Stratton Woods Condominiums

"We had a whole plan mapped out of which buildings we were going to tackle at a time, but then we realized every building had some some sort of problem."

-Amy, Association Board Member

Stratton Woods Condominium, nestled in the picturesque town of Scarborough, Maine, was built in the 1980s. This charming New England community comprises 22 neighbors, not just fellow owners.

SPS Savings Blueprint Summary

Facts: Pervasive sheathing rot behind siding and at the roof to wall transitions due to improper flashing installation methods.

Options: Phased building envelope replacement, phased component replacement, and funding with reserve funds, special assessment, and/or a loan.

Path Forward: SPS30 Full building envelope restoration project funded with a 30-year loan.

Deferred Maintenance Strikes Again

Like many communities, Stratton Woods faced the consequences of compounding years of deferred maintenance. Each year, minor issues were addressed incrementally in the form of spot repairs, postponing more significant improvements to future dates despite the buildings' age and decay.

“If you wait to do a bigger project, you will be costing these owners more money.”
“The problems will get bigger; they’ll get more expensive.”
-Linda Douglass, Property Manager

Overcoming Challenges With the Right Partner

The board first reached out to contractors local to their area but found none capable of tackling the replacement project they had organized. The fragmented approach of hiring separate vendors for roofing, siding, and project management proved financially unfeasible. That’s when they discovered SPS.

Initially, homeowners were skeptical about the severity of the issues. It was not clear to them that a project of any serious magnitude was necessary. Part of our process at SPS includes conducting an invasive inspection, and it wasn’t until the inspection that critical concerns were revealed, and the need for a comprehensive solution became clear.

“We were lucky to find SPS at that point because we couldn’t have moved forward.”
-Jill, Association Board Member

Unveiling Hidden Issues

The invasive inspection provided an unprecedented look into the underlying problems. The findings revealed that their building’s skin was not continuous, and there were more hidden issues than anyone originally knew about. Water had leaked into the windows and siding, and the plywood and framing in the wall were deteriorating in rot.

The board faced many challenging community meetings, during which many homeowners were focused on the materials and colors of the replacement. They were determined to educate and move in a direction that would never again prolong or worsen their building envelope issues.

“We’re well beyond what the clothes are going to look like, we don’t have skin”
“Without the invasive study, we never could have tipped the scales.”
-Jill, Association Board Member

Think of Your Building Envelope Like a Rain Jacket

Using high quality exterior materials is not enough to ensure that your buildings are protected from the elements. Without high quality installation, your building is similar to having a fancy rain jacket that you don't wear properly. Think of the rain jacket like your building's weather proofing barrier and your skin like your sheathing.

Rain Jacket Tucked into Your Pants: If there is not proper flashing or connection between components of your building envelope, water can make its way in and cause rot. Your skin will get wet.

Rain Jacket with a Disconnected Hood: If there are gaps at the transition points of your building envelope components, water can make its way in and cause rot. Your skin will get wet.

Rain Jacket and Hood: Proper flashing and connection at transition points will creates a necessary water barrier for your home. A rain jacket will keep you dry, but only if it is worn the proper way.

A New Beginning for Stratton Woods

Following extensive planning and securing community support, Stratton Woods embarked on a full building envelope restoration. Two years after the invasive inspection, the community now enjoys homes with restored integrity and renewed confidence.

“It’s done, and we made the right decision. Everybody is very, very happy.”
-Peter, Association Board Member

When a Roofing and Siding Project Quickly Became So Much More