Board Member or Property Manager, Here’s How to Successfully Complete Your Housing Company’s Projects – 5 Key Steps and Many Important Tips

Housing company maintenance projects are major investments that require careful planning and execution. Whether it’s a painting contract, roof renovation, or facade maintenance, good project management brings quality, cost savings, and ensures satisfied residents. Here are five key steps to help your housing company’s projects run according to plan.

1. Careful Planning – Lay the Foundation for Success Before You Start

• Define clear objectives: Before starting the project, the housing company’s board should define the project’s exact objectives. How will the project improve living comfort, property value, or energy efficiency?
  
• Budgeting and financing: Financing should be planned in advance, and the housing company can consider various financing options. A good cost estimate helps ensure that unexpected expenses are avoided.
  
• Informing residents: Start communication already in the planning phase. Keeping residents up to date engages them and reduces questions that arise later.
  
• Prepare for different scenarios: Surprises may emerge during the survey phase. Something in the initial situation may not be as originally thought.
  
• External supervisor: If the project exceeds €10,000 in size, it is highly recommended to hire an external supervisor for the project to save yourself many headaches. This way, you don’t have to be a construction project professional yourself.

2. Thorough Competitive Bidding and Choosing a Reliable Partner

• The importance of the bidding process: Request multiple quotes from reliable industry operators. Usually 3–5 is a suitable number. Compare quotes carefully not only in terms of price, but also work quality and warranties. Also ensure that the warranty is sufficient if the worst happens.
  
• Checking reliability: Always ask for references and review the operator’s previous projects. Assess their ability to stay on schedule and within budget. The cheapest is rarely the best. What kind of resources does the company have? If it’s a small company, what happens if a key person gets sick? How long has the company been in business? If these things are in poor shape, there’s a risk that the company won’t be able to respond to complaints.
  
• The importance of long-term warranty services: Choose a supplier who can offer long-term warranty and aftercare. This ensures that they are responsible for the work even after the project is completed.
  
• Comparability of bids: Ensure that the quotes have the same content or are comparable: for example, are the square meter amounts the same in both
  
• Workplace safety: Ensure that safety instructions and plans are in order.

3. Effective Communication During the Project

• Clear communication plan: Agree early on who is responsible for project communication in the housing company and how (and how often) residents will be informed about project progress and possible disruptions.
  
• Interim reporting: Smooth communication between the contractor and the housing company is important. The contractor should report regularly on progress and possible challenges.
  
• Resident bulletins and addressing questions: Organize information sessions when necessary and provide residents with a clear channel for questions and feedback.

4. Final Inspection and Quality Assurance

• Careful inspection before handover: Before the project is completed, a final inspection should always be carried out to check the quality of the work and ensure that all agreed actions have been completed. Also require the contractor to conduct a self-inspection before the actual final inspection, so that the contractors haven’t already left for the next site.
  
• Taking resident feedback into account: Ask residents for feedback on the project and find out if they are satisfied with the result. This also helps the board make improvements to future projects.
  
• Documentation and warranties: Ensure that all warranty papers and project documents are stored and easily accessible for future maintenance.
  

5. Aftercare and Long-Term Maintenance

• Regular maintenance visits: The housing company’s board can arrange maintenance visits and inspections with the contractor to ensure the property remains in good condition long after the project.
  
• Plan for long-term maintenance: A long-term maintenance plan helps the board anticipate future maintenance needs and budget for them.
  
• Partnership in ongoing care: A well-maintained partnership with a reliable supplier can make future projects easier and smoother, as the supplier already has knowledge of the property and housing company.
  

In conclusion:
A well-planned and executed project is a long-term investment for the housing company that increases property value and resident satisfaction. With proper preparation and reliable partners, you can ensure that all project stakeholders are satisfied with the result – and the project is successfully completed.