Fixing Unsafe Balconies

Courtbridge of Arlington is a small, quiet community surrounded by nature and close to multiple amenities. Built in 1982, it is well-established, but this longevity also means that maintenance is important in keeping the community updated.

With nine buildings and 58 total units, the project was already shaping up to be a large one from the start. The balconies and decks on the units needed major rehabilitation. In most cases, due to structural issues, they would need to be torn down and rebuilt.

The project was going to have a lot of moving parts, and it would need the culmination of many factors: the necessary funds, the right property manager, and a community and board that’s willing to make the difficult decision to do what’s necessary.

The time had come to begin the Courtbridge balcony project.

The Details

When we began work in the Courtbridge community, we knew that the balcony replacement project had been a long time coming. So all of the teams were aware of the possibility of discovering deeper issues that would need to be addressed. The main goal was to make sure the project would continue to run smoothly, regardless of any unforeseen circumstances. We accomplished this with regular monthly meetings with the three core teams: the Exterior Medics crew, the engineering team, and the board members.

Throughout the process, we discovered a lot of unforeseen structural deficiencies. To keep the project running smoothly, we all worked together to address any issues as quickly as possible. We developed a process that would allow us to stay organized—we worked on one building at a time, addressing all the areas of concern before moving on to the next one. This allowed us to stay focused and work efficiently.

The Results

With the large scope of work and the surprises that came up along the way, the project took around a year. Due to the nature of the project, and the structural difficulties that it presented, there was the potential for many things to go wrong. However, the way that the teams came together was what helped make this project a success.

By the end of the project, everyone, including the engineers, the board, and the property management team, was happy with the outcome.

Exterior Medics works with Courtbridge and their property management team often, and anytime they have an issue, they all know Exterior Medics is there to help.