TRANSITION WARRANTY INSPECTION REPORT WESTOVER PLACE Community Management by: COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT GROUP Ms. Theresa Bond 882 Field Road, Suite 2B Charlotte, NC 28210 Consultant: MILLER ~ DODSON ASSOCIATES 2661 Riva Road, Ste 1023 Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410.268.0479 Fax: 410.268.8483 www.mdareserves.com SAMPLE REPORT Note: This sample report is based on an actual transition study conducted for a real community in 2008. Please note, however, that the name, location, and other identifying features of this report have been intentionally altered to protect the confidentiality of the Client.
Transcript
TRANSITION WARRANTY INSPECTION REPORT
WESTOVER PLACE
Community Management by:
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT GROUP
Ms. Theresa Bond
882 Field Road, Suite 2B Charlotte, NC 28210
Consultant:
MILLER ~ DODSON ASSOCIATES 2661 Riva Road, Ste 1023
SAMPLE REPORT Note: This sample report is based on an actual transition study conducted for a real community in 2008. Please note, however, that the name, location, and other identifying features of this report have been intentionally altered to protect the confidentiality of the Client.
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Introduction - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008
TRANSITION WARRANTY INSPECTION REPORT
The purpose of this report is to assess the existing condition of the various common elements of Westover Place and to identify any existing or latent conditions that might be considered warranty defects. The inspections upon which this report is based were conducted on February 4 and 5, 2008 by Jim Piper. Credentials for Dr. Piper are included at the end of this report. This inspection included a detailed visual examination of the subject facility, as well as a review of the available drawings and specifications. Information shown on the drawings was compared to the actual built facilities in order to determine that features and amenities were built as indicated. No destructive testing, core sampling, or disassembly of equipment was undertaken. Executive Summary. The inspections show that the facilities and amenities at the Westover Place exhibit several conditions which should be addressed during the course of the Transition from the developer controlled Board to governance by an elected Board of Directors. These conditions include groundwater runoff, improper roof and flashing installation, and improper door installation. The most significant issues concern the roof installation. Transition Warranty Issues and Design / Construction Defects. This report is focused on identifying those issues which, in our opinion, exhibit some construction or design-related defect. The criteria we have used to define “defective” design or construction is as follows:
• Does the design or construction of the individual component or system pose a safety issue?
• Does the design or construction materially limit the intended use or shorten the normal useful life of the individual component or system?
• Does the design or construction materially increase the amount of maintenance that will be
necessary for this individual component or system to reach its normal useful life? It is not our intention nor is it within our purview in this report to offer legal advice concerning whether any issues are covered under a statutory warranty.
Photo 1 - Westover Place
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. General Comments - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION A - GENERAL COMMENTS A.1 Information Provided by the Association. The following documents and drawings were
provided by property manager for review by Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. in conjunction with the preparation of the Transition Study. Some quantities in the Replacement Reserve Inventory were obtained from our review of these drawings and documents.
a. Public Offering Statement. Westover Place Condominium, January 4, 2007, by MJB
Development, LLC. b. As-Built Drawings. Schrader Design, May 18, 2005.
1. General contractor: Clancy & Theys 2. Roofing Manufacturer: Carlisle Syntec, Inc. 3. Roofing installer: Peach State Roofing, Inc. 4. Shingle roof: Murr & Laney, Inc. 5. Landscaping plants: Joyner & Benfield 6. Sprayed-on fireproofing: Warco Construction, Inc. 7. Windows: Jeld Wen 8. Skylights: Naturalite Skylight Systems 9. Trash chute: Carolina Chutes 10. Elevator: Otis Elevator Company 11. Plumbing: Joe Small’s Plumbing, Inc. 12. Sprinkler system: Wayne Automatic Sprinklers, Inc. 13. HVAC systems: J. L. Patterson Co., Inc. 14. Power inverter for garage exhaust fan: Critical Environment Technologies Canada, Inc. 15. Electrical: Basic Electric Company, Inc.
d. Maintenance Documents.
1. Otis Elevator: Owner’s Information Manual 2. Bradford White Residential & Commercial Gas Replacement Parts List (water heaters) 3. Grundfus Circulator Pump – Installation & Maintenance 4. Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. – Shower drains, floor drains, deck drains, and floor cleanouts. 5. Woodford – Wall hydrants, freezeless yard hydrant 6. Prier – Residential wall hydrant 7. NFPA Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire
Protection Systems 8. Condensing Gas Furnaces – User’s Information Guide 9. Trane – Weathertron Heat Pump Use and Care 10. Mitsubishi Electric – Operating Instructions (ductless HVAC system) 11. Toshiba – Instruction Manual (garage exhaust fan power inverter) 12. Critical Environment Technologies – Installation/Operation Manual (carbon dioxide
system controller for garage) 13. White-Rogers Thermostat Operating Instructions 14. Cutler-Hammer panelboards 15. QS1 Fire Alarm Control Panel Technical Reference Manual 16. Power Generation Operator’s Manual (standby generator & transfer switch) 17. Doorking Telephone Entry System Owner’s Manual 18. Door Guard Features & Programming Guide (access system)
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. General Comments - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008 A.2 Information Not Available for Review. Drawings and documents made available to Miller
Dodson Associates, Inc. for our review in preparation of this Transition Study were incomplete. In the near future, the Association will be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of hundreds of thousands of dollars in components. Attempting to perform these tasks without comprehensive drawings and documents will place an unreasonable and expense additional burden on the Association.
