General contractor says mismanaged condominium associations wait too long for proper repairs – CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – As the research continues, the question of what brought down the Champlain Towers South building won’t be decided for weeks, if not months. And it is likely that “what did not happen” could also be a factor.

“People just put bandages on the deficiencies they have in buildings. They need to be corrected. The longer you wait, the more long-term and more expensive problems there are to fix, ”said Yaniv Levi.

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Levi’s company, Coast To Coast General Contractors, specializes in restoring concrete to existing buildings in South Florida.

“Often, associations don’t do the job because they don’t have the means to make the repairs. There is a lot of politics in these buildings. Residents don’t want inconvenience, they don’t want additional assessments, maintenance costs, ”Levi explained.

Based on the 2018 structural field survey conducted at the Champlain South towers:

“Visual observations have revealed that many of the previous repairs to garage concrete fail, resulting in further cracking of the concrete… new cracks radiate from the originally repaired cracks… which is evidence of a bad work done by the previous contractor. “

“It is very important that the co-ownership association be proactive. You can avoid the kind of expensive repairs by leading management that has a head start, ”Levi said. “And when they see repairs, they make sure it gets fixed quickly.” said Levi.

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So what should a potential condo buyer look for in the aftermath of the Surfside condo collapse?

Start by asking the following questions:

• When was the building last painted?
• What types of repairs have been done?
• Where were the repairs?

After asking these questions, check the city’s repair permits.

The painting of the building is a major indicator.

“Most people think of painting for aesthetic purposes. Painted waterproofing. You need to paint your structure every 7-10 years and protect your envelope from the elements, ”Levine said.

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Levi was talking about condominium issues in general. CBS4 realtors Hank Tester said they were receiving more questions about the integrity of the buildings where the condos are sold.