How Often Should a Strata Building Be Inspected For Maintenance?

How Often Should a Strata Building Be Inspected For Maintenance?

When it comes to maintaining a strata building, one of the biggest mistakes is waiting until the paint is peeling everywhere, wood is exposed, and visible deterioration has already taken hold.

Painting isn't just about keeping a building looking fresh. A properly maintained coating system helps protect the substrates underneath from the elements. Once coatings begin to fail and exposed wood or other substrates are left vulnerable, the scope of work can quickly become much more than simply repainting.

That's why regular assessment and proactive painting maintenance matter.

For strata properties throughout Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, White Rock, Langley, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, and surrounding communities understanding when your building needs maintenance can help prevent a repaint from becoming a much larger restoration project.

Don't Wait Until the Paint Is Peeling

A common approach to building maintenance is to wait until the paint is visibly failing before considering a repaint.

At that point, you may be seeing:

• Extensive peeling or flaking paint
• Exposed wood
• Wood rot or deterioration
• Failing sealants
• Cracking or failing coatings
• Bare or exposed substrates
• Increased preparation and repair requirements

When a building reaches this stage, the project may require significantly more preparation and substrate repairs before painting can even begin.

Instead of simply repainting, you're now dealing with repairing and restoring areas that have been left unprotected.

Paint Maintenance Should Be Proactive

Regularly maintaining a building's exterior coatings can help keep protective layers in place before significant deterioration occurs.

The goal isn't necessarily to paint on an arbitrary schedule. Every building is different.

The right timing depends on factors such as:

• Age and condition of the existing coatings
• Type of substrates
• Previous painting and maintenance
• Exposure to rain, moisture and UV
• Building location and environmental conditions
• Quality of previous preparation and application
• Areas of recurring coating failure

A proactive assessment can help determine where your building currently stands and what maintenance may be required in the coming years.

Think About It as Protecting the Substrate

The paint isn't just there for appearance.

The coating system is part of the building's protection. When coatings deteriorate, the substrates underneath can become increasingly exposed to moisture, weather and other environmental conditions.

For example, a small area of coating failure may initially appear to be a cosmetic issue. If left unaddressed, however, it can contribute to deterioration of the substrate underneath.

The earlier these areas are identified, the more opportunity there is to plan the appropriate maintenance.

That's Why We Implemented the IPASS

At Inspec Consulting, we saw the need for a proactive way for strata councils and building owners to understand the condition of their paintable and coated substrates before the building reaches the point where paint is peeling everywhere and wood is exposed or rotting.

That's why we implemented the IPASS — Inspec Paint Assessment Support Service.

An IPASS provides a detailed assessment of the current condition of the paintable and coated substrates throughout a property.

Our MPI-certified Coating Specialist assesses areas including:

• Wood
• Metal
• Doors and frames
• Concrete and cement block
• Sealants

The assessment is documented in a detailed report with relevant photographs, recommended actions and suggested timelines.

The goal is to help strata councils and building owners understand:

What condition is our building in today?

What needs attention?

What can be planned for later?

What should we budget for?

How can we maintain the building before deterioration becomes extensive?

Plan the Repaint Before You Need a Restoration

A proactive approach gives a strata more time to plan.

Instead of waiting until significant coating failure and substrate deterioration dictate the timeline, an assessment can help identify when a building is approaching the point where maintenance should be considered.

This gives strata councils and property managers time to:

Assess → Plan → Budget → Specify → Tender → Paint → Maintain

Rather than:

Wait → Fail → Repair → Scramble → Spend

The Bottom Line

A building doesn't need to look completely worn out before it needs attention.

Regular painting and proactive maintenance can help protect the substrates underneath and reduce the likelihood of allowing minor coating failures to progress into larger repair requirements.

The goal isn't to paint simply because a certain number of years have passed. The goal is to understand the condition of your building and maintain it before visible deterioration becomes extensive.

That's exactly why we created the IPASS to give strata councils and building owners a clear picture of their property's condition so they can plan maintenance before they're faced with widespread peeling paint, exposed substrates and wood deterioration.

Is Your Building Approaching Its Next Repaint?

Whether you're preparing for a future strata budget meeting, considering your next exterior painting project, or simply want to understand the current condition of your building, an IPASS assessment from Inspec Consulting can help you plan ahead.

Inspec Consulting serves commercial and stratified residential properties throughout Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, the Tri-Cities and surrounding Lower Mainland communities.

Don't wait until the paint is peeling everywhere. Know your building's condition and plan ahead.