The annual building walk-through: the condo board checklist

Two hours once a year is enough to catch 80% of problems before they get expensive. You just need to know where to look, and in what order.

Most unplanned condo spending was predictable. Blistering waterproofing, an open expansion joint, a blocked gutter: none of these appear overnight. They are slow defects, visible long before they become costly — provided somebody looks.

The annual walk-through is the one moment when the board sees the whole building, rather than reacting to complaints. Two hours, once a year, ideally two to three months before the general meeting: enough to turn observations into resolutions.

When to do it, and with whom

The best moment is the end of winter: damp damage is still visible, and you have time to get works priced before the notice goes out. Go in pairs at least — a single observer misses half of it — and invite the caretaker: nobody knows the building corners better.

The 9 areas to inspect

1. Roof and terraces: moss, standing water, flashings, waterproofing joints. From ground level or a hatch if access is safe — take no risks.
2. Facades: cracks, spalling, staining under window sills, condition of joints. Photograph every crack with something for scale.
3. Downpipes and gutters: leaf blockages, overflow marks on the wall, loose fixings.
4. Lobby, stairwells and landings: paint, lighting, handrails, floor condition and letterboxes.
5. Basements and car parks: seepage marks on ceilings, smells, ventilation, obstruction of fire exits.
6. Plant rooms: boiler room, bike store, bin store — cleanliness, ventilation, obsolete equipment.
7. Lift: unusual noises, levelling accuracy, car condition, date of the last inspection displayed.
8. Safety: emergency lights lit, extinguishers in date, fire doors that actually close, legible evacuation plan.
9. Grounds: fences, gate, lighting, trees close to facades and drains.

The photos that will actually be useful

For each defect, always take two images: a wide shot placing the problem in the building, and a close-up with something for scale. Without the wide shot, nobody will know which wall you meant six months later.

The value of the annual walk-through appears at the second one: repeating the same angle next year gives you a comparison worth more than any speech. That is what the issue log is built on: a single photo observes, a series demonstrates.

The board does not need to be a building expert. It needs to be regular.

From walk-through to approved resolution

A walk-through that leads nowhere discourages everyone. The next day, sort your findings into three piles: routine maintenance (report to the manager), items needing a quote (request immediately), and items to be voted at the meeting.

For the third pile, time is against you: a quote must be requested at least six weeks before the notice. Our template request for quotes will save you that delay, and the quote comparison grid will stop you choosing on the bottom line.

Finally, the walk-through feeds two documents directly: the multi-year works plan and the condo board annual report, where it is tangible evidence of activity.

Keep the trace, year after year

An annual walk-through is only worth something cumulatively. With CoproHarmony, each finding becomes a dated issue with its photos, which you retrieve next year to compare — and which the next board will find after you. Create your space for free.

Use the walk-through to check two regulatory files: the asbestos file and the state of the façade ahead of a renovation.

Add the most critical part to your round: fire safety in the common areas.

Two checks to add to the round: the condition of balconies and the access inventory.

Do the round a second time with different eyes: those of accessibility. And spot damp marks before winter.

Three additions usefully complete the round: the cellars, the automatic gate and, before winter, snow clearing arrangements.