14 Sep 2011 FLCAJ

he Parthenon in Greece, the Great Pyramids in Giza, and the Coliseum in Rome, all celebrate the advancing of age with no apologies, but for most community associations, the effects of time present a battle to be waged rather than a claim to fame. Whether it’s the actual decay of a portion of the property or just an appearance that better days are behind us, associations will need to renovate to preserve property values and maintain the standards that attracted owners to the property. Renovation can span pools and landscaping to interior layout, design, and function, but paint is a common element that makes a noticeable visual impact for most associations on both the interior and exterior. Paint is more than just a pretty color; Chris Erichsen with ProTect Painters explains, “Paint is your first line of defense in the protection of your investment. The paint

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Staying in Styleby Kathy Danforth

BALLROOM: AFTER

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elastomeric, and if it is suitable for the application, Erichsen recommends 100 percent acrylic. Factors that play a part are the substrate, previous water intrusion, and the colors being used. “If there have been problems with water intrusion, or if it’s a wood frame building with stucco that has a continued risk for cracking, these would be better candidates for elastomeric paint,” Erichsen advises. However, he points out, “If there are deeper, bold colors where fading can already be an issue, elastomeric will tend to fade even more.”

layer keeps the water from attacking the rest of the building materials, which, in the worst case, could result in water intrusion. Added to this is the aesthetics—keep-ing things looking good so people want to be there.” The frequency that paint-ing is needed varies with the quality of the previous paint job, substrate, environment, and other factors. In general Erichsen says, “For new structures the first repaint should be in four to six years, since the film thick-ness is only one or two layers and it wears through fairly quickly.” Especially for stuc-co exteriors, some settling of the building and cracking is typical, and Erichsen notes, “Filling those cracks is part of the painting process. After the first repaint, it can be five to ten years between coats.” Communities will be striking a balance between cost and longevity in their paint selection. Erichsen says, “Material warranties are gen-erally for five, seven, or ten years, and I usually recom-mend a seven- to ten-year paint system.” With the labor representing around 70 per-cent of the project cost, the higher cost of better-quality paint is more than made up for over time. Erichsen states, “The reality is there will be the best intention of painting in seven years, but it may get put off for ten, so going with the better materials will pay dividends in the long run. It takes the same labor to pre-pare and paint the building, but you get more bang for your buck with better paint.” The primary choices of paint types are acrylic and

BALLROOM: BEFORE

16 Sep 2011 FLCAJ

out during the project where the differences lie. Another crucial point Erichsen emphasizes is, “Make sure the contractors carry liability and worker’s com-pensation insurance. Those are critical to protecting the association’s interests.” Following the initial im-pact from the exterior of the building, Susan Welzien with Wells Design Group says, “The lobby and social hall are the two areas that most make a statement and where you want the most pizzazz.” Welzien has worked with over a dozen associations in renovating their clubhouses and observes, “Seven to ten years is the life-span for most clubhouses; then the carpet and finishes start to look shabby and the color scheme gets tired-look-ing. When people bought into a community, one influence in making the decision was probably the clubhouse. Often, those over 55 are retired and have more free time so they may spend time every day at the clubhouse, and it’s like an extension of their home.” Renovating a community’s clubhouse, however, is not just a larger version of redoing one’s own home. “It may look like a beautiful hotel or living room, but it’s got to hold up to com-mercial use with the sun and lots of traffic,” Welzien points out. Though good taste is a beautiful thing, there is more to a renovation than meets the eye. Welzien states, “Interior design is a profession, not a hobby. It’s important to hire a designer with state licensing, similar to an architect or attor-ney, and for commercial work in public spaces they are required to have an IB number and an

Selection of colors can be a contentious area, Erichsen observes. “The association needs to think carefully, and many paint manufacturers have designers that can help if the association is not already using a designer. You need to take the roof color and other longer-lasting materials into account,” he points out. “A dark or bold color may fade faster than lighter colors. Then you run into the frustrating situa-tion where the paint is adequate from a protection standpoint, but the color has faded to the point where it’s unacceptable.” When it comes to the actual job, Erichsen stresses, “Preparation is the most important part of the painting process. It can make the paint last for many wonderful, hassle-free years, or it can make it have problems early-on and often.” Erichsen recommends, “Have one person responsible for setting out the scope of work to each contractor. That’s one of the toughest things on a project—making sure each contractor has the same information and is bidding the same thing.” In his case, Erichsen will consult with a representative of the chosen paint manufacturer to get specifications written for the association. “Then they can have myself and the other contractors bid from the same specifications, so it’s the same material, same number of coats, and same preparation steps that are going to be employed.” The board will be comparing like bids rather than finding

