Thank you to all of the owners who have joined us on this amazing Sunday afternoon community BBQ.
I wanted to take a few moments to discuss the Attic Investigation & Mould Remediation Initiative.
Recap
Back in the spring of 2023, the board undertook to provide owners with information related to the recent discovery of mould in a group of townhouse attics.
This process involved the help of the corporations Engineer, WSP, the corporation’s solicitor, Robson Carpenter, and the corporations’ restoration and abatement firm, PuroClean.
Many owners were in attendance at the April 18th Owners Information Meeting, which was held at the Royal Canadian Legion, which contained a presentation by Joel Nelson of PuroClean. The minutes from this meeting were provided to all owners as well as posted to the corporation’s web-site.
Throughout May and June, PuroClean undertook to inspect all attics throughout the complex.
The board received a summary report from PuroClean and provided a further update to owner just a few weeks ago.
Review of the Results
You may recall from the Owners Information meeting held on April 6th and various communications that were sent this spring, that the board carried budget figures in the recently approved reserve fund study (completed by WSP) to address mould remediation and attic repairs.
In the Reserve Fund Study, categories 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 had estimated $150,000 would be needed to complete the remediation and restoration efforts in the attics.
The results from the inspection identified only five (5) additional units that were affected with mould. When combined with the six (6) units that were affected with mould (the original batch that was tested in the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023,
amounts to eleven (11) units in total.
Once the project is finally completed, the total cost will be under $120,000.
Timing for the next steps
We anticipate that the work will be scheduled for later in the year and will be undertaken and overseen by PuroClean. Upon the completion of each unit, a report and certificate of mould abatement (when applicable) will be provided to each owner for their records.
Financial Impact to the Reserve Fund
Based on these favourable results, there is no anticipated impact to the reserve fund. As stated earlier, we anticipate that the actual costs will be approximately $30,000 less than what was previously carried for in the study.
As noted previously the inflationary impact within the condominium sector has translated into higher insurance premiums, as well as increased costs attributed to restoration and replacement projects as shown in the recent Reserve Fund Study (WSP) and replacement appraisal, which was completed by Suncorp Valuations.
We are hopeful that these savings can assist with the unpredictability for future capital projects.
Looking ahead to the Future
· Preventative inspections will ensure that the corporation is in a better position to address issues early on.
o This may take on the look of an annual roof inspection, as well as an attic inspection every 7-10 years
· Obtaining the advice and guidance from experts and professionals ensures the work that is completed is prescribed.
o By engaging WSP and PuroClean, the corporation was able to address the issue of mould abatement, but also addressed most of the contributory causes of the mould as well as correcting base building ventilation deficiencies
· Communication, communication, communication
o Providing owners with the most current, and accurate information
o Holding an owners information meeting
o Distributing and hosting important information so that this information is readily available and the process is transparent