Five years ago, my HOA decided to take on the project of changing colors and painting all 20 units in the association. We are a modest community consisting of four buildings built back in the late 1970’s. Brown on brown was the original color palette and the board decided that those colors were not truly reflective of the nautical nature of our Long Island Sound shore side community. The challenge of changing color palettes was tricky but with a proper action plan to aid us, we were able to win over most residents and pull off a smooth transition.
The first order of business was involving the unit owners. Over the years, owners had seen their buildings painted several times. For a brief time, before I was a member of this community, the buildings were painted a shade of brown and grey that I can only describe as the color of an army barracks. Apparently, the painting contractor “got a deal” on some surplus paint that the sitting board agreed to let him apply for a discounted price. That was a bad idea that cost a few board members their seats and a mistake the current board would not repeat. We set out an action plan to assure success. Here’s what it looked like:
- Announce the building painting project
- Inform unit owners
- Select colors
- Inform unit owners
- Send out bids for work
- Inform unit owners
- Hire contractor
- Inform unit owners
- Plan the work with the contractor
- Inform unit owners
- Get status reports from contractor
- Inform unit owners
- Finish job and Celebrate!
- Inform unit owners
You may have noticed a step that was repeated throughout the project. Informing the unit owners is the single most important step to assuring a successful painting project. While the contractor was only on property three days applying the paint, more than 12 months went into the plan and execution of the painting project.
Thrusting a painting project upon owners without their consent and involvement is a sure way to thwart your painting project’s success. Even if every other aspect of the project goes smoothly and as planned, if you fail to inform and involve unit owners, you will very likely have freshly painted buildings and freshly minted animosity towards the board and manager for not properly communicating all aspects of the project.
I should point out that this painting project was a major financial undertaking for the community, as I expect a project of this scope would be for any community. We took a potentially divisive issue and used it to unite the unit owners. We also purchased a new entry way sign to reflect the new colors and nautical theme of the buildings. Painting buildings gave us better curb appeal; communication and involvement between board and unit owners gave us a better community.
Bob Gourley is founder of MyEZCondo, a communications firm that produces newsletter and website content material for condominiums and homeowner associations throughout the USA. He also serves as board president of his local HOA.