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ID number. I’ve been hired two or three times after a clubhouse was renovated by people on a committee and now the residents are upset. It’s a waste of money and not fair to all the residents who live there and use the facilities.” Requirements for the building and furnishings are significantly different for public areas than for individual homes. “For com-mercial use you have to have completely different fabrics that are fire-rated,” Welzien explains. “The fire marshal will want to see a flame-spread certificate on the window treatments, so if you hire someone who doesn’t know how to do commercial projects for public spaces, you can lose a lot of money. If a clubhouse has a noisy room and they need acoustical panels, it can be decorative and attractive, but they have to use fire-rated material since it’s on a vertical surface. Many clubhouses have a stage with curtains, and if the curtains are 100 percent cotton, once they’re cleaned the fire suppression is lost from the material and they have to be retreated.” An addition to fire codes has been the requirement for chairs in rows to attach to each other. “Now you can’t have loose chairs because in a fire they can be knocked over and block people,” according to Welzien. “You have to have a ganging device to clip the chairs together. A lot of older clubhouses don’t have the abil-ity to clip their chairs together so they will have to update.” “The furniture for com-mercial use is a different quality built to withstand

18 Sep 2011 FLCAJ

due to the needs of the resi-dents. Welzien has seen, “In a 55+ community, someone may have come in playing tennis, and now they’re in a wheel-chair and would like to use the bathroom at the clubhouse.” Doorways may not be wide enough for wheelchair access and often assistance is required from a caregiver who may not be of the same gender. “In one instance, we created a new, unisex bathroom with a handi-capped-accessible stall out of a janitor’s closet,” Welzien reports. To begin a project, Welzien analyzes the area. “We look at the traffic patterns, how the space will be used, the size and height of the furniture needed, and the quality. I’ve found in South Florida that builders spent quite a bit of money on archi-tectural features, wonderful

more use than you have in a home,” Welzien points out. “For commercial use, there’s harder foam. You don’t want someone sitting on a sofa and not being able to get up.” If the basic furniture is in good condition, though, it may be able to be refinished and refurbished rather than replaced. Welzien recommends, “Colors should be fairly neutral for the long-term and not too faddish, with splashes of accent color. A darker tone and pattern is needed on the floor so it won’t show stains and soiling and will stay good-looking longer. We can use different patterns and borders to accentuate a seating area to make it functional and beauti-ful. With a marble floor, it may just need to be honed and polished.” With flooring, Welzien notes, “Tripping is always a concern. You have to be aware of the slip coefficient of hard flooring like tile or marble. We use porcelain tile rather than ceramic because it will hold up to commercial use.” Since carpets and draperies are vulnerable to the effects of the sun, Welzien states, “We try to use fibers and fabrics that are solution-dyed to resist fading. We also recommend placing a film on the windows to help screen UV rays.” Another culprit in fading carpets is chlorine, tracked both from swimming pools and from the cleaning of restrooms with bleach. “We tell them to get rid of bleaches and use green products so they won’t destroy the carpet,” Welzien relates. Bringing communities up to current codes of accessibility for handi-capped individuals is a factor that may be required, if enough renova-tion is being done that grandfathered status is lost, or if it is desired

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ceilings, and moldings. With beautiful spaces and furni-ture, you have to maintain it to the same quality, in my opinion. You have to look at the room as a total package.” Once an association has got their bids from designers, Welzien says, “If an associa-tion hires me, I have my own contractors that I get bids from. I come as a complete package and I schedule and warranty everything. It would be very difficult to design a project, and then have them hire a contractor who doesn’t follow directions or messes up the schedule. South Florida is transient and you can always get a better price, but you get what you pay for.” Welzien notes, “I hear the horror stories. They’ll hire the least expensive person and they’ll have a mess to deal with because they’ll bid so low, they can’t finish the job, or they’re out of business and you’ve lost your down payment.” During the actual project, Welzien recommends, “If you’re redoing the whole clubhouse, count on closing it during the summer months and keeping the residents out. When only one side is closed, the residents slow the workers down with questions, and it can create safety/liability issues. If rest-rooms have to be accessible, we can put up temporary walls or bring in porta-potties to place by the pool.” An unwelcome interrup-tion and addition to some projects is the discovery of mold and mildew once wall coverings or ceilings are removed. “Often clubhouses haven’t kept the tempera-ture steady and used

dehumidifiers,” Welzien has found. “Some cases were actually from a hurricane years ago. The roofs were fixed but no one investigated the damage done inside the attics. With three clubhouses we had to tear out the walls down to the studs,” Welzien recalls. “If anyone smells anything, or wall coverings are turning pink from the inside, that’s mold behind the paper. It’s not something to take lightly or something you can fix yourself by putting bleach on a black spot. You need to get a qualified mold consultant.” Improving the usefulness, appearance, safety, longevity, and/or func-tion of an association’s property will please current and prospective resi-dents. Doing it properly will please them even more. Careful planning and attention to the licenses, insurance, and credentials of all consultants and contractors can help a community renovate without regrets.