Property Managers Grapple with Costs & Regulations

“I wouldn’t do 5000 BTU in most of those rooms. In Central Texas, 5000 is really only in the ballpark for the 98 square feet room; 176, 231, 256 and especially 318 square feet will likely struggle hard in summer, especially in room rentals with doors opening and closing. If this is temporary, use larger window units; if longer-term, mini-splits make more sense for the bigger rooms.”

“In my complex the office gives out filters upon request. I'm thinking about starting a business where I deliver Air Filters on a quarterly schedule to every door in the complex. The Complex owner would not have to worry about stocking filters themselves, or worry about the renter neglecting the HVAC system. This would prevent expensive HVAC repair costs. I would not expect to make a livable wage from just One apartment complex as i would need 10+ different sites. Thoughts on this? Be honest”

“We have a few buildings where we as PM control the share heat or boiler system. Wondering if you have any firm rules about when you turn on the shared heat for the year or just default to when tenants complain enough about being cold? Midwest operator- we are seeing low temps just starting to hit below 50 but back up to the 80s during the day. Set by average low temperatures? Set by specific time of year (always Oct 1?) Some other metric? submitted by /u/elprez07 [link] [commen”

“Hey all. I've spent 20 years in commercial plumbing and mechanical service, field and management side, and now I do consulting full time. I keep seeing property managers get stuck in the middle when a plumbing bid looks wrong and they can't tell whether the number is real or padded. Happy to answer questions here. Stuff like: Is this quote reasonable for this work What to look for before you sign off on a job Weird building plumbing issues nobody can explain What to ask a plumber before”

“For a multifamily portfolio, the distributor opportunity seems less about selling one installation and more about whether the same platform can be supported repeatedly. Property managers have to live with parts availability, technician familiarity, warranty claims, controls, tenant access, and future replacements long after the first project closes. A supplier that is easy to buy from but hard to service probably won’t become a portfolio standard. Which distributor capability would matter most b”

“Great list already. One thing worth adding to the "ask about" pile: utility billing, if any of your units are on RUBS or a shared utility split. Ask directly whether the PM company (or a third-party billing vendor they use) takes a cut of what's billed back to tenants, and how allocation is calculated. It's a similar hidden-cost pattern to maintenance markups, some vendors add a per-unit fee or percentage that's easy to miss until you're already locked in. Also worth as”

“A bit if back story Im currently working as a hvac service tech but do not have my epa cert, but I know the procedure for replacing compressors and evap coils along with diagnosing parts and the jobs dos/donts. Ive been job hunting for the past couple months to see if id get a call back and got through 3 interviews for a job recently got the offered the position today but during the interview process I lied about holding my epa cert. Now I dont need to switch jobs but the job sounds like a nice”

“more power, less distribution, less dehumidification. If you want to get into the math do a manual J and Manual D analysis on them. Basis - been building houses and hvac for 20 years. If you are Joe Lstiburek I'm deferring to you, but otherwise I tend to think you are undereducated in this area. If you think a non repairable window unit is easier to deal with when broken then an easy to repair unit, I in turn disagree with you”

“I've been using software from a company to control my locks, thermostats, cameras, water sensors, etc., at my properties. It was working great until it wasn't. I am looking to switch to another platform. Preferably something where I can talk to a person when I'm having issues, or that has a ton of YouTube troubleshooting videos. What is everyone else using? submitted by /u/BeantownPlasticPaddy [link] [comments]”

“The three existing units have window ac. This building is in New Hampshire. Central AC is a luxury. But as we’re building new, I thought of finding something that will improve rental potential.”

“If a property management company takes over management of a unit from another company, should they continue to use the clients existing GET and TAT license or apply for a new one? submitted by /u/livelyyyyboat [link] [comments]”

“My dad has been the super for our building (16 units, 4 per floor) for 30+ years. I know this doesnt mean I absorb his experience by any means; I have mostly done the non-fixing up things like helping tenants get keys when they forget them inside/taking messages for my dad/coordinating with our LL and his family when new appliances have to come in, etc. Ihave been interested in trying to do something in the property management space but I have no real idea how I'm supposed to start. Location”

“We are planning a 20-room renovation on the older north wing of our property this winter and our HVAC contractor just dropped a quote that relies heavily on midea PTHP units. He swears these packaged terminal heat pumps can handle 100% of the heating load down to 5F without needing massive backup heat strips, which would save us a ton on our utility bills. But honestly, I am having a hard time believing the real-world performance matches the submittal sheets for a cold climate like this. My bigg”