Full depth repairs on reinforced concrete slab.

A typical concrete balcony in Florida, constantly exposed to the harsh coastal elements, is a breeding ground for deterioration. As such, condominium owners and associations often find themselves in the middle of balcony repair projects. All too often, though, a shortsighted approach to balcony restorations is taken, and only minimal repairs are made at one time. As a result, owners fail to realize the practical and economic benefits of a more long-range approach to balcony repair.

Many owners delay repairing balconies due to the financial impact and inconvenience associated with the repair process. However, once concrete has begun to deteriorate, its condition continues to worsen as each day passes. The financial impact and inconvenience of a repair project can increase exponentially when concrete remains in a state of deterioration.

Why Long-Range?

Naturally, all aspects of a building must be maintained to ensure the safety of the structure and the occupants. Spalling and deteriorating concrete on balconies is not merely a nuisance but a liability that could jeopardize the safety of the general public as well as owners. If someone were to incur an injury due to concrete deterioration it would be a very serious liability for the building association.

Access costs ... like setting up this swing stage ... can be minimized by performing all repairs while the swing stage is in place.

Another reason for maintaining a long-range approach to balcony repair is the economic benefit to owners when all of the required repairs are made at one time. Because a significant portion of a balcony repair project involves accessing the work areas, paying for the access costs one time rather than many times can save considerable amounts of money. If an owner makes a few repairs one year while saving the other repairs for another year, access costs will be paid repeatedly as each repair is made.

For example, on a repair project of $500,000 where only minimal repairs are made, access costs could be $100,000 - or 20 percent of the project costs. However, the cost of accessing the work area becomes a much smaller percentage if all perceived repairs are made. In this scenario, the larger repair project could total $1 million instead of $500,000, and the access costs would remain the same, comprising only 10 percent of the total project costs.

Additional economic benefits of a long-range approach are due to the compounding effects of concrete deterioration. At the time of inspection, a seemingly minor deterioration problem can quickly escalate into a serious problem. Every day that the concrete remains unrepaired allows more time for the concrete to continue deteriorating.

"Delaying concrete repairs can easily create a very costly repair project," says Dennis Sanschagrin, Branch Manager of Structural Preservation Systems (SPS) -- West Florida. SPS, a division of Baltimore-based Structural Group, specializes in concrete balcony repair.

"Today, a balcony repair project may be estimated at $200,000," Sanschagrin says. "After several years, this repair work could easily reach $500,000 due to the continued effects of corroding reinforcing steel."

Finally, a reason for considering a long-term approach to repairs is the quality of life for the owners of the individual condominium units. A typical balcony repair project requires balconies to be closed to use by the unit occupants. As a result, owners lose use of their balcony facilities, which can be a major inconvenience. Should closing the balconies be required, the owners would generally much rather lose use of their balconies once rather than multiple times as would be required by a multi-phase project. Continual loss of such a vital element of their property creates dissatisfaction and a poor relationship between the condominium association and the owners.  

Inspections Are Critical

A long-range approach to balcony repair begins with regular inspections. "Ideally, a balcony receives a yearly or bi-annual inspection," says Greg McFadden, Branch Manager for SPS' Florida office.

The need for regular inspections is due in part to Florida's unique environmental conditions. The Florida climate is hot and humid. Significant rainfall and wind-driven sea spray brings chloride-laden moisture in contact with exposed concrete surfaces. As the wind-driven rain falls onto aging concrete balconies, it often finds hairline cracks where it seeps through to the reinforcing steel.

Further, many balconies are carpeted, which creates a variety of problems for the concrete. The carpet retains moisture and chlorides that eventually find their way to the reinforcing steel to initiate the corrosion process. Water, oxygen, concrete and reinforcing steel create an electrochemical reaction that results in the oxidation, or corrosion, of the reinforcing steel. The corrosion products occupy a much greater volume than the base metal, and this expansive reaction causes the concrete to spall away from the reinforcing steel.