Some of the drawings and documents that the Association should acquire are listed below. The lack of proper documents, drawings, and site plans for our review may have resulted in our failure to identify significant defects within the community.
a. Specifications. We received no specifications.
1. The Association should acquire from the Declarant and/or the project architects and
engineers the specifications that were used in conjunction with the installation of the improvements installed within the community.
A.3 Defects. This Transition Study seeks to identify defects in the condominium's common elements.
As used in this Transition Study, the term defect refers to those defects in components constituting any common element which deduce the stability or safety of the component below acceptable standards; restrict the normal intended use of all or part of the component; require repair, renovation, or replacement, or reduce the normal economic life of a component
We have applied this standard throughout this Transition Study.
A.4 Standards. Where appropriate, we have used Industry Standards as defined by our professional
judgment to comment on the construction observed within the community. We may have also used requirements generated by the following organizations and documents in our review:
a. National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) b. The Complete Concrete, Masonry, and Brick Handbook by J. T. Adams
A.5 Safety. Defects that are potential safety hazards should be repaired immediately to prevent
personal injury and to protect the Association from potential liability.
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Grounds and Drainage - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION B - GROUNDS AND DRAINAGE B.1 Tree Removed. Drawing A1.0 shows a 36” oak
tree between the building and Fenton Place. The tree has been removed with no replacement.
B.2 Drainage From Adjacent Property. The parking lot to the west of the property is draining
across the concrete sidewalk in front of the building and across the area between the sidewalk and the street creating a muddy area.
Photo 2 - Area where the oak tree was removed
Photo 3 - Source of runoff flooding front walk Photo 4 - Area that floods
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Site Improvements - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION C - SITE IMPROVEMENTS C.1 Brick Sidewalk Elevation. The brick sidewalk,
as at approaches the steps on the south-west corner of the building, has a significant decrease in elevation followed by an increase in elevation to the top of the steps. These changes in elevation are directing water from the walk down the brick ramp in front of the building. The elevation changes also create a trip hazard.
C.2 Brick Sidewalk Depression. The brick sidewalk
along the side of the building has an area that has settled near the manhole. The settled area is creating a trip hazard.
C.3 Sidewalk Trip Hazard. We found one location
near the side entrance to the building where bricks have settled sufficiently to create a trip hazard.
Photo 5 - Sidewalk elevation change
Photo 6 - Depression in sidewalk
Photo 7 - Trip hazard from settled brick
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Site Improvements - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008 C.4 Cleanouts. Three cleanouts have been set in the
sidewalk. The elevation of the cleanout top surface is sufficiently above the surface of the brick sidewalk to create a trip hazard.
C.5 Brick Sidewalk Edges. We found no indication
that edging was installed along the sides of the brick sidewalks. The edging typically extends under several courses of the bricks along the edge of walk and helps to hold the edge bricks in place. We found several locations where the bricks are separating along the edge of the walks, creating a trip hazard.
C.6 Retaining Wall Joint Failure. A section of the
mortar joints in the retaining wall along the brick ramp in front of the building has failed.
Photo 8 - Sidewalk trip hazard
Photo 9 - Concrete used in place of metal edging
Photo 10 - Retaining wall joint failure
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Site Improvements - Page 3 Westover Place February 5, 2008 C.7 Retaining Wall to Building Joint. The joint
between the building and the retaining wall, located along the exit drive, is not properly installed and sealed.
C.8 Railing Pockets. A number of the pockets where the handrail is mounted along the steps and
ramp in front of the building are not properly filled with grout. This is allowing water to pool at the base of the railing and will accelerate its corrosion.
C.9 Fencing Finish Failure. We noted six sections of fencing along the rear of the property where
the finish has failed and is pealing.
Photo 11 - Open joint between retaining wall and building front
Photo 12 - Open railing pocket, typical Photo 13 - Open railing pocket, typical
Photo 14 - Failed finish on rear fence Photo 15 - Failed finish on rear fence
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION D - BUILDING ROOF We have included a sketch of the roof to assist in identifying the location of the defects listed below. The sketch is not to scale and the defect locations are approximate.
