Property managers have to juggle a variety of tasks every day. They are responsible for attracting and retaining quality tenants, ensuring that the owner’s assets are protected, maintaining the common areas, collecting payments, preparing reports and many more duties. One responsibility that is new to many property managers is the proper maintenance for the parking lot. The parking lot is the first impression that potential tenants have about the professionalism of the property management firm. It can also create an impression in the minds of the tenants’ customers about the company they are visiting.
Commercial Parking Lots
A commercial parking lot should be clean and well-maintained. It should have well-defined pavement markings for both visual appeal and safety; many of the people visiting your tenants have little or no experience with the layout of your parking lot, so no-parking areas, exits, lanes of travel, crosswalks and other markings should be present to make navigation less confusing. There should be no potholes or other hazards that could damage a vehicle or cause a pedestrian to fall.
What Other Services Are Needed by Property Managers?
When it comes to the parking lot, property managers typically focus on making sure that they meet three basic responsibilities — attract and retain the best tenants, protect the owner’s capital assets and reduce potential liabilities.
- Tenants want to lease space in attractive surroundings that will make a favorable impression on their customers. They also want assurance that the property manager will take care of any issues that arise. If the parking lot has been neglected, potential tenants may wonder about the condition of the roof, the HVAC system and every other component that could possibly impact their business. Once they have signed the lease, they want to feel certain that their customers will be able to park and walk through the lot safely. They may also worry that a neglected parking lot reflects poorly on them.
- Protecting the owner’s capital assets ensures that he will receive the best possible return on his investment. A neglected parking lot can have its life reduced by half.
- Visitors to a commercial property may be tenants, their employees or their customers. They may also be vendors, delivery personnel or repair workers. If someone trips over a crack in the pavement and breaks an arm, your company, the property owner and/or your tenant could be held liable for the resulting medical bills and possibly lost wages and mental anguish. If a visitor’s vehicle is damaged by a pothole, you or the property owner might be held liable for the repair costs.
The following services can help you address the three issues listed above.
- Pothole and crack repair services help you avoid potential liabilities by making the parking lot safer. Since water that penetrates beneath the pavement can result in having to replace the pavement long before it should be necessary, repairs help protect the owner’s assets.
- Sealcoating is an economical way to meet all three responsibilities if you have asphalt pavement. It improves the appearance of the parking lot by restoring the rich color and concealing surface blemishes, making the property more attractive to potential tenants. It also protects against the early deterioration of the pavement by filtering out damaging UV rays and forming a barrier against automotive fluids.
- Pavement Markings: The markings on your parking lot can improve your property’s curb appeal, but they can also make the area safer, reducing the risk of potential liabilities. Loading zones, fire lanes, exit routes and ADA-compliant parking spaces reduce confusion and distractions for drivers. Visible crosswalks improve safety for pedestrians.
Whether you need concrete ramps to make your property ADA-compliant or sealcoating to protect your asphalt pavement, Alpha Paving can help. We offer a full range of services for property managers, including asphalt overlays, crack and pothole repairs, concrete work, asphalt paving, parking lot markings, sealcoating, wheel stops, speed bumps and parking lot signs. We provide superior workmanship, exceptional customer service and professional project management. Call us at (512) 677-9001 or submit our online form to request a free quote.