Hotel and Multi-Family Condominium Renovation

If you are one of the many owners of a second home condominium in the Colorado mountains you may be facing a major renovation of your building. Whether you are on a homeowners association (HOA) board or not, the questions are numerous and the construction costs vague. So what is the best way to approach the process to define the scope of the work and assure that the dollars are spent cost effectively? Here is an overview to help define the issues and determine how to get the right answers.

A number of steps usually occur prior to an HOA (homeowners association) considering a building renovation at the yearly meeting. It might be the property manager notifying the HOA that deferred maintenance on the roof has to be addressed in the coming year. This in turn triggers a discussion of roof replacement and new roof insulation. Another example might be a notice from the local fire department requiring upgrades to the fire suppression system that becomes the “tipping point” for a common hallway renovation. The triggers can come from a variety of sources but the challenge is to fit the pieces together so that improvements complement each other. No sense in tearing up the ceilings one year for the fire alarm system and demolishing it again the next year to put in new lighting.

In order to get off to a strong start, it is best to gather as much building information as possible. Key documents include plans and elevations of the existing buildings and a building reserve study that identifies the timing and estimated cost of repair/replacement of building components such as mechanical systems and interior finishes.

Next is defining the HOA’s goals. In order to define goals the board needs to solicit opinions from the ownership. It is important to know how individual owners rate the importance of building appearance, building comfort, rental income, sales value, and regular maintenance in comparison to assessments or dues. Inevitably some owners will have different usage patterns and therefore different priorities. Identifying the common ground is what keeps the planning process moving forward. Gathering this information is often best done with a survey and the assistance of professionals who have experience with similar projects. Architects, general contractors, realtors, and property managers can offer valuable insight in this information-gathering phase of the project.

Once the association goals have been defined, a building master plan can be initiated. At this point in the process an architect and general contractor should be retained to respond to the HOA goals with design suggestions and feasibility.

As an example the architect is given a building program that identifies the following goals:

Maintaining Real Estate Values
Preserving Rental Income
Improving the Guest Experience
Easier Building Maintenance
Address Reserve Study
Recommendations for Replacement
Required Life Safety Upgrades
Required ADA Upgrades
Improving Energy Efficiency

In response to these goals the architect prepares a design package and report with a number of suggestions to integrate these improvements into a single or phased renovation. Through a series of meetings and design iterations the architect will refine the proposed solutions per the direction of the HOA board or owner’s representative. Once a plan has been approved the architect gives the information to a general contractor for a conceptual construction cost estimate. As the project moves forward and the budget is approved, the architect hires sub-consultants to provide specific design expertise. Sub-consultants include geotechnical, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, building envelope and acoustical engineers, building code consultants, lighting designers, and landscape architects. The architect takes responsibility for coordinating the work of the consultants, preparing documents that can be competitively bid by contractors, and following the project through to the end of construction.

A successful project is typically one in which all of the stakeholders are well informed and have easy access to project information. Effective tools for communicating the design intent include design packets for distribution at homeowner meetings, slideshow presentations, central websites with current updates, and physical mockups of the proposed improvements available for viewing on site. Although it can be an extended multistep process, a successful renovation will add many years of enjoyment to the life of a building and the occupants who visit or live there.

(Photo information: The Landmark Condominiums in Vail, CO, recently received a complete renovation. Scope of the project included a new façade, new roofline with dormers and extended eves, addition of 16 new residential units, and a new clock tower with an enclosed elevator. Photo courtesy of RicStovall.)

Fritzlen Pierce Architects

Pierce Architects has designed and administrated condominium renovations in Colorado’s Eagle and Summit counties for over thirty years. To learn more about condominium renovation or Pierce Architects, visit www.vailarchitects.com or call 970.476.6342.

Article by: Fritzlen Pierce Architects | Visit Author's Website |