D.1 Ponding Water. We noted several locations where water was ponded on the roof even though
there had been no rain in the area for more than 96 hours. In two of the locations where ponding is occurring, the structure installed to support the condensing units blocks proper drainage. The other locations are the result of inadequate or improper roof slope. Ponding in at least two of the locations exceeded two inches deep.
Ponded water can damage roofing materials by chemically altering their composition. The weight of the water can also cause physical damage to the roof by collapsing the roof's insulation. All roof surfaces must fully drain within 24 hours to prevent this damage.
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008
D.2 Loose Sections of Membrane. The Carlisle roof installed on the building uses a fully adhered
membrane. We found a number of locations where the membrane has separated from the underlying material. As a result, air and possibly moisture are collecting under the membrane. Typical causes of separation include improper application methods and entrapment of moisture under the membrane.
D.3 Nail Penetration. We found one location where
a nail has been driven through the membrane. The nail head is exposed and is corroding. Nail penetrations without proper sealing damage the integrity of the roof membrane and will result in the penetration of water into the underlying layers of the roof.
D.4 Counter Flashing Installation. The copper counter flashing installed under the capstones,
along all vertical walls, and around the skylights is improperly installed. The installation technique
Photo 16 - Water trapped by HVAC support frame
Photo 17 - Ponded water
Photo 18 - Water trapped by HVAC support frame
Photo 19 - No drain for trapped water
Photo 20 - Nail through roof membrane
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 3 Westover Place February 5, 2008
used has resulted in open gaps at outside corners and inside corners. These open gaps increase the chances that water can penetrate behind the upturned roof membrane.
D.5 Missing Counter Flashing. Counter flashing
was not installed in two locations. This will allow water to penetrate behind the upturned roof membrane.
D.6 Capstone, Poor Workmanship. The capstones along the roof perimeter have been installed in
such a way that mortar was allowed to adhere to the exposed copper counter flashing, resulting in staining and poor appearance. This condition exists throughout the entire roof.
Photo 21 - Typical open outside corner, typical Photo 22 - Open gap at corner
Photo 23 - Counterflashing not properly attached, typical
Photo 24 - Open inside corner, typical
Photo 25 - Missing section of counterflashing
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 4 Westover Place February 5, 2008
D.7 Capstone, Crack. A capstone on the back wall
of the building is cracked. The crack penetrates the entire width and depth of the capstone. This crack will allow water to penetrate through the capstone and into the brickwork.
D.8 Capstone Improperly Cut. Two sections of capstone have been improperly cut, resulting in
exposed sections of parapet wall. Prolonged exposure will allow water to penetrate the wall.
Photo 29 - Improperly cut capstone Photo 30 - Capstone cut too short
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 5 Westover Place February 5, 2008 D.9 Uneven Capstones. Two capstones were not
installed level. D.10 Capstones, Failed Joints. We identified a number of locations where the mortar joints under the
capstones have failed or were not properly installed. The failure of these joints is increasing the chances that moisture will penetrate the parapet walls and the counter flashing will pull loose.
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Roof - Page 6 Westover Place February 5, 2008 D.11 Gutter Slope. The gutter installed along the roof
of the stair tower is sloped away from the downspout. This will result in water not being able to properly drain from the gutter. It will also increase the chances that the weight of the standing water will loosen the gutter from the wall.
Photo 36 - Improperly sloped gutter
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Exterior - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION E - BUILDING EXTERIOR E.1 Front Door Weatherstripping. The front door
was installed without weatherstripping. The lack of weatherstripping is resulting is excessive heat loss through the gap between the door and its frame. It also increases the level of noise generated whenever the door is closed. Residents have complained of the noise generated by the closing of the front door.
E.2 Lobby Doors. The doors between the lobby and
the parking garage are installed without a sill plate and without weatherstripping. The lack of a sill plate will allow water from any flooding in the garage area to enter the lobby. The lack of weatherstripping results in excessive heat loss through the gap between the doors and their frames.
E.3 Roof Access Door. The roof access door is difficult to open and close due to the type of sweep
installed on the base of the door and the way in which the sweep is installed. Although the door is mounted on spring hinges, it will not close on its own. This creates a situation where the door could accidentally be left open.
The paint finish on the roof access door and its frame is in poor condition due to poor workmanship. The finish on the door is streaky and inconsistent. It appears that two different shades of paint were applied to the door frame.
Photo 37 - Front door frame showing no weatherstripping
Photo 38 - Lobby door, typical
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Exterior - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008
E.4 Rear Entrance Door. The paint finish on the rear entrance door and its frame is in poor
condition due to poor workmanship. The finish on the door is streaky and inconsistent. It appears that two different shades of paint were applied to the door frame.
