Investment Advice

5 Top Commercial Property Repairs

by Karl Niehaus, President, CREI, June, 2013

Which Building Repairs are Necessary?
It really depends on the property and its particular needs. The fact is that there are few legally mandated items that MUST be done to purchase a property, but in our litigious society, here are prudent ways to take sensible precautions to protect yourself.

The Most Important Property Repairs are obviously safety related, for example:

1. Installing GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets in all bathrooms, kitchens and laundries is highly...

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Best Plumbing Tips for your Building

by Karl Niehaus, President, CREI, December, 2012

Potential Problems with Re-piping your Building

Plumbing maintenance is big expense and unfortunately is often overlooked, especially in apartment buildings. The typical life for original galvanized piping is approximately 40 – 60 years, meaning plumbing in buildings built before 1970 is suspect (Copper water supply piping in California was started in the early 1960's and by 1970 was being used exclusively). Re-piping can elevate plumbing maintenance cost, yet there are things to consider...

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Tips for Lowering Roofing Costs

by Karl Niehaus, President, CREI, May, 2012

Tips to Reduce the Cost of Repairing or Replacing Roofs

The roof is one of the single most expensive fixes on any commercial real estate building. The average flat commercial roof lasts approximately 15 – 20 years. The cost of replacing a roof at the end of its life is a big concern for owners. There is a method that can cut the cost down to roughly half of what traditional re-roofing costs - Cool Roofing.

1. Per the California Energy Commission "Cool roofs are highly reflective & use highly...

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How to Maintain your Building's HVAC (Heating, Venting & Air Conditioning)

by Karl Niehaus, President, CREI, November, 2011

How to Maintain your Building's HVAC
The age and quality of maintenance are the two major factors that determine the condition of the HVAC. The industry standard life is 15-20 years, and maintenance is the single most important factor affecting the expected life of HVAC units. If well maintained, some last well beyond the industry standard.

Changing the filters is the most important factor in prolonging its useful life. The best way to determine the quality of the maintenance is to look over...

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