Regular inspections allow condominium owners to minimize the effects of this aggressive environment. By working with a qualified professional who inspects and makes appropriate recommendations, owners and associations can make plans for a proactive, long-range approach to balcony repair. In the projects described below, the owners took a long-range approach to balcony repair, which proved to be the most efficient, cost-effective means of performing the repair work.

Case Study 1: Birch Crest Condominium

Located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Birch Crest Condominium required balcony repairs in February of 2005 due to deteriorated concrete and exposed reinforcing steel. The owner decided to take a long-term approach to the repairs; therefore, a complete balcony replacement for the 160 condominium units became the goal.

One unique aspect of this project involved air conditioner units located on the balconies. "The owner needed these air conditioners to remain in service throughout the project, so each air conditioning unit had to be relocated temporarily inside the sliding glass door," says Bruce Stoerkel, Business Development Manager of SPS' South Florida office. "The owners also expressed concern about the balconies on the building's north side, which had experienced spalling to such a degree that we installed shoring on all 16 floors to avoid their collapse."

The scope of work included removing and replacing the existing sliding glass doors, building a dust wall inside each unit, temporarily relocating the air conditioners, removing the existing precast concrete railings and demolition of the entire balcony structure. SPS then formed new balconies, placed new reinforcement and recast each concrete balcony. A new decorative coating was installed, as well as a glass and aluminum railing system. Air conditioning units were then returned to the balconies, and new, hurricane-resistant sliding glass doors were installed.

"We worked on each balcony drop in phases while working on the south face of the building," says McFadden. "But we wanted to create a more time-effective method. By conducting numerous engineering and design conversations and coordinating with the building owners, we realized a complete removal and replacement would be more efficient than working on every third balcony."

By forming and shoring the entire north face of the building, SPS reduced the schedule by several months, thereby minimizing the impact to the owners. "That was exciting to the owners," says McFadden. "They were very were happy."

The $2.2-million balcony replacement for Birch Crest Condominium was completed in August of 2006. The project came in on time and within budget, to the pleasure of the owners. With a new glass rail system and doors, Birch Crest Condominium experienced an updated look and upgraded property values, further enhancing the owners' satisfaction.

Case Study 2: Dorset House

Dorset House, a high-rise condominium located in North Miami, required a post-tensioning and balcony restoration in July of 2006. Like the owners of Birch Crest Condominium, Dorset House's owners sought a long-term repair approach. Work on the project was divided in two phases, each valuing at $1.3 million.

Scope of work for the project included removal of the existing rail and screen enclosure, performing full-depth balcony edge repair, and locking off and inspecting the post-tensioning tendons. In addition, SPS repaired any post-tensioning as needed.

"The owner's concern about overruns on quantities was one of the biggest challenges on this project. Hurricane Wilma had caused other damage to the Dorset House property and had drained the owners' association of cash," says Stoerkel.

By carefully coordinating with all team members and educating the owners about potential concrete repair cost overruns, SPS completed the project without owner-contractor conflict concerning quantity overruns. Overruns are not uncommon in concrete repair projects, because it is nearly impossible for an inspection to reveal the full extent of repairs that may be necessary.

"When you see a spall in the concrete, that condition has existed for quite some time before the surface delaminates," McFadden says. "You often don't really know what repairs are needed until you chip into the concrete. The recommended repair process involves chipping away and removing all deteriorated concrete until sound concrete and clean rebar are uncovered, so you don't know how far you'll have to go."

On this project, the repair team replaced every post-tensioning anchor, which is not typical for concrete balcony repair. However, the existing anchors were in such a state of deterioration that the team realized replacing all anchors provided a more cost-efficient solution.

The first phase of the Dorset House project included locking off 632 post-tensioning anchors, 1,249 square feet of concrete edge repair, and the removal and replacement of 2,000 linear feet of handrail and screen enclosure. The second phase included locking off 757 post-tensioning anchors, repairing 1,538 linear feet of full-depth concrete edge repair, 2,200 square feet of full-depth balcony repair in addition to the edge repairs, and the removal and replacement of 1,900 linear feet of handrail and screen enclosure.

