Conquering the Four Biggest Multifamily Restoration Challenges

Successful multifamily property managers continually walk the fine line between attracting new residents with top notch property offerings and keeping current residents happy while regulating a property’s rental income. But after disaster strikes and a property is in peril, all anyone cares about is getting everything back to normal as quickly and painlessly as possible. The best way to do this? Get the work done in the most unobtrusive way for existing residents to avoid owner out of pocket expenses while simultaneously protecting the asset from further damage. In theory this sounds straight forward but often it rarely is. Here are the most common problems we see and how we solve them.

Onsite Teams Left in the Dark Through the Mitigation Process

We all know the scenario; ‘What is actually damaged and how much is this going to cost?’

In the wake of a loss at a multifamily property, one of the most pressing challenges faced by the onsite management team is effectively communicating the extent of damage to the apartment owner. Whether it’s a busted pipe, fire or natural disaster, the aftermath demands swift action and clear communication. However, when the full scope of damage isn’t relayed to the onsite team by their restoration contractor, the task becomes all the more daunting.

“When we mobilize on a loss for our clients the first step after stabilizing the affected area is to document and prove clarity of the affected areas and units,” says CAMP Facility Services VP of Restoration Cody Hodge. “This benefits the property managers by allowing them to communicate the damage to their residents quickly as well as determine the expected cost of the loss so ownership can be notified immediately.”

Ignoring the Safety Realities of a Multifamily Restoration Job

Just because the project is underway doesn’t mean the daily needs of residents living at that property can be sidelined. Construction debris, heavy machinery, paint, and chemical fumes all contribute to creating a safety risk that can be extremely dangerous if not carefully considered and planned for.

After evaluating the scope of the restoration project at a multifamily property, CAMP Facility Services carefully maps out the area where the project will be undertaken. Cody Hodge says an occupant’s safety, ability to reach property amenities easily and access to parking spaces is of paramount importance before any work begins.

“We believe it’s crucially important to consider the daily needs of residents as they utilize the property continually during the scope of our restoration projects. We do this by finding the least intrusive access to the site as well as adding safe paths for residents while still allowing us to be effective in restoring the property to its pre-loss condition, or better.”

Not Balancing Restoration With Cash Flow Realities

After a loss, property owners often face challenges of lost rent or concessions due to uninhabitable conditions. Documenting the extent of the damage and the resulting loss of rental income is paramount to ensuring owners receive proper compensation. Without thorough documentation, owners face delays or disputes in receiving the compensation they deserve, resulting in cash flow issues in an already challenging market.

“I’ve seen multiple instances where unfortunately owners end up not being compensated for lost rent or concessions due to a lack of detailed documentation from the selected mitigation company,” says Hodge. “We understand the detail in our documentation directly affects the cash flow of a property and take pride in providing levels of detail that give owners the best chance at receiving the compensation they deserve.”

Not Adopting a One Team Approach

When a loss occurs, the process of restoring the affected asset involves two distinct phases: mitigation and reconstruction. Most companies use separate contractors for each. However, this approach causes struggles with communication, defined scope, shared responsibilities, settlement delays and potential conflicts between the two contractors. Cody Hodge says this can all be solved by using an innovative approach.

“At CAMP Facility Services we adopt a “One Team” model that specializes in multifamily renovation certified by the IICRC. Unlike many other restoration companies that utilize different companies to do restoration work, we have a mitigation and reconstruction team in-house that communicates and works together from day one. At CAMP we do it all and our multifamily one-team approach gives property managers the confidence of a seamless transition from mitigation to reconstruction saving time, money, and tenant headaches.”

CAMP Facility Services finds proactively preparing for the reconstruction portion of the project at the beginning makes all the difference. Documenting the affected area, immediately beginning the reconstruction estimate, confirming the availability of building materials and comprehensively understanding the onsite team and residents’ expectations is crucial to a successful project conclusion.