Over time, even the highest quality and most reliable buildings begin to require the implementation of work on their restoration - from small to major. In every apartment building, the walls are gradually deteriorating under the influence of weather conditions and it is necessary to maintain its proper condition.
Specially developed building codes and regulations (SNIP) regulate the order of work and building maintenance standards.
In accordance with this list, redecoration of the facade of an apartment building should be carried out once every five years, and major repairs - every ten. Also, inspections, both planned and unscheduled, should be carried out regularly, which are designed to identify violations of the content and the need to organize repair work.
What is the facade renovation
These are actions aimed at maintaining the condition of the outer part of an apartment building.
Overhaul, in this case, is carried out in accordance with SNIP, in the event that the facade is destroyed by 30% or more. It is necessary to remove the old coating from the entire area or apply a new layer over the old one.
The complex of measures to restore the facade of an apartment building includes the following list of actions:
- insulation and decorative finishing of the entire outer area of the walls of the house;
- replacement of double-glazed windows and balconies;
- repair work on external finishing and insulation of loggias and balconies, which include replacing ceramic tiles, updating the waterproofing layer, changing or restoring fences, railings and screens;
- restoration of canopies over the entrances to the building and balconies of the last floors;
- replacement of fire escapes;
- renovation of the blind area and strengthening of the walls of the elevator shafts;
- work on the repair of gutters and other communications.
All overhaul of facades can be conditionally divided into three major phases.
The first is preparation. A complete removal of the old coating is carried out, the elimination of dirt and fungal formations from the prepared surface. Removal of emerging cracks, treatment of seams and plastering of the entire area of the walls is carried out.
The next phase is finishing. It includes the application of a fresh layer of coating: ceramic tiles, stone, decorative plaster, paint or other finishing material. The existing architectural details are being restored. At this stage of the renovation, it is possible to install a ventilated facade.
The third phase is the replacement of functional elements. If necessary, visors, partitions, gutters, decorative stained-glass windows, double-glazed windows and other parts of the facade are restored.
The nuances of repair work for different types of facades
Restoring the condition of the walls can have certain features. It depends on how and from what materials they were built.
Repair of brick facades is unthinkable without a thorough examination. All cracks and other damage to the masonry are revealed. The boundaries of possible violations of the integrity of the walls are determined and an approximate list of the necessary materials and the amount of work to be done is drawn up.
If the size of the damage is very large, it is important to identify the specific cause and take the necessary actions to eliminate it.
When overhauling brickwork, first, it is cleaned from dirt, and then cracks are eliminated. The largest ones are laid with fresh bricks, medium-sized ones are covered with plaster, and the smallest ones are removed with a putty. The main task of these actions is to prevent moisture from entering the wall, which can lead to its destruction.
Restoration of facades made of wood differs only in that it is necessary to inspect for the presence of pests and to etch them out, if necessary. For the topcoat of the surface, special compounds should be used, specially designed for wooden structures and preventing damage to it.
Plaster is often used to cover stone or brick walls. It helps protect them from moisture, wind and cold temperatures. But in order for it to fully perform its functions, it is important to carefully monitor its condition and carry out major repairs on time.
As in any other case, it starts with a preliminary inspection, finding out the presence of damage and drawing up a list of works and materials that will be needed for restoration. Then the old layer of plaster is removed, completely or partially, and a new one is applied.
You can often find ventilated facades of houses. They represent a multi-layer structure: insulation is attached directly to the wall, followed by an air gap and facing material, mounted using special fasteners.
This finish is particularly strong and durable, but it also needs to be repaired from time to time. An inspection is carried out, during which specialists draw up a list of damages, and then the damaged areas are replaced with new material.
How is the need for a major overhaul of the facade determined?
Sometimes, even with the naked eye, it is clear that cosmetic finishing cannot be dispensed with, and it is necessary to approach the restoration of the outer part of the house more thoroughly.
Nevertheless, in each specific case, a special commission is necessarily assembled, which decides in what condition the facade of the house is and what type of repair work needs to be carried out in order to return it to its proper condition.
Traditionally, this commission consists of specialists from the regional operator, a non-profit organization created by the local municipality as part of a renovation program.
It is advisable to organize an initiative group, consisting directly of the tenants of the apartment building, which is being evaluated. They will be directly involved in monitoring the work of the commission.
There is a list of defects, the presence of which signals that it is precisely a major overhaul of an apartment building that is needed.
It includes:
- damage to more than 30% of the plaster area;
- destruction of seams;
- crumbling of the insulation layer;
- deformation of external pipes and gutters, which provokes the ingress of moisture on the walls.
If at least one of the listed disadvantages is present, urgent repair work is required.
Who pays for the overhaul
The answer is simple - all expenses fall on the shoulders of the tenants themselves. A special fund is being created, to which the owners of housing in an apartment building contribute certain amounts on a monthly basis.
The specific amount of these contributions is decided at the general meeting of the owners. The local municipality sets a minimum size, but it can be increased by a general vote.
Moreover, the decision taken by a majority of votes must be fulfilled by all residents of the house, without exception. The higher the amount of fees, the more funds will be collected in the account. This will significantly increase the list of work carried out and supplement it with those items that are necessary for the owners.
In the event that the collected amount is suddenly not enough for a full overhaul, the regional operator will take the missing funds from the accounts of other houses, repair work on which is planned much later. Subsequently, this debt will be repaid by transfer of further contributions from the tenants of the debtor house.
When can facades be repaired?
In any given region, there is a state program that prescribes the sequence of overhaul of the facades of apartment buildings. The regional operator in advance, six months before the appointed date, notifies the owners that their turn is coming and provides documentation that describes the list of planned works.
After carefully studying it at the general meeting, the owners decide whether their house currently needs major repairs and what work it should include. They pass their decision on to the representative of the regional operator.
If the tenants come to the general opinion that their house needs unscheduled repairs, then the issue of financing these activities is acute. The only way out is to collect additional amounts from the owners themselves.
Subsequently, apartment owners who incur these expenses will be temporarily exempted from the standard monthly installments.
In addition, it is necessary to draw up design estimates. To resolve this issue, you need to contact your management company. Further, the Criminal Code enters into an agreement with the administration and the regional operator, in accordance with which the work is carried out.
