This document discusses preventative maintenance and curb appeal at cooperative housing properties. It defines curb appeal and different types of curb appeal depending on the time of day or week. Preventative maintenance is described as proactively addressing predictable maintenance needs to prevent major issues and save money. Signage, landscaping, buildings, and staff appearance are identified as important aspects of curb appeal. The document provides many photos examples of good and bad curb appeal. It encourages developing short and long term goals to continuously improve properties. Resident involvement and regular inspections are recommended to maintain high standards of preventative maintenance and curb appeal.

1. Preventative Maintenance
and
Curb Appeal
“Taking A Fresh Look at Your
Cooperative”
Presented by:
Vannessa Davis Ware
and
Roger Hall

3. What is Curb Appeal?
• PLEASE GIVE US YOUR IDEAS!
• Is your perspective the same
as management?

4. There are three types of Curb Appeal
• Daytime – Monday thru Friday During
Business Hours
• Night - Monday thru Friday After-hours
• Weekend – Saturdays and Sundays

5. Daytime Curb Appeal
• Usually quiet during
the business day
• Trash and debris
should be picked up
at all times

6. Night Curb Appeal
• Most residents are
home
• Children at play in
the evening

7. Night Curb Appeal
• All lighting should be
burning
• Entry sign should be
well lit if possible
• Clubhouse should be
well lit

8. Weekend Curb Appeal
• Property is usually
quite active
• Prospective new
members are
visiting the
cooperative

9. Weekend Curb Appeal
• Children busy at play areas
• Trash should be picked up
late in the day on Friday for
weekend traffic
• ** Most important time for
the property to look its best

10. What is Preventative
Maintenance?
• PLEASE GIVE US YOUR IDEAS!
Is your perspective the same as
management?

11. Preventative Maintenance is…
• Taking care of predictable • Examples are:
maintenance needs. – Lawn Mowing
• We know that certain – Furnace Filter Changes
problems will occur, and – Exterminating
often we have a good idea – Gutter Cleaning
when they will occur. – Caulking
– Elevator Service
– Tuck Pointing
– Painting Hall and Buildings

12. No matter what size or style of cooperative you are, a good
preventative maintenance
plan will help keep all systems going!
• It will prevent major
maintenance problems
• It will help to keep wear
and tear and
breakdowns to a
minimum
• It will save you time and
money
• It will increases
member satisfaction

13. When do you start a
preventative maintenance
plan?
Ideally in the beginning when
the buildings are turned over
for occupancy. Your
maintenance staff must have
extensive knowledge of all
functional systems.
Discipline is needed to
maintain the routine of a PM
Plan. It the PM Plan is not
followed and accomplished
on a yearly bases the long
range impact on the
maintenance budget will be
significant.

14. Signage
• Signage is one of the tools each property has
to identify its self and attract a prospect to
your office.
• All signage, to be effective must always be
professionally done.

15. • The entry sign must be easy to see and read
from a distance. Many people are passing
your property in a vehicle that may like your
curb appearance and will need to be able to
read your property name.
• The entry sign must be well maintained. No
peeling paint, pieces missing, letters missing
and grounds around the sign well groomed.

16. Entry Signs
Nottingham Village New hours, over laid

17. Entry Signs

18. Banners
Banners are temporary. They are attention getting!

19. Yard Signs
Watch placement of added Too much fringe, Can you read
signs! the phone number?

20. Boot Leg Signs
No leaning signs Must be able to read

21. All signage is
important. Make
sure all stop
signs, street
signs, information
signs, parking
signs, etc. are in
good readable
condition.
Paint posts if
needed.

22. Flags draw attention No leaning signs

23. Corporate Branding

25. Flowers
• Flowers always add a sparkle to your curb
appeal.
• They should be planted in late spring or as soon
as weather in your area permits. If your budget
does not allow you to plant in several areas on
your property; pick a key focal point to make a
great impression.
• This may be in front of your office or around the
entry signs. Keep your flower beds weed free
and don’t forget to water them.

26. • Mulch adds a nice touch and also helps hold
moisture in the ground.
• In the fall of the year remove dead flowers
and trim back perennials. Re-mulch if needed.
• If fall planting is done when winter arrives
also pull dead fall plantings.

27. Beautiful! A member’s touch!

28. Landscaping
• Shows prospective members that we go the extra
step to keep the cooperative looking sharp.
• Colorful flowers
• Fresh mulch
• Edged beds and sidewalks
• Trim bushes regularly
• Keep trees trimmed , for people
and mowers walking under them
• Dead flowers or bushes are worse than none at all
• No weeds in bushes

29. • Long grass or weedy grass
does not look good and will
contribute to an overall
negative impression.
• In the fall do not forget leaf
removal!

30. A well groomed lawn

32. Do you have a “Golden Pathway to
the Office?
Neat and Clean? Landscape well Groomed?

33. A “Golden Pathway” to the office!

34. High Rise Buildings
Maintenance entry should look
Give attention to high rise entry. neat too!

35. High Rise Buildings
The Golden Pathway Front Lobby Looks Welcoming

36. The Golden Pathway
Not Much Land? Use Planters!

37. Lobbies

38. Lobbies

39. Lobbies
Your lobby area does
not have to be very
large, to be attractive.
• Add wall decorations or
pictures to give needed
spice.

