When must owners take down their blinds?

As previously noted in our June townhall Q&A, PP2 owners will have to take down existing window treatments (blinds) at least 48 hours before the window trades are scheduled to remove their windows.

Window treatments will then have to be reinstalled after remediation is completed. As we prepare for that eventuality, your Strata Council is asking owners to consider the following:

• Our Bylaws and Rules stipulate that owners must obtain written approval before making any alteration to the exterior appearance of our building, and cannot change window treatments that are visible from the exterior of the building.
• Some existing blinds may not fit into the new window openings without being trimmed or replaced.
• It is possible to replace the current semi-transparent window treatments with opaque/room-darkening blinds while maintaining a consistent exterior appearance. Some opaque blind samples have been left in the lobby with the concierge.
• Where an owner chooses to install opaque blinds, though the existing white exterior colour must be maintained, the interior colour can be to the owner’s taste.
• Existing manually operated blinds can be replaced with battery-operated motorized units that do not require an external power source. These rechargeable units are said to only require charging every 12-18 months. Other options such as operation via phone or set to a timer are also possible. 
• Installation/re-installation of blinds will require that mounting guidelines from RDH (not yet available) are followed to ensure that window warranty is not voided.
• Because window treatments are within the strata lots, the taking down, re-installation, and any modification of (or improvement to) a unit’s window treatments are the responsibility of each strata owner, and at the owner’s expense.
• Owners are free to choose any contractor, but our building handyman, Tony Dohaniuk of Cityscape Maintenance Services, is willing to assist owners who wish to hire someone to take down and reinstall their window treatments. Owners can contact Tony directly by email, tonydohaniuk@hotmail.com, or phone, (778) 385-1976.
• Tony has reached out to Avant-Garde Designs, who have 29 years of experience, to be his one-stop source for window treatment options. Owners can arrange a no-charge/no-commitment consultation by email, Avant-Gardedesigns@telus.net, or phone, (604) 315-8558.
• While the above information is being provided as a courtesy to PP2 owners, your Strata Council is in no way promoting Cityscape Maintenance Services or Avant-Garde Designs over other contractors. Nor are we assuming any responsibility for costs, quality of work, or any other aspect of window treatment choices made by individual owners.
• Again, owners must obtain written approval before making any alteration to the exterior appearance of our building, and, except for replacing existing semi-opaque blinds with opaque, cannot change window treatments that are visible from the exterior of the building.