Instead of outsourcing an electrician and IT professional, I installed/mounted new TV’s in fitness center, ordered new fitness equipment, and designed gym, hooked up business centers computers, setup network for residents and main office.
These are the same white appliances that were installed when Hudson Park opened in 2003. They still work great but as you can see from the pictures, the handles and plastic frames are turning yellow. It’s a wear and tear issue that is permanent. Prior to my arrival, the spare parts were being ordered from GE and costing around $250 per apartment.
Since I lived on site, one night I removed all the parts in my own kitchen and sprayed them down using the refinishing spray seen in the pictures. The results were flawless and made appliances look brand new again. This simple project is now required while a unit is being turned and for renewals.
Cost = < $1 per apartment / Time = 30 minutes with 1 person needed
It’s amazing when a simple change has incredible results. While I was in Home Depot one night, I noticed the switches with the added USB option. As I walked down the same aisle the motion sensor light switch was on sale. I decided to buy both items and installed them once I arrived back home. Customers want convenience, which is why these 2 items are a big hit in our apartments. The immediate feedback from prospects was excellent. Therefore, another item added to the turn list.
A recent survey has ranked cleanliness as the most important factor in a prospect decision on renting a place. We all know how important curb appeal is, but it’s the details we need to be concentrating on. In this example, I’m referring to bathroom porcelain tiles. Do me a favor and take your phone into a bathroom to take a picture. However, the door must be shut and the lights need to be off, making it pitch black. Make sure the flash option is on, take pictures of the tiles, and review the flawless photos. When I first did this, I was shocked with how dirty the grouting was on this VACANT READY apartment. According to the “professionals,” our only option would be to remove the old grout and replace with new, which is a timely and expensive job. I knew there had to be another alternative.
When I first did this, I was shocked with how dirty the grouting was on this VACANT READY apartment. According to the “professionals,” our only option would be to remove the old grout and replace with new, which is a timely and expensive job. I knew there had to be another alternative.
I did my usual investigating (aka google search) only to find an article that mentioned this same problem and the solution was a grout renewal pen. The results were so good that prospects believed tiles were refinished. Furthermore, we ended up finding a product to use on our kitchen appliances that had small scratches.
Grout Replacement = approx $750 (2 days) / Grout Renewal Pen = $1 – $3 (1 to 2 hours)
Residents were consistently complaining about the out-dated computers in the business centers and the old TV’s in the gym with the cable that works on own terms.
It felt like I heard “I’m paying a lot of money in rent each month for an apartment that’s advertised as a luxury building and these amenities are far from it” on a daily basis back then. The good (and bad) news shared with them was the proposal for an amenity gut renovation was approved BUT the start date is 8 months away.
This is when I took matters into my own hands and gave my VP of Operations a proposal with a total cost not to exceed $1000. The plan:
- Purchase 4 LED 22″ flat screen displays to replace the bulky desktop monitors in both business centers along with mounting kits to hang all the monitors on wall
- Purchase new wireless keyboards with mouse
- Buy new desks and chairs for main building business center
- Purchase 2 LED 40″ flatscreen televisions to replace old “flatscreens” in gym
- Purchase 2 ultra-thin indoor HDTV Amplified Antenna’s to place behind TV’s, which should provide up to 40 high definition channels for FREE.
The person who would purchase, replace, install, and do ALL the labor AFTER HOURS = ME
PROPOSAL APPROVED!
Do you have fluorescent light fixtures in your apartment homes that are bulky and out of date? Check out these LED fixtures I came across in Home Depot, which is now used in every apartment kitchen, foyer, and hallway.
Kitchen LED rectangular fixture = $60
Foyer/Hallway LED round fixture = $40
Professional electrician is NOT needed as it’s a simple swap.
