Free Resource · For Property Managers
The Twin Cities Property Capital-Planning Checklist
Walk your building, mark what’s aging, and turn it into a budget — before something fails on its own schedule.
Print one per property and walk it top to bottom. For each item, note the age, condition, and a rough dollar if you have it. Anything you can’t answer is exactly what a free walk-through is for. Below the checklist you’ll find typical lifespans and a simple way to turn your marks into a multi-year budget.
Walk the Building
Roof & Attic
Roof surface age & remaining life
Flashing, valleys, penetrations, boots
Gutters, downspouts, drainage
Attic insulation depth & ventilation
Leak stains or past ice-dam damage
Exterior Envelope
Siding condition — cracks, fading, rot
Windows & doors — seals, drafts, fogging
Caulking & sealants
Exterior paint / stain
Soffit, fascia, trim
Site & Grounds
Parking lot — cracks, sealcoat, striping
Sidewalks & concrete — trip hazards
Grading & drainage away from foundation
Decks, railings, stairs, balconies
Fencing, retaining walls, exterior lighting
Common Areas & Units
Hallways, lobbies, stairwells
Amenity spaces — fitness, community rooms
Unit make-ready backlog / condition
Flooring, paint, cabinetry lifecycle
Mechanical & Efficiency
HVAC / rooftop units — age & service
Water heaters / boilers — age
Air-sealing & insulation gaps
Utility-cost trend / envelope upgrades
Safety & Code
Egress windows & exits clear
Railings & guardrails — height/spacing
Fire protection & extinguishers current
ADA / accessibility items
Rule of thumb: the roof and building envelope are where “surprise” capital hits come from. If a roof is past 15 years or you can’t say how old it is, put it at the top of your walk.
Typical Lifespans
Use these ranges to estimate how much life is left in what you marked.
Turn your marks into a budget — 3 steps
1
Flag anything past ~75% of its life (or unknown age). Those are your next 1–3 years of capital.
2
Get real numbers on the flagged items — scope and rough cost — so ownership sees it coming instead of reacting.
3
Sequence the work across 1–5 years so no single budget year takes the whole hit, and emergencies don’t set the schedule for you.
Or Let Us Do It — Free
Free Property Walk-Through & Capital Plan
We’ll walk one of your properties and hand you this same analysis in writing — roof and envelope life, priority repairs, efficiency opportunities, and rough numbers and timing. No cost, no obligation.