SPS completed the first phase of the project in July of 2007. SPS is scheduled to complete the second phase in January of 2008.

A long-term approach to balcony repairs can save condominium owners from numerous problems down the road. Like the owners of Birch Crest Condominium and Dorset House, condominium owners and their associations should carry out a long-range approach to balcony repair. By doing so, associations may do more than reap economic rewards. They will ensure the personal safety of everyone on the property and create good relationships with owners as well.

Prototypes Pave the Way

When it comes to balcony repair projects, it is vitally important for the repair specialist to understand the owner's expectations. To facilitate this process, SPS has instituted a mock-up phase prior to beginning work.

"We've established a process for creating prototypes for our balcony repair projects," Sanschagrin says. "We repair one balcony and use it as a mock-up that the association, engineer and contractor can review prior to our working on other balconies. Members of the team have an opportunity to decide if changes are needed."

If your repair specialist doesn't create a prototype before beginning work, ask for one. It could save vital time and precious dollars on your project.

Survey Reveals Maintenance a Top Concern

Structural Preservation Systems -- the nation's leading specialty-contracting firm focusing on the repair, protection and strengthening of structures - recently conducted a survey of Florida condominium management and maintenance professionals. With more than 100 respondents to the survey, findings indicate that maintenance and the durability of their condominium facilities are of primary concern. Key findings in the survey include:

• Understanding the Respondents: Sixty-one percent of respondents are involved in contractor selection, 53 percent are in facility management and maintenance, 50 percent hire design consultants, 40 percent handle construction management and oversight and 36 percent serve as the hiring or supervising operator.
• Maintaining the Facility: Sixty-five percent of respondents stated that deteriorating concrete is their greatest concern to maintaining their structure. They also cited painting and coatings (51 percent) and safety (50 percent) as primary concerns.
• Looking to Design and Construction Professional: To learn about the latest construction products and techniques, respondents look to the engineer 63 percent of the time and the contractor 46 percent of the time.
• Reputation Is Key: Respondents cited reputation (91 percent) and past experience (89 percent) as the key factors when selecting a contractor.
• Regular Inspections Are the Norm: Approximately 61 percent of respondents stated that they engage in regular facility inspections once a year, while 21 percent inspect twice a year, 14 percent every other year and five percent once every five years.
• Maintenance Spending: Forty-three percent of respondents cited that the majority of their maintenance dollars go to annual maintenance, while 33 percent go to preventive maintenance and inspection programs and 24 percent to reactive repairs. Further, 75 percent explained that their maintenance dollars are being spent on general maintenance, 54 percent noted concrete repair and 52 percent cited painting. Ninety-six percent of respondents said that their maintenance budget has increased the last couple of years.
• Information Access: Fifty-seven percent of respondents receive their latest information on construction products and techniques from trade magazines.

For More Information

Dennis Sanschagrin is the Branch Manager for Structural Preservation Systems' West Florida Office located in Sarasota. He can be reached at 866-847-6878 or 941-358-6600

Bruce Stoerkel, Business Development Manager, and Greg McFadden, Branch Manager, are from Structural Preservation Systems' South Florida Office located in Pompano Beach. They can be reached at 800-526-1769 or 954-984-9555.

About Structural Group

As one of the nation's leading specialty contractors, Structural Group is comprised of three dynamic and diversified companies. Structural Preservation Systems is the largest specialty contractor focusing on structural repair and strengthening. VSL is the technical leader in post-tensioning and specialty reinforcement. And, Pullman Power leads the industry in chimney, silo, and stack construction, maintenance, and repair. From 28 operating centers around the United States, Structural Group businesses perform a wide range of projects involving industrial facilities, commercial properties, public infrastructure and municipal buildings.