Are Product System Mock-Ups Worth It?

Nov. 6, 2015 — Like death and taxes, capital improvements are an inevitable part of a co-op or condo board's life. They may not happen during your term, but at some point, some part of your building is going to need to be replaced or upgraded. Bidding systems for contractors or other professionals are fine, but who vets the products and systems they use?

In Skyline Restoration's fall 2015 issue of their quarterly newsletter, Adam McManus of Sullivan Engineering explains why a board should be open to installing mock-ups before going through with a large project: "Static product comparison mock-ups are often installed to compare and choose the most aesthetically pleasing match to a building facade feature. Other product comparison mock-ups are installed to test their functionality ... A project plan should always factor in periods of time to test products in place and monitor their performance through weathering and traffic use." No one likes adding steps to capital improvements, but when you can see for yourself how a product will last, it's worth looking into.