Majorworks
n eliminationofcondensationCondensation canbeprevalent in situationswherewarm moist airinflatscomes into contactwith cold poorlyinsulated windows, especially wherethese aremetal
framed.The constant battle with pools of wateronwindowcills and black spotmould can be demoralizing and potentiallydamagingtocurtainsand other internal decor. n addressingwateringress Oftenwater ingresscausing damage to internal partscan be traced back to window defects, especially wherethe components areexposed to prevailing windsand rain. n Safety In extremecases therehavebeen incidentsofwindowcasements,orparts of them, landingonthe pathwayorgardens belowwhentheyhavereached aperilousstate of repair. Howeverthe first considerationshould
be to resolvetoproceed in acareful and logicalmannerand to resist thetemptation to assumethat there is no case for renewal, rather than replacement(See boxright). Often the decision is not as clear cut as it mightfirst appear,soproceed with caution! However, assuming that adecisionhas been reached to explore themerits of amajor replacementscheme,what should happen next?
Step Knowyourlease 1
Thereare anumberofsignificantlegal and regulatory considerationswhichimpacton majorworks
projects.Themost significant are the specific terms of the lease or leases and the provisions of the relevant leasehold legislation. Thelandlord,whetherthatisanexternal
freeholder or board ofRMC directorsmay first need to considerwhethertheyhavethe mandatetoincur costsonservice charge moniestostart theballrolling on the residents’ behalf. Considerwhat thelease provides forand/
orwhat thememorandumand articles of associationallow thecompany to do. Is there a case for initial legal opinion or consulting with residentstogauge support forthe exercise?Insomeinstances itmay be appropriatetoconsiderifmoniesheld by themanagementcompany as distinct fromservicechargefunds couldbeusedfor this feasibility stage, to avoiddisputeslater aboutthe useofservice chargemonies. If you employamanagingagent,theymay provide someguidance on this buttheytoo arelikely to suggest youtakelegal advice formore definitive answers. Thereasonthatthisfirst consideration
is so importantarisesfrom thequestionof ownership of the windows and
doors.Many leases specificallydemisethe unitstoeach flat and therefore the expenditure of service chargemoniesonenquiries relating to somethingtechnically beyond thelandlord company’s(andhence servicecharges)control or responsibilitymaybeseenasinvalid.
Flat Living Issue 17 refurbishMentversus replaceMent
even newwindows needmaintenance
ifyouare thinkingabout changingyourdoors and windowssimplytoreduce maintenancecosts or reduce condensation, think again –afull-scale replacementprojectmay notbethe panacea youare hoping for. Thereisacommon
misconceptionthat pvc-uorpowder coated aluminumdoubleglazed units aremaintenance -free solutions and therefore represent a low- cost alternative to timber ormetalwhenconsidering thelong-termupkeep of a block of flats. However, flatowners
should beawarethatthe moving partsofthese units suchashandles and hingeswear and break, requiring renewal andperiodicservicing. Double glazed sealed
units typicallyhavea 10-yearlifeexpectancy andtherefore they will also need renewalor resealingduringthe life of thewindowsat leastonce. Sealsand gasketsalso perish andneed renewing dependingonthe extent of exposure. Atmosphericpollution
soilsexteriorsurfaces and, aswell as detracting fromtheappearanceof theunits,iftheyare not regularlycleaned this canresult in permanent tarnishingorpittingof thefinishwhichismore difficult to resolvethan traditionalpaintingof timber ormetal products. Considerationshould
also be giventoother cyclicalmaintenance requirements of the block, regardless of the need to paintwindowsor
However, the fact that windows and doors maybedemised to individualsshouldnot automaticallybeseenasgrounds to give up the prospect of repair or replacement. There arenumeroussuccessful schemesonblocks with this scenariowhichbeartestamentto howsolutions can be found. Evenwhere window and door units are
theretained property of thelandlord under alease,cautionmust be takenwhere there might be an argument to suggest that thereplacement of unitsconstitutes an improvementwhich is notcovered by service chargeexpenditure.Apivotal part of any initialfeasibility studywillbetoevaluate
may not be thepanacea youarehopingfor
replacementproject afullscale
otherwise. For example buildings with extensive paintedmasonry or concrete, external pipework or balcony railings will continue to need aregular regime of external attention. Wheresuch features are present, thebenefits of fittingnewwindowsthat don’t need paintingmay be limited. Mostbuildings require
ongoing attentionto brickworkandmasonry repairstopreventwater ingressand long term decaysoitisunrealistic to assumethat allcyclical workswillbeavoided. The key to effective decision- making lies in establishing what thenatureand cost ofworkswillbewithand without newwindows andmakinganinformed judgement.
whetherthere aregrounds to arguethat theexistingunits’conditionissuchthat replacement withmodern equivalents is a reasonable approach.
Step setarealistic timeframe 2
Whether youdecidetoreplace or refurbish your doors and windows, the process involved is often a lengthy one.When taking on a majorworks project, thereare anumberof stepsthatneed to be pursued in alogical sequence;the resultsofone stagewilldictate theway thesubsequentstagesplayout,so don’tassumethat shortcutscan be takenor different aspects of theprojectcan be runin tandemto save time.
Step
consider the costs Servicechargefunds will be used to progress
3 39
✁
cutoutandKeep
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64