You’ve made it through the disheartening news that your building has damage. Visual and invasive inspections revealed water intrusion and damage that needs to be remediated, and now you need to come up with a plan to fix it.
Congratulations, you’ve made it to step 3* in the building remediation process: design! In many ways, this is the FUN stage in your building’s journey. You’ve made it through the bad news (that your building has damage) and now you get to choose a beautiful new façade for your home while making the necessary repairs.
*Note: If you haven’t been through visual invasive inspections yet, go back to step one in our 5 Steps to Building Repairs.
Browse Pinterest and Google Images for your dream look of what you want your building to look like. Find photos you love of communities that have been updated to look modern and new.
Next, make a list: What do you like about them? Wood accents, red doors, Hardie siding, modern windows and railings… What would your buildings look like if they had panel siding rather than vinyl? What style of trim, doors, and railings do you like? Does your community need a fresh paint job?
Paint: If you decide your community only needs a fresh coat of paint, you can do this yourself! As long as you’re not painting over damage, new paint can do wonders for your street appeal.
Repairs: Minor siding changes and repairs can be done without a specialist. Example - If you have an accent wall with vinyl siding and you want to update it to wood look, you should be able to call a contractor to make that update as long as there’s no hidden damage.
Railing Updates: Many railing manufacturers have a licensed engineer on staff, so you could pick the railings you like, get a permit for the update with the help of their engineer, and have a contractor install them.
When it’s a big project: Small projects with only a few moving parts are easy. If you have some construction experience, spare time, and a good contractor they will usually work out. However, big projects take a lot of dedicated time and experience to manage and implement, so an experienced project manager is not only necessary, but welcomed. Professional consultants and project managers also have insurance to cover your project risks.
When safety is at risk: Anything that has to do with life-safety should be overseen by a licensed professional. Examples include but are not limited to: railings, handrails, door egress, fire-rated assemblies, structure.
Permitting: Most multifamily repairs need permits, which will always require a licensed professional’s stamp (architect or engineer). Beware: Some contractors will say you don’t need a permit—get a second opinion or contact your local building department.
Choosing Materials: A designer will advise you on the best materials to use based on cost, appearance, location, climate, performance characteristics, warranty, and dissimilar material interfaces like roof to wall, deck to wall, and other transitions.
Don’t listen to salespeople... For example, metal roofs look great and last forever but they’re also expensive, loud, and not always practical in snowy climates. Gutters, snow, and metal roofs don’t play nice, so you’ll get dripped on every time you walk into your home. These are things your metal roof salesperson may not tell you.
Personality: You’ll spend a lot of time with this person discussing options, choosing your favorite designs and colors—make sure you like them as a person!
Listening Skills: The last thing you want is to explain what you like to your design team and be completely ignored. Your designer should listen to your tastes for your building’s appearance and budget, not just choose what they prefer.
Knowledge Base: You need a designer who has a vast knowledge of materials and building codes.
Value: Do you need a 50-year high-end product, or something else “gold plated”? Or do you want your designer to find you cost-effective yet tasteful options?