Some of our clients believe that, since we are the experts, why would we need to bother their vendors and contractors? There are several reasons but your time is valuable, so we will only discuss the two that are most relevant. First, at the time of our field work, there are often areas or components that we are unable to observe because they are turned off or go unused by residents during our time in the field (garage doors, exhaust fans, boilers, and exterior lighting components, to name a few). The most pertinent example for this post and this time of year is the community pool. During the winter, pool equipment is taken offline, the pool is covered and there is no way to evaluate the plaster or to observe the working condition of the equipment. As a result, we need to call the pool contractor to get their opinion on the condition of the plaster and equipment. Second, every property is different regardless of perceived similarities (same developer, same builder, same number of units, etc.). If certain contractors are available to discuss their trade, or the property as a whole, we would prefer to talk with those who are most familiar with the property for accurate replacement and maintenance costs. So, the next time you are asked for a list of vendors that have extensive knowledge of your community, don’t think we are asking someone else to do our job. Instead, understand that we are doing our due diligence to acquire the most accurate information possible; so we can deliver the best Reserve Study for your community