E.5 Railing Stains. Most of the lower level balconies have rust stains on the concrete fascia and
coping. These stains are coming from the drain holes in the railings mounted on the balconies. The stains appear either at the center of the railing section, directly under the drain hole, or near the ends of the railings by their wall fasteners. The stains are forming on the balconies on which the railings are installed as well as on concrete surfaces below the balconies. There are 24 locations where the concrete has been stained by rust from the railing.
Photo 45 - Railing center drain hole with rust Photo 46 - Railing end drain hole with rust
Photo 47 - Stains over garage exit Photo 48 - Stains over garage exit
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Interior - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION F - BUILDING INTERIOR F.1 Door Stop. The door stop for the door between
the lobby and the parking garage (exit side) is missing its rubber cap. This will result in damage to the door as it contacts the metal of the door stop.
The door for the third floor mechanical room does not have a door stop installed to prevent damage to the wall.
F.2 Door Trim Gaps. A gap has formed between sections of the door trim on the mechanical room
doors on the third and fourth floors.
F.3 Crown Molding Separation. The crown molding
over the entrance to unit #484 has separated from the ceiling.
F.4 Unfinished Concrete in Stairwell. There are sections of exposed, unfinished concrete in
stairwell #2. The unfinished concrete is on the second and fourth floors.
Photo 49 - Lobby door stop
Photo 50 - Gap in mechanical room door trim Photo 51 - Gap in mechanical room door trim
Photo 52 - Crown molding/ceiling gap
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Building Interior - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Mechanical & Electrical Systems - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION G - MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS G.1 Lobby HVAC Unit. The ductless HVAC unit
mounted on the wall in the lobby is excessively noisy. These units are designed for quiet operation.
G.2 Elevator Panel Damage. The wall panel to the
left of the control panel in the elevator has been damaged by scratching.
G.3 Light Ballasts. It was reported that the community has experienced a high number of failures of
the compact fluorescent lamp ballasts. These ballasts are electronic and have a service life of 20 to 25 years under normal operating conditions.
During the site visit, it was noted that one of the ceiling mounted compact fluorescent lamps in the parking garage was not operating. Approximately two hours later, it was operating although no one had replaced the ballast or lamp.
Most electronic ballasts are equipped with thermal protection to prevent their failure from over heating. If the ballasts are not properly suited for the design of the fixture in which they are installed, they could be overheating. Another possibility is that the power being supplied to the building by the local utility has a high level of harmonics or other noise that is causing the ballasts to over heat. It is also possible that the voltage being supplied to the light fixtures is incorrect.
Photo 55 - Lobby HVAC unit
Photo 56 - Damaged elevator panel
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Mechanical & Electrical Systems - Page 2 Westover Place February 5, 2008 G.4 Dead Electrical Outlet. The electrical outlet
located at ground level on the north side of the building is inoperative.
Photo 57 - Dead rear electrical outlet
Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Parking Garage - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION H - PARKING GARAGE H.1 Water Penetration. There is an area near the
south east corner of the parking garage where water is penetrating the wall and/or floor.
H.2 Non-Firestopped Penetration. Two areas where piping penetrates the wall between the parking
garage and the lobby area are not properly firestopped. These areas include the electric line run into the trash room from the garage, and a sprinkler line located by the exit from the garage.
Analyst’s Credentials. This study has been performed by James E. Piper, who holds a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Akron and a PhD from the University of Maryland. Dr. Piper is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland, and the author of articles and books on the subject of the condition assessment of facilities. He has over 20 years experience in the evaluation and the management of the physical plant of the University of Maryland. He is currently a Reserve Specialist (RS) for Miller - Dodson Associates.
Photo 58 - Garage water leak
Photo 59 - No firestop in wall penetration Photo 60 - No firestop in wall penetration
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Miller - Dodson Associates, Inc. Unit Owner Surveys - Page 1 Westover Place February 5, 2008 SECTION I - UNIT OWNER SURVEYS As part of this study, a survey was distributed through the property manager to unit owners. The purpose of the Unit Owner Survey was to gather information from the homeowners about construction defects in the common elements of the community. The intent of these questions was to determine if any defects in a common element are resulting in consequential damage to other components. A total of three surveys were returned. The items reported in the survey are as follows: I.1 Water Leak in Garage. One unit owner reported a water leak in the parking garage (see item
H.1). I.2 Door Air Leakage. Three unit owners reported air leakage around the common area exterior
doors (see items E.1, E.2, E.3, and E.4). I.3 Runoff. Two unit owners reported flooding of the front lawn due to runoff from the neighboring
parking lot (see item B.2). I.4 Brick Steps. One unit owner reported a broken brick in the steps in the brick sidewalk. I.5 Lighting. One unit owner reported frequent burnouts of the garage and exterior lighting (see
item G.3). I.6 Insufficient Lighting. One unit owner reported insufficient lighting at the entry to the building. Respectfully submitted, MILLER - DODSON ASSOCIATES James E. Piper, RS Reserve Specialist
