As a property manager, you have hundreds of tasks on your plate and a myriad of problems on your mind.
At DRYCO, we know you are busy and looking for qualified help to keep your property safe, clean, and running smoothly.
When it comes to exterior property maintenance, we are here to help make your job a little easier by providing the best practices and work available.
In this blog, we go over four services that any property manager can outsource. And when you work with a trusted partner like DRYCO, you can have peace of mind knowing your property is in good hands.
Let’s get started!
Commercial Fencing
A property is an investment. As a property manager it is your duty to protect, and bolster the value of that property.
Commercial fencing is one of the best investments you can make in boosting the value of your property – and that’s why we recommend that fencing installation and upkeep should be on your to-do list.
Benefits Of Commercial Fencing
How does commercial fencing actually improve a property? Let’s find out!
1 – Security
Businesses are like reputations – you can work for years to build them only to see them devastated and destroyed with one single act.
Unfortunately, a burglary or breach of security is one of those things that can cause enormous damage to a business.
That’s why it’s so important to protect the employees and assets of a business. In addition, you want to make sure that your parking lots are safe and secure for your customers.
As a property manager, one of the best things you can do is to install a security fence as the first line of defense.
Just make sure you get the real deal, because cute picket fences only encourage burglars. They actually give a thief a sense of security and privacy once they are inside the fence.
You’ll want a high-quality security fence that deters the bad guys from targeting you in the first place.
2 – Privacy
Depending on your type of business, you may want to ensure privacy for your clients.
By installing a privacy fence, you are communicating that you value the privacy and safety of those patronizing your business.
Many law firms, accountants and financial planning companies, especially in high traffic or residential areas, opt for solid privacy fencing around their property.
Wooden or vinyl fences are great options if you want a barrier between you and all the watching eyes. You can also get chain-link fences with privacy slats.
3 – Access and Traffic Control
If anyone could come and go in and out of your business at any time of day, chaos would ensue and the security of your assets and employees would be in jeopardy.
You need reliable access and traffic controls that you can count on. Additionally, there may be unauthorized or restricted areas that may be accessed only by a select few.
By installing a commercial fence around your property or designated areas, you, as a business owner are in control of who goes where.
4 – Curb Appeal
In choosing commercial fencing, you want to make sure that your investment for security and privacy also adds value to your business.
Thankfully, you can do that with an attractive commercial fence.
And don’t worry – even a bare bones, chain link fence can be doctored up to look great. Here are a few ideas to keep your fence looking great:
- Paint it! A black chain link fence looks much more classy than a silver one
- Install fence post caps
- Use plants to disguise the fence
The best part is that when you make your land look even better with a classy commercial fence, you boost the value of that property.
In fact, Bankrate.com says a good first impression can add 5-10% to the value of your property!
5 – Safety
Some properties include safety hazards like pools, sewer facilities, or electrical apparatus. Or perhaps you have equipment or sites at your business that could be dangerous if tampered with. In these cases, a fence is a must.
In fact, California laws require you to have a sturdy fence around your property if you have a pool.
Other things you might need to secure at your property or business include:
- Dumpsters
- HVAC equipment
- Expensive equipment or large tools
- Inventory
6 – Critter Control
Wildlife like deer, groundhogs, and rabbits can be fun to see in the wild. But you don’t always want them on your property! They can wreak havoc on your yard or garden. You may also want to keep stray dogs and cats off your property.
If you want to keep these critters out, a sturdy fence is a great solution. A chain link, vinyl, or wooden fence around your lawn or prize garden keeps the critters from eating your produce or getting into other things they shouldn’t.
Uses For Commercial Fencing
Ok – we know how some of the ways commercial fencing can benefit your property and make your life easier.
But what are some of the practical applications for commercial fencing that you might use?
Here are a few ideas:
- Playground and Athletic Field Fencing: Keep bystanders and outside areas protected from sports equipment and balls with a wide variety of playground and athletic fencing.
- Large Enclosures: Ranch fences, deer fences, tool cages, dog kennels, and horse corrals. These are just a few examples of some large spaces that may need to be enclosed with a fence.
