In today’s ever-evolving regulatory landscape, maintaining the structural integrity of buildings is not just a legal obligation but a fundamental aspect of ensuring safety and longevity. The New Jersey S2760/A4384 structural integrity law mandates rigorous standards for property owners and Community Association Institutes (CAIs) to safeguard against structural deficiencies. Compliance with these laws is crucial,….
Transitioning control of a Homeowners Association (HOA) from the developer to the residents is a crucial and complex milestone in the development of a community. This process, particularly in New Jersey, involves a multitude of legal, financial, and administrative steps designed to ensure a seamless and effective transfer, fostering the sustainable management of the community…..
In the aftermath of the catastrophic building collapse in Florida, New Jersey has taken proactive legislative steps by enacting Bill S2760/A4384. This legislation specifically targets condominiums and cooperatives, with the goal of enhancing structural safety and preventing similar tragedies. It establishes stringent requirements for periodic structural inspections and the maintenance of reserve funds, ensuring buildings….
The building envelope is a critical yet often understated component of architectural design, playing a pivotal role in defining a structure’s aesthetic, functionality, and sustainability. This essential boundary separates the interior from the exterior, acting as a shield against environmental elements while maintaining a comfortable indoor atmosphere. In this exploration, we delve into the nuances….
Building envelope consulting is a specialized field focused on the design, analysis, and construction of the outer shell of buildings, known as the building envelope. This envelope includes all the critical components of a building separating its interior from the exterior environment, such as walls, roofs, windows, doors, and foundation systems. The primary goals of….
Liabilities and Risks of Ignoring Issues: An Engineer’s Perspective Question: A recent reserve study identified a number of repairs/replacements that should be addressed in the community. However, while the reserve is being funded on a monthly basis, there isn’t enough in the current reserve fund for the repairs/replacements. With inflation and knowing that owners won’t….
Typically when I am discussing water problems with the condo’s property manager or the board, the focus is on leaking roofs, foundations, windows, or other building envelope points of water infiltration. Instead, this article’s focus will be on water damage problems from inside sources and their prevention.It is hard to talk about inside water damage….
Workmanship, Quality Control & Water… Probably because I have inspected thousands of condo buildings and their units for construction defects and other issues, I am often asked by both prospective condo buyers and property managers to name the most common problems found in new condo developments. Interesting enough, new condo buildings have more hidden problems….
Criterium Engineers was founded in the days when building plans were meticulously designed and drawn by hand. The dedicated engineer’s talisman—the plastic drafting triangle—could once be found on almost every drawing table in our offices. And while a clear plastic triangle might easily be lost on piles of white paper, bright orange drafting triangles always….
Since the tragedy this summer in Surfside, Florida, building managers and condo boards have been reviewing the cost of deferred repairs and their fiduciary responsibilities when it comes to facility safety and maintenance with greater scrutiny than ever before. But where to look first? There are many types of condos from high-rises to townhouses to….