a possibility of something (or somebody) getting hurt?  Make sure the certificate limits are enough to cover the unforeseen (including property replacement due to a fire or medical bills) and call the insurance company to verify coverage.  Ensure the dates on the coverage include the time period of the work being performed.  Any insured contractor is with the extra cost!

4 – ESTIMATE IN WRITING

Make sure you get your contractors estimate or RFQ for your condominium maintenance in writing, with all the details spelled out, including who is responsible for which portions of repair, a schedule of repairs, and the approval process for unforeseen repairs.  Make sure the estimate or RFQ includes how many people will be working on your property, their employment status (contractor or employee) and how often they will be on the property.

5 – ASK FOR REFERRALS

Any good condominium maintenance company will be ready and willing to give you references from clients who are happy with their work!  As for two or three, in addition, check with other reference organizations – like the BBB and Angie’s List to make sure there are not negative references hanging out there.

If you follow all these steps, you should be able to establish credibility with your new condominium maintenance company.  However, if you experience any problems with your new contractor, it is up to you to report the contractor to the appropriate agency.

If you live in the great state of Florida, and are considering a new management company, we hope you consider us – Condominium Management Associates.  We specialize in both condominium management, maintenance, HOA management and commercial property HOA management.

For more info, visit us at http://www.condominiumassociates.com