Summertime in the Carolinas can be a wonderful time of year. Outdoor activities abound and families enjoy days of beach-side fun in the sun, festivals, outdoor concerts, fresh produce, and outdoor exercise. As the summer months start in earnest, it is time to begin work on your association’s calendar and summer projects for HOAs.
Schedule the Best Summer Projects for HOAs
As spring showers begin to wane and the days become longer, homeowners associations start preparing for the summer. During this time, HOAs become busier, undertaking summer renovation projects and summer property maintenance. This season is the best time for such endeavors as there are no showers or snow to interrupt you. Get your calendars out — here are the best HOA summer projects to take on:
1. Repairs and Maintenance
The summer season is an ideal time for repairs, maintenance, and construction. With more sunny days and overall better weather, this is the time when any major projects should be done within the property.
Any outdoor home improvements must also take place during the summer. This includes repaving roads, painting the exteriors of buildings, and pressure washing sidewalks.
Summer construction projects in the HOA must be planned ahead of time so that they can break ground immediately at the start of the season. The same policy must be applied when it comes to repairs and maintenance. This way, nothing is left undone when temperatures start dropping.
2. Landscaping
Making your property a beautiful and comfortable place to live, especially during summer months, is undoubtedly a priority in your HOA. A little bit of landscaping can make a huge difference in the way residents feel about their homes. Summer is the time to think about planting flowers, caring for trees and lawns, and generally improving your landscaping.
Tack on a fresh layer of mulch for an easy and effective way to add life back to your lawn. Mulch is also very affordable, so you don’t even have to break the bank to improve curb appeal. Making sure all of these items are on your agenda for the summer will keep residences looking welcoming.
3. Prepare Summer Amenities
Many properties have special summer amenities for residents. This can include anything from a clubhouse, pools, hot tubs, BBQs, and more.
As one of your summer projects for HOA, now is the time to make sure everything is functioning, clean, and up-to-date. These amenities tend to be used more by residents during the summer, so keeping them in tiptop shape should be a priority.
It is also important to schedule regular maintenance for these items throughout the summer so that everything continues to work properly. Be sure to send notices to your residents regarding proper usage of these amenities as well as any special codes they may need to access these areas.
4. Update and Evaluate Summer Equipment
The beginning of the summer is a perfect time to schedule a time to evaluate all of the equipment that you use during the warmer months. Sprinklers, for instance, see little to no use during the colder months.
After a long period of inactivity, you must turn on your sprinkler systems to check if they are in good working condition. You may also want to update your equipment to make them more energy-efficient. Additionally, this is a good time to service AC units to make sure they are functioning properly and efficiently.
5. Start Accepting Bookings
If your HOA allows residents and non-residents to book community properties for events, the summer is the perfect time to announce openings. Watch as bookings quickly fill up, with parties for graduations, birthdays, and maybe even weddings. Make sure your HOA has clear policies and procedures for booking these summer facilities so that you don’t run into any problems.
6. Fun Activities
Community engagement and unity are crucial to a successful HOA. Treating residents like family can go a long way in helping smooth over disagreements and keeping morale high. Therefore, it is important that you schedule fun community-building activities during the summer months to bring everyone together.
Consider putting a pool party or an ice cream social on the schedule for this summer. Treat members of the community to free fun and treats during the warmer months to make them feel valued.
7. Update Residents
Due to the arrival of the summer season, your HOA may want to extend pool hours or gym hours. If you do make these changes (or any other policy changes in line with the new season), the start of summer is ideal for disseminating updates. Make sure you spread the news in a timely and consistent manner, be it through notices, the community newsletter, or social media.
Manage Summer Construction Projects Smoothly
Preparing your HOA for summer goes beyond outlining upcoming projects. While it is important to know what projects your HOA will be taking on, it is equally critical to know how to manage them properly. Repairs, maintenance, and construction work may interrupt the day-to-day lives of your residents.
They can give rise to road closures or detours, as well as intermittent closures of summer facilities. Moreover, there may be construction equipment everywhere.
To effectively and smoothly manage summer projects for HOA, keep these four pointers in mind:
- Plan ahead. Your HOA must make preparations well ahead of time for any summer projects that will be going on. This means creating a schedule, agreeing on a timeline, setting expectations, and identifying objectives for both the association and potential contractors. It is also a good idea to have a contingency plan in case of delays or other unforeseen circumstances.
- Schedule appropriately. When the projects do begin, make sure to schedule work during appropriate times of the day. If there is going to be a lot of noise as a result of construction or repairs, have it done during the afternoon when most people are at work. If you need to close down certain roads, do it after the morning rush and have it cleared before the evening rush.
- Update regularly. No one likes bad surprises, so your HOA must communicate all the details of summer projects before they begin and as they take place. Notify them of what, when, where, and how.
- Maintain normalcy. These summer projects can sometimes feel like having a wrench thrown into your everyday routine. They can be disruptive and irritating. As such, your HOA must do everything to maintain normalcy as best you can. This means making it mandatory for contractors to pick up after themselves and leave the area as they found it. It also entails the proper storage of equipment and ensuring the safety of all homeowners.
Avoiding Disrupting the Neighborhood in Summer
The best summer projects for HOAs may benefit everyone, but the process can be troublesome and bring annoyance to many. Being prepared is a surefire way to manage these HOA summer projects and keep everyone happy. As always, make it a point to keep your residents updated and informed about repairs, events, and changes to the property. Do this, and the summer will be an enjoyable and relaxing time for everyone.
Whether you are having trouble preparing or managing summer projects for HOAs, it will benefit you to seek the help of an HOA management company. In that case, give us a call anytime.
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