Project example
Case study: a condo stucco budget that moved after review and testing
This is CK's own account of a condominium stucco project at Aspen Close. It follows the budget per unit, as CK reports it, from the first figure to the one set after unit testing, and says what CK reports further inspection found. The figures are budgets, and CK's account does not give a final cost.
The board and the stucco
CK says the Aspen Close condo board was tasked with fixing its buildings but did not have any experience with construction or renovations.
CK says the stucco was 40 years old and that contractors had quoted that it needed to be removed and replaced. It says the budget was initially set at $52,000 per unit.
How the budget moved
CK says it reviewed the budget with applicable contractors and an engineering firm, and the estimate changed to $35,000 per unit. After unit testing, it says, the budget was reviewed and set at $32,179 per unit.
| Step | Budget per unit | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| First budget | $52,000 | CK says the budget was initially set at this figure. It adds that contractors had quoted that the 40-year-old stucco needed to be removed and replaced. |
| After review with contractors and an engineering firm | $35,000 | CK says it reviewed the budget with applicable contractors and an engineering firm, and the estimate was changed to this figure. |
| After unit testing | $32,179 | CK says that upon unit testing the budget was reviewed and set at this figure. |
| Difference from the first budget | $19,821 lower | The first budget minus the budget set after unit testing. It is a difference between two budgets, not a final cost. |
What further inspection found
CK says that after further inspection the stucco and underlay siding were in good enough condition not to be replaced completely. Repairs were made to the damaged sections, and the stucco was then coated with an elastomeric coating to seal it.
CK's account begins with contractors' quotes to replace the stucco. The work it describes is a repair and a coating.
What this example does and does not show
It shows what CK reports about one condominium: a first budget, a review of the budget with contractors and an engineering firm, unit testing, and a budget reviewed and set after the testing.
It does not show what any other building will cost, and CK's account is not evidence that repair is right for another building. Building envelope covers the terms for repair and replacement and what CK says about inspection and testing, and special assessments covers who can approve a special levy and what owners must be told.
Comments published on CK's own website
These comments were published on CK's own website under the names shown. They are the views of the people quoted, not independent reviews, and this page has not checked what they say.
“I own a Condo in Edmonton and John provided me clear details in the process of how condo boards work through special assessments and repairs.”
“John was great in assessing our needs, walking through potential solutions, and making recommendations that would save us money.”
“John has worked on several Condo Corporations that I manage. … John has managed these projects in a timely manner and in most cases under budget which saved the Condos a lot of money.”
Sources and further reading
The account, the figures and the comments on this page are CK's own, from the home page of its website, and are reported here as CK reports them.
- CK Condominium Consultants: home page (ckcondominium.ca) — CK's own account and comments; the page was last modified in October 2021