What management actually costs in BC, what the service should include, and how to switch companies without dropping anything.
Choosing a management company is the largest recurring decision a strata council makes, and it is usually made with the least information. Proposals are hard to compare, the cheapest quote is cheap for a reason that is not stated in the quote, and the real difference between two firms only becomes visible in the eighteenth month.
The articles here are written to make the comparison honest. What strata management costs in BC and what drives the number. What a manager is contractually responsible for versus what quietly becomes a council job. Why the lowest quote so often carries an extras schedule that closes the gap. What full-service management includes that financial-only management doesn't, and when financial-only is genuinely the right call. How to tell whether the service you have is worth what you pay for it, using something more concrete than a feeling.
There is also a practical run on switching: the signs it is time, the notice provisions, the handover of records and funds, and the sequencing that keeps a transition from losing a month of bookkeeping. And, for the buildings weighing it, an honest look at self-management — which works for some small complexes and goes badly wrong in others, along fairly predictable lines.
We manage buildings for a living, so treat this section as informed rather than neutral. Where our own interest is obvious, we've tried to say so in the article.
A tower with retail at grade is one strata corporation on paper and three different buildings in practice. Sections, cost allocation and insurance all work differently.
Management proposals are built to be hard to compare. Here is everything a complete one contains, the omissions that should worry you, and how to price a realistic year under each.
A competent strata management transition follows a recognisable shape. Here is what should happen week by week — and the warning signs that it isn't going well.
Both are licensed, both manage property, and they are not interchangeable. One serves a corporation of owners collectively; the other serves a single landlord privately.
An honest comparison for BC councils weighing self-management against hiring a firm — including what each option actually costs once the volunteer hours are counted.
A practical way for BC strata councils to judge strata management value: separating price from value, spotting transparency, and reading reviews right.
A practical guide for BC landlords on what to look for in a rental property manager, the questions to ask, and how to compare fees and services fairly.
The warning signs that your strata manager is no longer serving your building — and exactly how the switch works, from the contract clause to the records handover.
Why many firms avoid small stratas, the real challenges of running a 4-to-20-unit building in BC, and the boutique management options that actually fit.
For self-managed BC stratas that only want help with the money side: how financial-only strata management works, what it covers, and when it's the right fit.
Your strata manager is an agent, not a boss. Here's what they do, what they don't, why they aren't on-site daily, and who's really in charge of your building.
Price is the easiest thing to compare and the worst way to decide. Here's how a BC council should evaluate strata managers on service, communication, and fit.
The lowest strata management quote in BC is rarely the cheapest once the year is over. Here's what bargain quotes leave out — and how to compare three fairly.
Unhappy with your strata manager? The two ways out under Section 39 — cancel on the contract's own terms with no vote, or the 3/4-vote override — and the handover.
What does strata management actually cost in BC? Real 2026 per-unit ranges, why small buildings pay more per door, and the extra fees to watch for.
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