- Utility Cages: You can protect electrical equipment, HVAC equipment, dumpsters, and other exterior utilities with a utility cage
- Temporary Fences: Do you need to keep people out of your jobsite? You can rent the exact number of panels you need so you can keep your workplace safe.
- Estate Fencing: Whether it’s a home development, single home, business, or other property, keep your estate protected with a variety of styles including custom iron or ornamental iron fencing.
Here’s the bottom line:
If you manage any kind of sizable property there is an extremely high chance you should utilize some kind of commercial fencing.
When that time comes, we want to help make the process easy.
At DRYCO, our fencing division assures only the best installations using quality materials executed in a timely manner. We even offer custom iron working to fit all types of job requirements.
Contact us and let us help with your commercial fencing needs!
Hardscapes
Hardscape is a fairly broad term. In its boiled-down form, a hardscape is the man-made part of the grounds surrounding a building.
In other words:
A hardscape is the non-living element of a landscape.
Hardscapes can vary from very functional things like a concrete driveway or asphalt parking lot, to more decorative things like a concrete path or stone statue.
As a property manager, you are most likely concerned with functional hardscapes, but depending on what kind of property you manage, you should also be concerned about decorative hardscapes.
Either way, let’s take a look at why hardscapes matter in the success of any business!
How Maintaining Hardscapes Brings Success
Every business wants to be successful. And strange as it may sound, taking good care of the hardscapes on your property is essential in that pursuit.
Why?
Let’s find out!
1 – Save Money
Saving money sounds good, right? After all, a business without money is a business that is sure to fail!
When you take good care of the hardscapes on your property they last for a long time. And hardscapes like roads and parking lots that aren’t maintained end up costing you more money in the long run.
Plus, there’s an extra bonus to maintaining your hard surfaces.
When your pavement lasts for a long time, you also cut down on the constant stress and worry you have about fixing urgent asphalt needs.
Now that’s a win-win!
2 – Keep Your Patrons Safe
As a property manager, your stomach flip-flops when you notice vehicles zipping through a crosswalk area or heading in the wrong direction in a parking lot.
Though it may seem small, you know that this is the kind of carelessness that is bound to lead to an eventual accident.
Thankfully, when you mark your hardscapes with clear striping people can know where to park, when to yield, and which direction to travel.
You can keep the flow of traffic organized, and allow your patrons to remain safe.
(For more on striping read our blog: Parking Lot Striping: All You Need To Know.
3 – Make Your Property Beautiful
The Harvard Business Review recently made a comment we really like – “When our space is a mess, so are we.”
It’s true!
And here’s the unfortunate part: when a property is dirty, dingy, or unkept it sends a strong message to anyone involved with that place of business:
“We don’t care about you.”
So, it’s absolutely critical that you keep your property in tip-top shape.
When it comes to hardscapes a pavement sealcoating can keep your asphalt looking brand new. Just check out this before and after photo!
You can even take things to the next level and get creative with decorative hardscapes like retaining walls, steps, or colored, polished, and stamped concrete.
Need some inspiration? Check out these commercial hardscape inspirations.
4 – Protect Yourself
Unfortunately, you can be held liable for hardscapes that are not maintained. Here are just a few hardscape oversights that you may be held liable for:
- The lack of a designated walkway for disabled people and others
- A poorly designed structure that creates an inefficient flow of traffic
- Inadequate signals or markings
- Uneven surfaces and potholes
- Improperly marked handicapped zones
Clearly, maintaining hardscapes should be high in the list of any property manager. Do so, and you’ll have a beautiful, functional property that attracts people. Fail to do so, and you can be sure the business will fail.
And if you’d like more guidance on how to care for pavement, read our blog: The Ultimate Guide To Pavement Maintenance (including using the PASER system effectively).
ADA Compliance
What Is ADA Compliance?
Most businesses know that being ADA compliant is important – but what does that even mean?
ADA compliance comes from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 2010.
This act is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
This impacts physical properties by requiring things like:
- Handrails
- Concrete ADA ramps
- Striping and signage
- Asphalt stall leveling
Is ADA Compliance Legally Required?
