Reserve Studies Are Not Static Documents Reserve studies should be updated regularly so the funding plan continues to reflect actual building conditions, current repair costs, and recent reserve activity. For condominium and homeowners associations, a reserve study is a long-term planning tool that helps anticipate major repair and replacement expenses and supports more informed budgeting….
General News
Is Your Facade Leaking?
A building’s exterior façade can experience water infiltration anytime during a its lifetime. The façade is composed of a variety of components including windows / door penetrations; wall cladding; and features such as balconies and other architectural elements. Water infiltration can occur while the building is undergoing transition from developer to a new condominium organization….
The Next Step in Pool Safety – AI Powered Drowning Detection Systems?
The Next Step in Pool Safety – AI Powered Drowning Detection Systems? Conventional safety measures – pool covers, perimeter fences, and subsurface alarms – are essential for preventing unauthorized access when a pool is closed. But when a pool is open and in use, those measures cannot protect against drowning. For decades, supervision by lifeguards,….
2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season
The team at Criterium encourages commercial and residential property owners, property managers, and HOA board members to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season which takes place June 1 through November 30 each year. This year’s Atlantic seasonal forecast was announced by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. They predict another ‘active’ Atlantic….
How to Hire a Condo Engineer: 4 Steps
Make sure you actually need one, too They don’t teach you how to hire an engineer in school. Indeed most folks have never had the occasion to hire an engineer or an architect in their whole life. This is also true for most condominium or HOA board members. So how does a condo board go….
Building Maintenance Check List
A Proactive Approach is BestIf you are responsible for your condo or HOA’s physical condition, this is no time to relax. Planning now can pay big dividends in being able to hire a repair contractor before the spring/summer crunch arrives. With that in mind, the following list can provide a guide to issues for you….
Water, Water, Everywhere
Typically when I am discussing water problems with the condo’s property manager or the board, the focus is on leaking roofs, foundations, windows, or other building envelope points of water infiltration. Instead, this article’s focus will be on water damage problems from inside sources and their prevention.It is hard to talk about inside water damage….
The Orange Triangle in Our Logo
Criterium Engineers was founded in the days when building plans were meticulously designed and drawn by hand. The dedicated engineer’s talisman—the plastic drafting triangle—could once be found on almost every drawing table in our offices. And while a clear plastic triangle might easily be lost on piles of white paper, bright orange drafting triangles always….
The Water Did It
Since the tragedy this summer in Surfside, Florida, building managers and condo boards have been reviewing the cost of deferred repairs and their fiduciary responsibilities when it comes to facility safety and maintenance with greater scrutiny than ever before. But where to look first? There are many types of condos from high-rises to townhouses to….
The Challenge of Aging Buildings
The Surfside collapse and the resulting loss of life is tragic. In addition to dealing with the far-reaching impact of that collapse, many occupants, owners, and managers of most buildings are now asking whether something similar could happen to their building. The answer is that the structural health and future of any building depends on many variables….