According to the U.S. Green Building Council, Chicago had more certified green buildings than any other city in the United States in 2009—and that number continues to grow. A whopping 88 projects in the Chicago-area earned Lead…
It's a common enough story: the condominium was relatively new, but from the start its board of directors was stingy with maintenance and repair dollars. Then the recession struck, and the percentage of unpaid maintenance fees spiked. …
As spring dawns anew on a frigid Chicago landscape, many condo dwellers will get their first prolonged looks at Mother Nature’s wintery ravages. Nowhere is this better seen than on a property’s exterior siding, much of which might need c…
They say a house is only as strong as its foundation. While it's true that a bad roof or shoddy plumbing can set your building back a lot of money, a foundation in disrepair can put the entire structure at risk, and can cost tens—even h…
After the four walls of a given structure, the roof is sometimes referred to as the “fifth plane”—and just like the walls that hold it up, the roof is an all-important structure that can make or break a building’s performance. Chicagola…
Q We have an ant problem in our building. One of my neighbors had ants in early spring after which another resident got them and now I have them. Is the association or the individual owner responsible to pay for the exterminator? …
Q In our parking garage we have access to a bike storage room and an outside bike rack that is next to a resident's handicapped parking spot. Right now the only way to get to the bikes is to "trespass" over the parking spot. Our concern…
Q I reside in a medium-sized condominium complex in suburban Chicago. Our homeowners association voted to have their board members sign an acknowledgment of their duty of confidentiality, and any board member who refused to sign the af…
April showers may bring May flowers, but the snow and ice storms of December and January are certain to bring a busy work schedule to Chicagoland condominium properties. Whether the region experiences a typical winter—with its…
Working in groups can be a challenge. Working in groups when people’s homes—and possibly their life savings—are involved can be a far greater challenge. It’s one faced every day by those brave souls who volunteer to serve on their co-op …