/blog
Notes from the building record.
Plain-language writing for BC strata councils and property managers. Field-tested notes on inspections, planned maintenance, envelope care, and the technical record that keeps buildings out of crisis.
Recent writing.
Short, focused pieces on the questions BC building decision-makers ask most often. Filter by category, or scan the full archive.
8 articles
Records
6 min read
Lost alteration agreements, and the roofing project that finds them →
A 68-unit townhouse community heads into a roof replacement with 11 owner-installed skylights and no agreements on file. Commentary on a Condo Smarts column.
Special levies
8 min read
When the levy arrives with 15 days notice →
Reported Canadian levies of $30,000 to $42,500 per unit, and the deferral history that produced them. Including the $400 repair that became millions.
Special levies
7 min read
Reading special levy risk before you buy →
Form B, minutes, and the depreciation report each show a different part of levy exposure. What the documents show, and what they cannot.
Fire safety
6 min read
Strata fire safety inspections in BC →
Who is responsible, what is inspected, and how fire safety fits with the rest of building oversight on common property.
Maintenance
7 min read
Planned vs reactive maintenance for strata →
Why the ratio between planned and reactive work is the strongest predictor of special-levy risk, and how a building record shifts the balance.
Envelope
6 min read
Exterior building maintenance services →
Envelope, roof, drainage, sealants, and the exterior items most often missed between formal reports in coastal BC.
Inspections
5 min read
Condo vs strata inspections in BC →
Same legal structure under the Strata Property Act, different inspection scope. A short primer on what shifts between building types.
Finance
5 min read
CAM expenses explained →
What Common Area Maintenance means in a BC strata context, and how it relates to the operating fund and contingency reserve.
More from the resources hub.
Service overviews, role-based guides, and the full FAQ live alongside the blog.
Property Intelligence Loading
Deterioration is inevitable.
Surprise is not.
Your asset is only as sound as the envelope that surrounds it. Start with a short virtual presentation. We walk through what Sentinel does, answer questions, and let you decide if it fits. No proposal, no commitment, no pressure.