Spring is right around the corner, and for property managers it brings a whole new spring property maintenance to-do list that encompasses not only the house and out-outbuildings but the entire property.
People often focus on winterizing the home – making sure the pipes don’t freeze and the roof is strong enough to withstand a heavy snowfall. There is an energy of going into hibernation – and preventing problems before they occur, especially if it’s a residence such as a beach house that is not used during the winter months. Preparing for the spring, on the other hand, is more of an exciting process in anticipation of all that season has to offer – whether you love planning outdoor dinner parties or simply looking out the window at your favorite flowers and trees. However, it takes a lot of work to make it all come to life. Cleaning the exterior of the home is a given, but there are other things that must be more carefully planned and coordinated, much more so, in fact, than when preparing for the winter.
In previous posts, we discussed the benefits of using EstateSpace as a “digital manual,” or a guide from which to manage every aspect of the home(s). This includes seasonal maintenance. You can create workflow schedules for each area, as well as the supplies needed, links to order them, and contact information for landscape designers, tree pruners, and exterior cleaning crews.
Here are just a few of the things you have to care for when preparing for the spring property maintenance:
- Give the grass room to breathe – that perfectly manicured lawn won’t look so perfect unless you first remove all the debris that collected during the winter. For healthy growth, you will need to ensure that your landscapers not only mow the lawn but aerate (making holes in the ground to facilitate irrigation) and dethatch (removing dead grass) it.
- Planting: each type of flower, tree, and shrub has its own planting schedule and protocols, as well as ongoing care requirements. It gets even more complicated if the estate grows its own fruits and vegetables, as you have to make sure you harvest at the right time. EstateSpace allows you to keep a running inventory of everything, whether it is currently growing on the property or is a new addition, noting what needs to be done and when. Principals with green thumbs can also check the manual so they can fit their passion for gardening into their busy schedules.
- HVAC maintenance: While clearly much of your spring prep will involve the grounds of the estate, you can’t forget about the home itself. Many people worry about not having heat when it’s twenty degrees, but if you’ve ever gone without air conditioning on those triple-digit days you know that can be even more unpleasant. Also, given shifting weather patterns, we can no longer rely on the calendar to set deadlines. It is important to have the system checked before the equinox so you’re prepared if the heat sneaks up on us. This includes opening a summer home early if the long-term forecast is favorable.
For property managers, seasonal maintenance can amount to (another) full-time job, especially if there are multiple homes hundreds or thousands of miles away and in different climates. Fortunately, we have singular platforms like EstateSpace that make it easier to oversee all the moving parts and keep the estate beautiful, running smoothly, and enjoyable to principals and their guests.
