4
Develop a Maintenance Calendar
The first part of creating a proactive maintenance plan is to set up a master calendar.
To get started, you or your maintenance partner should walk the property and
identify all the areas of the community that need to be addressed on an annual basis.
Then, schedule each task for the month it should be completed based on seasonal
requirements. Finally, identify the total cost for each maintenance item and note it next
to each task on your calendar. Bonus: completing the last step will make budgeting
easier for your board.
Calendars are integral to your plan because without one, boards often fall into the trap
of becoming reactive and overlooking small-scale preventive maintenance until they
require large-scale repairs which means missing out on securing lower prices that can
be negotiated when services are set up well in advance. And, you could end up paying
more for the same services because of poor conditions: if the gutters are overflowing,
they'll cost more to clean. Simply put, operating without a maintenance calendar costs
your community big time.
Mike's Tip
Using a calendar helps you stay ahead of seasonal changes and
weather that, some years, can catch you by surprise.
