500 Sherbourne Condos (Times Group Corporation) - Real Estate -

TA: Are there cameras in the gym? Because they can just find the tape of them hitting the window. 90% of the building won't be on top of this kind of shit, so it's up to us to be condo-nazis.

You can bet that I will be an unapologetic dick to anyone treating common elements badly. There's no such thing as "minding your business" in a condo. In fact, I'm starting to side more with the big-brother types when it comes to surveillance. If we find damage, we need to try to identify the accused on tape, and confront them. This is the best strategy.


So I took occupancy a couple of weeks ago, and can now bitch about the following. Please comment!

- The engineered hardwood floors are like potato skin. I can't believe how easily they chip and scratch. I have engineered hardwood at a rental property, and it has lasted brilliantly for the past 7 years. Is it just that this stuff is cheap? Is there any kind of finish we could put on it that would toughen it up?

- The heating system blows cold/very lukewarm air and can't get the temperature up above 71 (It feels like 69). The air coming out of the vent is NOT warm or hot. And the vents blow straight down. I will have to replace them all with diffused-grill vents.

- The ramp down to P2 has a stupidly-placed pillar that makes it very narrow. Also, the speed bumps are far too rough. Overall, the parking garage design and signage is pretty bad.

- Do you guys have portable humidifiers? I'm thinking of getting a couple for winter...
 
Roy G Biv said:
TA:

- The heating system blows cold/very lukewarm air and can't get the temperature up above 71 (It feels like 69). The air coming out of the vent is NOT warm or hot. And the vents blow straight down. I will have to replace them all with diffused-grill vents.


Haven't had that problem with the heater. In the summer I had issues with A/C (no cold air) and was told to turn off (the kill switch in HVAC unit where filter is) leave off for a few minutes and start up again. That helped with A/C I don't know if it will for heat. So otherwise you should tell Kyle to look into it.

Unless I have the heat on a lot I don't use humidifier. Haven't needed the heat much as of yet, but I face southwest and get the sun all day.
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Roy G Biv said:
TA: Are there cameras in the gym? Because they can just find the tape of them hitting the window. 90% of the building won't be on top of this kind of shit, so it's up to us to be condo-nazis.

You can bet that I will be an unapologetic dick to anyone treating common elements badly. There's no such thing as "minding your business" in a condo. In fact, I'm starting to side more with the big-brother types when it comes to surveillance. If we find damage, we need to try to identify the accused on tape, and confront them. This is the best strategy.


Glad to hear you say this, we all pay for it through higher maintenance fees. The last building I lived in was a disgrace. I have no problems tearing a strip off someone doing something stupid or reporting them to security. Caught a girl taking her dog for a walk in the parking garage to do its business. It was the dead of winter and it was too cold for her to take the dog outside. Can't tell you how many times I have found a puddle of urine in the elevators or on the carpet in the hallway.
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cityboy said:
Glad to hear you say this, we all pay for it through higher maintenance fees. The last building I lived in was a disgrace. I have no problems tearing a strip off someone doing something stupid or reporting them to security. Caught a girl taking her dog for a walk in the parking garage to do its business. It was the dead of winter and it was too cold for her to take the dog outside. Can't tell you how many times I have found a puddle of urine in the elevators or on the carpet in the hallway.
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that is frigging rude and gross.

i wonder how she'd like it if you were to leave a puddle of urine at her front door ... it's really no different.
 
cdr108 said:
that is frigging rude and gross.

i wonder how she'd like it if you were to leave a puddle of urine at her front door ... it's really no different.
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LOL! The dog in the parking garage was doing something else!

I guess it's part of the package with condo living. Some neighbours are just not considerate.
 
I don't think you need to "tear a strip" of someone to get your point across. You may get involved in an altercation that could have been avoided.

As far as the heat. I don't have any problems, but I don't really use it.

As far as the floors. They look nice but they're pretty crappy and tend to carry sound pretty easily. It is laminate so I didn't expect much. Engineered hardwood is much better, real wood on the top and the strips are thicker. One of the movers dropped something and the floor had a large dent in it...I would have thought it would have created a scratch at the most.

Wish we had more parking.
 
Good advice. Maybe I will ask the person nicely next time to stop carving their initials in the elevator.........yeah right!
 
JayBee said:
I don't think you need to "tear a strip" of someone to get your point across. You may get involved in an altercation that could have been avoided.

As far as the heat. I don't have any problems, but I don't really use it.

As far as the floors. They look nice but they're pretty crappy and tend to carry sound pretty easily. It is laminate so I didn't expect much. Engineered hardwood is much better, real wood on the top and the strips are thicker. One of the movers dropped something and the floor had a large dent in it...I would have thought it would have created a scratch at the most.

Wish we had more parking.
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Laminate is very tough... you can rub a key on it with no consequences. I have engineered hardwood, and it sucks, because it's just hardwood veneer.

I may have found a couple of products that you can use to create a scratch-resistant finish on wood floors... If it's legit, I'll post more info for you guys.

The heating people were looking at the units when I left for work... it should be ok when I get back.
 
You guys have humidifiers? The President of the flooring company came in and told me that you have to keep 40% humidity in the unit or the maple floors will shrink and start peeling. I have 20% with no humidifiers right now.

Wth the way these things scratch, I must say that lamanate is the way to go. I was about to buy a nice clear finish for the floors that would toughen them up, but it's just way to much work.
 
TorontoArchitect said:
My first bill was over $300, including deposit which they waived if Hydro writes a letter of good credit and the $30 one time fee.
My next bill was $130. Then the next one said they had overcharged me the first 2 months and was credited.
I have a 2 bedroom, 2 HVAC systems, and have the a/c on everyday that its hot/humid. It is still over twice what I paid in previous place w/out laundry, dishwasher and 2 a/c units.
Does anyone know if the heat will also be metered the same way?
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Our last 2 bills have been for around $100 we have a 1 plus den, do you think that is right? we haven't had the heat on at all, but we do have 2 computers and the TV is on all the time lol, I do try and do laundry and dishwasher in evening though.
 
My hardwood floor is completely ruined due to normal, day-to-day use. I cannot believe what a poor quality product they sold me.

Kyle says that I am the only one that has complained. He does not see a quality issue with the floors at all.

Roy G Biv, and anybody else who is dissastified with the quality of flooring, can you please let your views be known to management?
 
laminate or engineered hardwood? In the old sales center they had engineered hardwood and it was garbage. Completely scratched and dented. It was black.
 
legin said:
Our last 2 bills have been for around $100 we have a 1 plus den, do you think that is right? we haven't had the heat on at all, but we do have 2 computers and the TV is on all the time lol, I do try and do laundry and dishwasher in evening though.
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Blame it on Hydro costs. I live at another condo, but from my hydro bill, I use about 38% of the total costs. 62% comes from delivery, retirement fee, HST, etc. Also, it's probably smart metered so you have to be careful of your usage. There's peak, mid peak and low peak. Try to use hydro off peak. I found with the smart meter, they claim it's suppose to help you save money but on the contrary it doesn't. If you follow their instructions to try to use off peak, you end up paying what you normally would pay. If you don't use off peak often, you end up paying more than you normally would without the smart meter.
 
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