So, folks my beef is the stucco goop being slopped on our balconies ... but my plea to the board via Anna went on deaf ears. She eventually responded to my email instructing me not to contact board members (only Paul) because they are "not empowered" to respond to us. So, what the heck did we elect them for? To vote and approve Paul's 3% perks on all projects he can generate and to dig into our pockets?
Anyways, why are we spending money and putting that stucco goop on our balcony surrounding walls when we are broke and probably will need money soon for elevators when we can't get parts anymore.
What was wrong with scraping the pealing paint, filling in the cracks properly (i have some cracks on my balconies but they are not interested in these either) and then repainting the walls, even using that elastomeric paint matching the rest of the building... nice, new and clean .... and smooth. We live in a high rise building in the middle of the city. Our balconies collect tons of dust which will be sinking into the pattern of the stucco, looking filthy dirty before we blink an eye.
It's not like we can pull out a hose same as people living in houses who can wash down their patios. We cannot hose/wash down our balconies to keep them fresh and clean.
What the heck, what do we have to do to save ourselves from this madness?
Not only that, those of us who have glass enclosures have another problem - they are only slopping this goop up to the flashing for our glass surrounds which is about 10" below the ledge --- now do we need to pay the people who installed the glass to come and remove the flashing/then come back to replace it, so that the goop can be installed to the top of the ledge under the flashin.
I am of the mind of not letting them on letting them on my balcony when they get to my side of our building.
Better yet, we throw them all out and start all over again using some common sense.
How is everyone else feeling about this mess?
Hello everyone,
I agree that the stucco application could have been deferred in light of other significant priorities needing attention, such as replacing the elevator mechanisms. I was informed that the original company (SafeGuard Elevators) that installed our elevators has gone out of business.
This means that we are without a parts supplier should specific repairs be required. Although the elevators are in good condition, we need to replace the mechanical workings with universally sourced parts to ensure they remain in good operating condition with readily available replacements parts.
This seems like a no-brainer, given how dependent we are on our elevators. Even when one elevator is being used for residents moving in or out, it delays elevator traffic. Can you imagine the situation we would face if one was not operational for a significant period of time? I have no idea how long the process takes to remove existing parts and replace the entire mechanical structure, but I would think it would be at least a couple of days at minimum?
Given that we know this work is on the horizon, it would be prudent to put aside funds for that project rather than spend it on expensive largely cosmetic stucco applications. After all, we have survived for 29 years with our plain concrete balconies subject to cleaning, repairs and painting periodically.
In the past, a McMaster University summer student was hired to paint the balconies, P1 & P2 hallways and other touch up projects around the building at a fraction of the cost of professional painters. At the time, there was a government program in place that subsidized the student's wages for participating businesses. It meant that this ongoing maintenance project was completed at a reduced cost and benefited a local university student ... a "win-win" solution for all!
This is one example of creative financial management!