We Got New Stuff Around Here

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
In addition to the two new faucets I had to purchase for the kitchen and bathroom sinks as well as the tub, for the past few months, remodeling and refurbishing has taken place in our complex's buildings and the laundry room. The hallways were painted. We got new flooring in each building. They took up the carpeting and installed wood look ceramic tile.

We also got a brand new doorbell/intercom/camera system that allows us to see who's ringing our bells. That was long overdue since one half the time our doorbells did not work. Now we can just buzz visitors in; this is particularly nice for my neighbors, most of whom are seniors like me, who live on the 2nd and 3rd floors. I can also see a little of what's going on beyond the stoop, down to the corner and a bit of the cross street up to a block away. I still haven't quite gotten used to seeing the unit on my wall though.

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The laundry room was repainted, including the floors. And we got a new sink with a swivel faucet. They need to find a better solution to the flooring because soon after the floor is repainted, it starts chipping again. But at least for now the room looks nice and fresh. For those who've seen me post about preferring to go down when nobody else is there, you can see why with the limited space and narrow passing area. I always use one of the first two machines, which are double loaders. I hardly ever use the dryers, which are not seen here. All exterior remodeling and maintenance is included in our HOA dues.


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@OneEyedDiva,

Do you and the other condo owners get to vote on capital expenditures or does the management company do what it feels is appropriate.

The cost of special assessments for repairs and improvements has become a hot issue, in this area, that has forced some long time residents to sell units rather than foot the bill for increased fees and assessments.
 

Aunt Bea said:
@OneEyedDiva,

Do you and the other condo owners get to vote on capital expenditures or does the management company do what it feels is appropriate.

The cost of special assessments for repairs and improvements has become a hot issue, in this area, that has forced some long time residents to sell units rather than foot the bill for increased fees and assessments.
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I live in a co-op, not a condo and there is a slight difference. Apparently stockholders did influence the last assessment that management and the board imposed. A $100 assessment was proposed but people balked at that, so they made it $50. No official votes are taken, however. Eventually that $50 was added to our carrying charges (now called HOA dues). If it were up to me, I would have kept it at $100. We need the money and that still would have us paying significantly less than comparable two and three bedroom apartments in the area.

The added $50 brought our payments up to $644 for two bedroom units. It was only the second assessment we've gotten and I've been living here for almost 54 years. Garden and luxury apartments (the only ones I'd consider) in our area start at $2,533 for two bedrooms. My BFF, who has a condo in a resort town, has experienced assessments in the thousands, but not nearly as much as her friend. Her friend owns a million dollar plus condo in Florida. My BFF said her friend was assessed $30,000 last year! Condo owners in Florida will be experiencing these large assessments because now condo building owners/managers are on alert about fixing any structural problems so no more building collapses happen. I also think their insurance rates went up.
 
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Trish said:
@OneEyedDiva I think having a laundry room is such a good idea. A lot of apartments have gyms and pools but, I don't know any who have a laundry.

Are those mats outside the doors fixed? loose mats can be slippery on ceramic tiles.

It all looks very smart :)
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Thank you Trish. The mats have rubber backings so not likely to slip that easily. I've had my mat for a long time. It actually perfectly matched the carpeting we had. Since it matches the new flooring too, I'm not getting a new one like my neighbors did.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Thank you Trish. The mats have rubber backings so not likely to slip that easily. I've had my mat for a long time. It actually perfectly matched the carpeting we had. Since it matches the new flooring too, I'm not getting a new one like my neighbors did.
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I wouldn't replace it either, it looks good. The rubber backings are good too, I got some for my mother after she fell over a rug. (y)
 
Trish said:
I wouldn't replace it either, it looks good. The rubber backings are good too, I got some for my mother after she fell over a rug. (y)
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Thank you, but my mat is not in the picture. It is still in good shape though. I hope your mom is alright now!
 
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I forgot to put that we finally got new mailboxes a few months ago. They are twice as big as the previous ones which were wholly inadequate for mail that comes in large manila envelopes. I had also started getting my meds shipped here after closing my PO box. I usually only order two prescriptions at a time (the pharmacy puts them in ridiculously large plastic envelopes). The mail person used to have to leave the packages by my door. Now they fit in the mailbox.

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RedAlert76 said:
@OneEyedDiva - looks like your 'moving on up to the East Side now. improvements are nice
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Yes, they are trying to keep things up and I hope they continue to do so. I guess about a decade ago, we got new vinyl siding and new roofs.

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We also got a courtyard remodel. Where the stones are, it used to be wood that had started to deteriorate and we had a different type of railing..
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