Communicating With Residents of a Multi-family Community When a Contractor is On-Site:

We have painted at dozens of multi-family condominium communities in the Boston-area since we started our Commercial Painting business in 1998. Over this time, we’ve discovered that communication is a key factor in helping these multi-family projects go smoothly. A few tips:

Property Managers should communicate with residents at least three times before any contractor begins.

Ways to share information with residents include:

1. 1. Email the residents the week before and the night before the project begins.
   2. Hang door hangers on each front door the day before the work will occur, including the project’s details and the phone number to the painting company. CertaPro Painters does this on all of our multi-family projects, and the painting supervisor’s phone number helps residents solve small issues without involving the Property Manager.
   3. Display informational flyers in common areas such as pool houses, community centers, and management offices.

What information should be communicated to the condominium or townhouse residents?

We have found that the following information, communicated consistently, really helps cut down on calls to the Property Manager:

1. 1. What type of work will be performed? Painting, Power Washing, Carpentry? Deck staining?
   2. When will the work be performed (weather permitting, of course)?
   3. Where are the workers permitted to park?
   4. Anything required by the residents, such as moving patio furniture, grills. Instructions about what to do after the work is done such as how long to leave a door open after it’s been painted, or how long to wait to move the grill back after their deck has been stained.
   5. Any electrical, water, or other utilities the contractor will need, and from which unit the contactor will draw it.

In owner-occupied housing, great communication with the residents is as important as great painting.  

Keeping residents up to speed on weather delays, when their unit will be painted, and even where the painters will park their vans keeps everyone in the know and happier.  In the event of issues, if the residents have the painter’s cell number, they can call the painter directly instead of the Property Manager. Our painters are used to helping residents in owner-occupied communities move their furniture, and grills and help them understand when and where they’ll be painting.  This helps keep these small issues on the plate of the contractor (us!) and off the property manager’s plate.

We are multi-family, condominium, and townhouse painting specialists in the Boston-area and are happy to help you with your painting project. Email Paige NeJame at [email protected] if you have questions or would like us to quote your project.

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You might also like to read:

Budgeting painting for your Community and Home Owner’s Association

The importance of a great relationship with your Commercial Painter

How we work with Property Managers

CertaPro Painters is a woman-owned business and meets all WBE requirements in Massachusetts.