KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ask for unit prices before the work starts.
- Base the contingency on the building’s age, exposure and walk-through findings.
- Require approval and photos before it is spent.
Nobody can see inside every board before the paint comes off. A contingency is how a council plans for that honestly.
Sizing it
There is no universal figure. Your contractor should walk the complex, probe the likely spots and tell you what they found. Older buildings, wood-heavy designs and shaded north elevations all call for more. Ask what similar buildings have needed.
Unit prices
Get prices per board or per linear foot, for each common size. They let you check any repair against the agreed rate, and they keep the conversation calm when damage shows up.
Controls that work
- Photos of damage before replacement.
- A simple log by building and location.
- A running total shared at each council update.
- Approval required above an agreed amount.
- Any money left over goes back to the owners’ fund as your bylaws and resolution allow.
This guide is general information for strata councils and property managers in British Columbia, not legal advice. Check your registered bylaws and the current Strata Property Act, or ask your property manager or a lawyer, before relying on it for a decision.
