Most depreciation reports recommend exterior painting every 7-10 years. Here's what Strata councils need to know about planning, budgeting, and executing a building repaint.
Exterior painting is one of the largest recurring maintenance expenses for Strata buildings — and one of the most visible. A well-maintained building exterior protects the structure, maintains property values, and demonstrates to residents and buyers that the Strata council is managing the building responsibly. Neglecting exterior maintenance signals the opposite.
Most depreciation reports for Lower Mainland Strata buildings recommend exterior repainting every 7–10 years, depending on the building's exposure, material type, and the quality of previous paint applications. Buildings with significant sun exposure (south and west-facing elevations) or coastal exposure may need repainting on the shorter end of that range.
Planning should begin 12–18 months before the target repaint date. This allows time for: obtaining multiple quotes from qualified commercial painting contractors, reviewing and approving color schemes (some municipalities require color approval), scheduling work during optimal weather windows (May through September in the Lower Mainland), securing 3/4 vote approval at a general meeting if the project exceeds the annual budget threshold, and arranging financing if the contingency reserve fund is insufficient.
Cost factors for Strata building painting include: building height and access requirements (scaffolding vs. swing stage vs. boom lift), surface preparation needs (power washing, scraping, caulking, minor repairs), number of colors and complexity of the color scheme, surface material (wood siding, stucco, concrete, metal), window and door masking requirements, and whether the project includes balcony ceilings, soffits, or other detailed areas.
For a typical 4-story wood-frame Strata building with 40–60 units, exterior repainting costs typically range from $80,000 to $180,000 depending on the factors above. Concrete high-rises with swing stage access will be higher. These costs should be planned for in your Strata's long-term maintenance fund.
At Strata Property Services, our painting division handles everything from color consultation to final punch list. We use premium commercial-grade coatings from suppliers like Benjamin Moore, Dulux, and Sherwin-Williams, applied by experienced crews who specialize in multi-story residential buildings. Our project managers coordinate scaffold installation, resident notifications, balcony cleaning schedules, and phased completion so the building looks its best as quickly as possible. Call 604-761-1518 for a painting estimate.