Did you hear the one about the condo association that went the do-it-yourself route? No, we’re sure you didn’t…because communities hire professionals for all but the most minor repairs and upkeep (no offense to your Cousin Rich, who was ho…
Windows can dramatically change any space, from transforming a tiny kitchen into a front row seat to a glorious skyline to morphing a standard upstairs bedroom into a perfect perch for an ocean view. Windows bring vast life and light to a …
Though mostly unseen, a building’s plumbing and piping network is one of its most important systems—as anyone who has ever had to endure a freezing February shower, or who has come home to a flooded floor, can attest. Plumbing includes not…
The rarely stated—but all too well understood—Murphy’s Law for Boilers— asserts that if your boiler quits working, it will do so on Christmas or New Year’s Eve, or at 4:45 p.m. on the coldest day of the year. With some planning, though, th…
From the outside, the structure of a condo, co-op or townhouse building may appear to be monolithic; just pieces of brick, steel, vinyl or wood, punctuated with some glass here and there. That's an oversimplification, however. A multifamil…
Pests are a part of life. Wherever there are people, vermin of one kind or another are sure to follow. This is particularly true in urban environments like Boston, Providence and New Haven, where rodent and roach sightings come with the te…
Ah, the “dog days” of August—ideal for lounging around the pool, hop-scotching from air-conditioned home to air-conditioned stores and offices, or slipping away for a revitalizing vacation. Unless, of course, you happen to be a community a…
The adage is, “The customer is always right.” But when it comes to lawn care for condominium properties, the first question is, “What does the customer want?” According to Matt Lindner, the service line director for SavaLawn in Bedford Hil…
It’s not unusual today to find an array of amenities —pools, hot tubs, decks and similar areas for socializing — on top of new urban condominium buildings. Older residences may or may not have such facilities, but even without the steady u…
These days, just about everyone is cutting back on spending, either to make ends meet, saving for something special or a rainy day, paying off debt or funding their retirement. Consumers are cutting coupons, looking for deals and keeping a…