So, do you really have to follow all the rules set out by the Americans with Disabilities Act? And what happens if you don’t?
The rules get a bit sticky here – but we’ll try to make it simple.
Businesses considered “public accommodations” are required to comply. The federal law offers this non-exhaustive list of public accomodations:
- Inns, hotels, and motels
- Restaurants and bars
- Bakeries and grocery stores
- Hardware stores or any sales/retail outlet
- Banks
- Laundromats and dry cleaners
- Accountants and lawyers’ offices
- Health care providers’ offices
- Public transportation
- Recreation venues
- Schools
- Social service centers
- Gyms
Essentially, any business that regularly serves the public is considered a public accommodation, but private clubs or religious organizations are considered exempt.
That means that If your business is on the small side or doesn’t cater to the public, it may not need to comply with the ADA.
However, business owners should remember that federal disability law under the ADA is only one part of disability law in any state.
There are also corresponding state laws that prohibit discrimination based on disability both in employment and in public accommodations, like California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Here’s the bottom line:
It’s best to make sure your property is ADA compliant – even if it doesn’t have to be.
Disability laws can get complicated, and you don’t want to get caught breaking the law.
Plus, demonstrating that you genuinely care for those with disabilities sets you apart from the many others who are trying to get by with the bare minimum.
(Want to learn more about making sure you cover your bases before paving? Read our blog: 3 Pro Tips For A Good Paving Experience.)
EV Charging Stations
Electric vehicles are on the rise. In fact, some places like the U.K. have placed bans on new fossil fuel vehicles by 2030 and most states in the U.S. promote hybrid and electric vehicles.
But here’s the catch:
The cars don’t refuel by guzzling from a gas station. They recharge using an EV charging station!
How Does An EV Station Work?
So, how does an EV station work?
Fundamentally, not much has changed from fueling up with gas.
A plug goes into the port on the vehicle, while the other end hooks up to an electrical outlet. The main difference is that charging an electric vehicle will likely be much more time-consuming than filling up with gas.
Those that charge their vehicles at home likely use a level 1, or level 2 charger.
Level 1 chargers use the same standard 120 V outlets you find in homes and personal garages, and can add up to 5 miles of range per hour of charging — perfect for a commuter who lives a short distance from their office and can let their vehicle charge overnight at the end of each work day.
Level 2 chargers provide up to 20 miles of range per hour of charging, but require extra equipment to handle higher-capacity 240 V residential outlets and 208 V commercial outlets like you have at your office building or complex.
Then, there are DC Fast Chargers.
DC Fast Chargers can juice your vehicle at a rate of 80 miles of range per 20 minutes of charging.
These are the kinds of EV stations you may spot alongside major thoroughfares and highly trafficked routes like California’s Interstate 5.
Why You Need An EV Station
So how does all of this affect the property you manage?
As we already mentioned, it appears as though we are reaching the tipping point and moving electric vehicles being the primary cars on the road.
And that brings up two things:
- Patrons visiting your place of business may need to recharge their vehicle.
- Employees may need an EV station for recharging their vehicle.
Either way, it is very likely that you will need a few EV charging stations on your property in the near future.
That’s why we recommend getting ahead of the curve now. It’s time to begin incorporating EV charging stations in your property.
Wondering how you can go about installing an EV station? Read more about EV charging station installation.
Conclusion
Being a property manager is a taxing job – but you are now no longer wondering about which tasks you should do to keep a top-notch property.
Focusing on fencing, hardscapes, ADA compliance, and EV charging stations is going to take you a long way now, and in the future.
If you are a project manager in the San Francisco Bay area, greater Sacramento, or California’s San Jose and Central Valley and help with fencing, hardscapes, ADA compliance, or EV stations contact us at DRYCO today.
We are uniquely equipped as a one-stop company for pavement, concrete, and fencing services.
And we make getting your job done easy:
- Contact us for a bid
- Let an experienced estimator deliver a competitive estimate
- Sit back while we do your project on your schedule.
Contact us today – we look forward to hearing from you!