KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Exterior painting on the coast is planned in winter and done in the dry months.
- Get walk-throughs and written prices early, so the numbers are ready before the meeting that approves them.
- Allow time for the approval vote and, if needed, a special levy.
- Colours, notice to residents and access are settled before the first day, not during the job.
Most exterior repaints in Metro Vancouver happen between late spring and early fall, when surfaces stay dry long enough to paint. The work that decides whether a project goes well happens months earlier. Here is a timeline a council can work back from. If your fiscal year or AGM falls at a different time, shift the steps to match.
November to December: know what you have
- Walk the complex and note problem areas. Our winter walk-around checklist is a good place to start.
- Read the painting lines in your depreciation report. See painting and your depreciation report.
- Decide what is in scope: the full exterior, some elevations, or trim only. A phased repaint can spread the cost over several years.
January to February: walk-throughs and written prices
- Invite two or three contractors to walk the property with someone from council or the property manager.
- Ask for written scopes priced by building or by surface, with unit prices for wood repair.
- Compare them on the same scope. See how to compare three painting quotes fairly.
- For a larger project, consider a tender. See how to put a strata repaint out to tender.
Before the meeting: approval and funding
The council needs to know how the work will be paid for: from the contingency reserve fund, the operating budget, a special levy, or a mix. The vote needed depends on which, and on whether the work is in your most recent depreciation report. We cover this in approving a strata repaint in BC. Send owners the scope and price with the meeting notice, so the questions come before the vote, not after it.
March to April: contract, colours and notice
- Sign the contract and fix a start window.
- Confirm colours with samples on the building. See choosing exterior colours for West Coast light.
- Agree the order of buildings, working hours, parking and access.
- Plan notice to residents. See how much notice residents need.
May to September: the work
Washing, repairs, caulking and painting move building by building. A weekly update to council and one clear contact for residents keep small issues small. Wood repair found on site is priced at the unit rates already agreed, so nothing has to be negotiated halfway through.
October: close-out
Walk every building with the contractor, list the touch-ups, and sign off only when they are done. Keep the colour schedule and product list with the strata records. They make future touch-ups, and the next repaint, much easier.
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.
