Whom Needs A Condominium Reserve Study?

By Author: Jessica Smith
Total Articles: 9
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There are few things as vital to creating an ideal reserve fund than a condominium reserve study. For maintenance costs to repairs and replacements, maintaining a condo property can be expensive.

Condominium properties are built on the premise of shared amenities and common areas. While each unit is a “home”, the larger property as a whole must serve the needs of the entire community. Over time, those common areas will experience wear and tear and must be maintained and repaired. A reserve fund is used for this, but a condominium reserve study will need to be created in order to ensure adequate resources are available when needed most.

More Than Just Common Areas

Condo properties have a considerable amount of shared common areas, as well as equipment and amenities. Your condo reserve study must account for much more than just maintaining your common areas. Any condominium reserve study should include a variety of other factors, including structural elements like the roof and the property’s foundations. In addition to those areas, items such as HVAC systems, exterior lighting and even playground equipment ...
... must be examined in order to provide the most accurate picture possible in terms of maintenance, repairs and replacement costs that you’ll have to pay over the life of the property.

Customization Is Essential

One of the most important factors to consider in your condominium reserve study is whether the study is customized to your specific property. Some architectural firms use a “cookie cutter” approach here, but that is far from advisable. Every single property differs from every other – you have concerns that may or may not apply to a property down the road, much less on the other side of town or in another part of the state.

When you need a condo reserve study conducted, it’s vital that you choose an architectural firm known for taking the time to customize that study to reflect your property’s unique needs. Of course, there are also other considerations you need to make when selecting the firm you’ll work with.

Other Reporting Options

In addition to a condominium reserve study, you may find that you need a variety of other reports depending on your situation and specific needs. For instance, you might find that building repair studies are necessary down the road, or that you need bid design documents. You might also find that if new work is required on your property, you need a company that can offer construction monitoring. Additional services a reputable architectural firm can offer include transition studies, balcony repair studies, structural reviews, roof leak studies and more.

As you can see, working with a reputable architectural firm is vital for your condominium reserve study. J. Hershey Architecture can provide you with all the assistance you require, tailored to fit your specific property’s unique situation. If you’re seeking peace of mind and the accurate reporting necessary to build your capital reserve fund, this architect can help.

J.Hershey Architecture is a premier full service architectural design and consulting firm specializes in home additions and renovations. We provide high quality HOA, Capital, FHA and condominium reserve study for properties situated in Libertyville and throughout the Illinois.