Your HOA manager controls reserve budgets, vendor contracts, and communication with hundreds of homeowners—yet many property owners never ask the right questions about their maintenance strategy. A poorly managed maintenance plan can drain reserves quickly, leave critical repairs undone, and breed resident frustration. Before signing a management contract or renewing with your current manager, you need clarity on exactly how they'll keep your community running.
What's Your Reserve Study Process?
A reserve study is the backbone of any solid maintenance plan. This is a professional assessment of your building's major systems—roof, foundation, parking lot, common areas—and their remaining useful life. Ask your manager when the last study was completed and by whom. Most associations should commission a full reserve study every 3 years; anything older than that is outdated.
Ask specifically: "What percentage of the study's recommendations do we currently have funded?" If your reserve fund sits below 70% of fully funded, you're underfunded and likely facing special assessments down the road. A competent manager will explain the funding timeline and how they're working to improve it.
How Do You Select and Manage Vendors?
This is where corners get cut. Ask whether your manager uses a competitive bidding process for major contracts (typically those over $5,000–$10,000). Do they require sealed bids? Multiple quotes? Or do they have long-standing relationships that bypass competition?
Request a list of your top 10 vendors by contract value. Ask how often these contracts are re-bid and whether your manager receives kickbacks or referral fees—ethical managers should disclose any financial ties openly. Also ask about vendor insurance requirements: are general contractors bonded? Do they carry liability insurance above minimum thresholds?
What's Your Preventive Maintenance Schedule?
Reactive maintenance (fixing things only when they break) costs 3–5 times more than preventive maintenance. Ask your manager for a written calendar of planned maintenance activities for the next 12 months.
What to look for:
- Roof inspections scheduled before major weather seasons
- HVAC filter changes and ductwork cleaning annually
- Parking lot seal coating and crack filling every 5–7 years
- Foundation and exterior wall inspections
- Gutter and drain cleaning at least twice yearly
- Pool or hot tub chemical testing and equipment servicing schedules
- Landscaping trimming near siding and utilities
A manager who can't produce this document is flying by the seat of their pants.
How Do You Report Maintenance Issues to Homeowners?
Transparency here prevents legal headaches. Ask whether they notify residents before work begins, especially if it causes disruption. How long do they keep records of completed work orders? (Answer: at least 7 years for audit purposes.)
Ask about their response time for non-emergency requests: is there a written standard like "within 5 business days"? For emergencies—burst pipes, electrical hazards—what's the 24/7 protocol?
What Are Your Hidden Costs?
Management fees often don't include everything. Ask whether your contract covers:
- Site inspections and walk-throughs
- Reserve study updates
- Vendor bid coordination
- Work order processing
- Emergency response coordination
- Insurance and legal consultation
Some managers charge additional hourly rates for special projects, architectural reviews, or vendor disputes. Typical management fees for condos and HOAs run $500–$1,500 per month for small communities (under 50 units) and $0.50–$1.50 per unit monthly for larger complexes. Anything above these ranges warrants a second opinion.
How Will You Communicate Progress?
Request a sample of the monthly or quarterly maintenance report you'll receive. It should include:
- Work completed that month
- Upcoming planned maintenance
- Any budget variances or overages
- Reserve fund status
- Safety or compliance issues identified
Vague reports like "routine maintenance performed" tell you nothing. Demand specificity.
Making Your Decision
Before hiring or renewing a manager, get answers to these questions in writing. Compare their maintenance plan against a reserve study (if you have one) and against other bids. Mercoly makes it easy to compare and find trusted HOA and condo association management providers in one place, so you can evaluate responses side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often should an HOA conduct a reserve study, and who should do it? A: Most professional standards recommend every 3 years by an accredited reserve specialist, though annual updates are common. After 3 years, studies become unreliable due to inflation and material degradation changes.
Q: What's a reasonable reserve fund percentage for a healthy HOA? A: Industry consensus is 70% to 100% fully funded; below 70% signals underfunding and future special assessments, while above 100% may indicate unnecessary over-collection.
Q: Can I request my HOA switch vendors if I'm unhappy with maintenance quality? A: Yes—you can propose a motion at a board meeting or request a formal bid process, though the board ultimately decides; documenting poor work (photos, dates, complaints) strengthens your case.
Contact Mercoly today to compare vetted HOA management providers and get detailed maintenance plans tailored to your community's needs.