CONTRACTOR INFORMATION Full legal name of contractor, physical address and telephone number. License number. Check their information on the internet. Insurance information- liability/ workers compensation/ automobile. Can they name your property as an "addtionally insured" on their policy. If they can't, they may not be insured on your type of job. Ask for a copy of their policy and make a point of looking at the exclusions portion of their policy. Many insurance companies won't insure their clients on HOA work. Request at least 3- 5 references on jobs that are 2 years or older that they have performed. This is important, as work recently completed isn't likely to have any problems yet. Ask them if you can look at the jobs. Ask the references if they would use the company again in the future.

DECK COATING What deck coating system are they proposing to install? They should provide you with a brand name. Who is the contact person/ sales representative who you could speak with at the manufacturer? Call that person and ask them for information using the questions below. Don't be embarrassed to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question. Will that person come and inspect the job, write the specifications specific for the conditions and write the manufacturer's warranty and inspect the job at it's various stages? What other items may or will need to be replaced? Flashings, plywood substrate, drains and scuppers often need work too. Are these items addressed in the estimate to do the work? Is there a need to slope the deck or minimize ponding issues? Decks need a 1/4" per foot of fall to shed water. Some manufacturers do not allow any standing water on their coating. Sloping can be very costly, especially if door thresholds need to be raised.

INSTALLATION AND CARE QUESTIONS What restrictions are there on the product that they are proposing to install? Request a copy of the maintenance instructions and warranty. Ask the sales representative for this information. For example, some coatings restrict the use of clay or concrete pots. Do your residents have clay pots? One particular manufacturer even tells you that 2" caster cups need to be put under table and chair legs to protect their deck coating from being cut or indented. Are there any odors that might be objectionable? Ask for the MSDS sheets that every manufacturer is required to maintain. These will tell you what hazards are associated with the material the contractor is proposing to install. Some of your residents might be susceptible to strong odors that result while material is curing. Some coating materials contain carcinogens, or agents that may or have been proven to cause cancer. These are issues you want to deal with ahead of time, not after when a major problem erupts because a resident is overcome by fumes. Is the deck available to walk on before or after normal work hours? You may have to relocate residents while the installation is being performed. Is the proposed coating vulnerable to damage from tables and chair legs, grills, heavy items, etc.? Most deck coatings carry a Class A fire rating. However, that doesn't tell you that many are still very vulnerable to damage and high repair costs from something as simple as a hot coal that burns the coating. Is the deck coating they are proposing breathable? Some coatings can trap water that gets underneath it, which, if the deck is not vented properly, can cause dryrot, mold and mildew or attract termites. Does the old coating need to be removed first before applying the new coating? Additional and often significant costs will be incurred if the old coating needs to be removed. Is the substrate in place now compatible with the new coating proposed? A lot of manufacturing companies requires plywood as the substrate. Address this with the manufacturer's sales representative, especially if you have OSB (Oriented Strand Board). Make sure there will be a manufacturer's warranty if you have OSB. Very significant costs will be incurred in the removal and replacement of substrate. This work may also affect the adjacent areas, stucco and wood siding, railings, etc.

WARRANTY What is the warranty on your product and how long is it for? Typical warranties are for 3- 5 years or more. What am I required to do for maintenance under the terms of the warranty? Just like your car, in order to maintain your warranty, certain maintenance must be done periodically. How often do I need to reseal the topcoat? How much does that cost? These questions are important to ask because some deck coatings need much more frequent maintenance than others do, which will add addtional costs to the overall cost of ownership. For example, some coatings need to be resealed every 2- 3 years and some need resealing every 3- 5 years. If one coating needs to be resealed every 3 years and the other coating every 5 years, there is a 40% difference in the maintenance cycle. This will help you compare the true overall costs of ownership. Can I reseal the decks myself or is it required to have an authorized installer do it under the terms of the warranty? Some manufacturers require that the installer do the maintenance in order for your warranty to remain in effect. Others may not have that requirement. Significant costs can be incurred for normal maintenance if the installer must do it so you can maintain your warranty. What could damage the deck coating? You may find that the deck coating you are considering can be burned, cut or damaged by heavy items. Rot can also occur if water is trapped against the surface by indoor/ outdoor carpets and mats. All of these will propably require repairs by the contractor at extra cost.