40. Lobbies
Small area, but very nice. Mail area must be neat too!

41. Elevators, keep them clean and
polished.
Carpeted Floor Tile Floor

42. Low rise building entry

43. Streets and Parking Lots
• Streets and parking lots are important too.
• Patch pot holes.
• Keep parking lots and curbs free of litter, gravel
and leaves. Re-stripe parking lots as needed.
• Paint fire hydrants (according to city codes &
colors) when paint fades or starts to peel.

44. Patch pot holes Nice and clean

45. Keep Parking Garages Maintained

46. Buildings
• Keep roofs and gutters cleaned of
debris, especially in heavily wooded areas
• Where possible remove window A/C units when
not being used.
• Keep patio areas clean and tidy.
• No stickers on entry doors or windows.
• Window coverings
• Shutters & Mailboxes
• Front Doors

47. Buildings
Are window coverings Do you have patios
needed? like this?

48. • Patio inspections every six months will help
avoid cluttered patios.
• Window and door inspections every six
months also aid in keeping your cooperative
looking good!
• Graffiti should be removed from any surface
on property immediately. This includes
buildings, hallways, playground equipment
and sidewalks.

49. No Graffiti is Good

50. Well Maintained Buildings

51. What do you look for on unit
inspections?
Did you Change the filter? Are your water heaters working?

52. Fences
• Keep perimeter fencing and patio fences
in good repair.
• Replace missing boards and no peeling
paint.

53. Poor Fencing
Peeling paint Needs repair

54. Beautiful Patio Fence

55. The Dumpster Area
• The dumpster area should never be ignored.
Clean these areas daily.
• Do not let large discarded items pill up in this
area. Shopping carts should be returned to
the business they came from.

57. Keep dumpster areas clean at all
times
Does large trash accumulate ?
• If your trash containers do
not accommodate your
property’s needs, talk with
your regional property
manager.
• Review the size of your
containers and the
frequency of their
dumping.

58. • A bi-annual heavy
trash pick up
week, where large roll
off dumpsters can be
on property for a short
period on time helps
with large items.
• This is also a good time
to clean out
maintenance shops and
garages.

59. Vehicles Owned by Cooperative
Keep Clean Keep Neat

60. Staff Appearance
• The most visible people on your property is
the maintenance department.
• Maintenance Staff must be in clean uniforms
or site shirts everyday.
• The office staff must also look professional.
• Business casual attire is fine, but no jeans.
• If your cooperative allows “dress down"
Fridays, jeans must be neat and clean.

61. Never, no under shirts!

62. Maintenance Uniforms

63. Uniform Shirt Uniform, Maybe…Maybe Not!

64. Office Attire

65. The Sales Office

66. The Sales Office
• The office should be clutter free and inviting.
• Make sure that the office and any public area
that may be viewed by a prospect is clean
and odor free.
• The office should be smoke free.
• No cooking in the office.
• Your information table should neat and only
have up to date information on it. Do not
over load your display/information table.

67. Manager’ Office
Does your manager’s desk look This manager is busy, but
like this? neater.

68. Neat Message Board Cluttered Message Board

69. The Clubhouse

70. Clubhouse

71. Clubhouse

72. The Model
• The model should be opened and closed each
day.
• Like the office it should be odor free and
inviting.
• The model gives the opportunity to showcase
your product.

74. Mini Models

75. Playgrounds
• Playground equipment must be in good
condition.
• Repair or replace broken items.
• Seating areas are good to add for parents to
sit and watch children at play.
• Add playground mulch when needed.
• Check edging and replace as needed.

76. Playgrounds
• Playground equipment must be in good
condition.
• Repair or replace broken items.
• Seating areas are good to add for parents to
sit and watch children at play.
• Add playground mulch when needed.
• Check edging and replace as needed.

80. Holiday Decorating
• Holiday decorating is encouraged if tastefully
done.
• Sometimes “less is best”. If you do not have
enough funds in your budget for a lot of
elaborate decorations, select a focal point that is
highly visible to the public and decorate that
area.
• Holidays do not last for months, so your
decorations should come down within a few
days after the holiday ends.

84. Curb Appeal & Advertisement
• A. Brochures • E. Newspapers
• B. Letterhead • F. Apartment
Guides
• C. Business Cards
• G. Site Flyers
• D. White/Yellow
Pages • H. Internet

85. What’s Next?

86. What Can You Do To Improve Your
Preventative Maintenance and
Curb Appeal?
• Review your budget to • Review you office
what is covered for stationary.
landscaping.
• Review or create
• Review your budget to see brochures.
if you need to add other
items. • Inspect playgrounds.
• Do patio inspections. • “Weed & Feed” your lawns
• Do window inspections. to build turf and prevent
• Start a Grounds weeds.
Committee. • Plant Flowers!

87. • Get Members involved. • Review and update
property policies.

88. Short and Long Term Goals
Short Term Goals Long Term Goals
• New Letter Head • Adding a pet walk
• New Brochures • New signage
• Adding Maintenance • Upgrade Playgrounds
Uniforms • Physical Improvements:
• Add Flowers Beds – Paving Streets
• Mulch – New Siding
– New Fencing
• Paint Signs
– Enclosing Dumpsters
• Update PM Plan

89. What have you done on your
properties to improve curb appeal?
Suggestions, ideas, comments.

90. Who reviews your preventative
maintenance plan and makes sure it is
being followed?