Much fuss has been made over the renovation and repair industry in residential structures. Common home repair jobs take precedence on forums and personal to-do lists. In fact, the home improvement industry is absolutely booming, doing over $400 billion in the United States every year.
We often forget about the renovations and repair work that must go into the extra-curricular learning and play spaces that our children frequent on a regular basis. In fact, millions of Americans are involved in the maintenance and upkeep of these facilities on a daily basis. From community churches to sporting teams, extra-curricular spaces are crucial to the wellbeing and happiness of our nation’s youth and adults alike, and chances are that you’re involved in the running of one or more of these facilities in your local community. Here are some tips for renovations and repairs to such facilities.
Think about the exterior structure first.
Often times, a learning center suffers from the same wear and tear that a residential property struggles to cope with. The elements take their toll on air conditioning units, roofs, and windows, regardless of the purpose the structure serves. However, damage to community outlets of learning and entertainment are especially difficult to handle because the entire community relies on their continued functionality.
Your best bet when dealing with a roofing issue is to simply call your local Waldorf roofing company. The roof is a tricky issue that most community center operators, businessmen, and homeowners just can’t handle on their own. Relying on a professional for this type of work is the best way forward, and a contractor with years of experience in the business can often have the old roof stripped and a brand new covering laid down and completed in under a week.
Your roof is designed to last about 20 years, but this doesn’t always come to pass. In communities that see heavy rain or snow, or are within the path of frequent hurricanes, forest fires, or tornadoes, a roof may only last a few years before sustaining enough damage to require a replacement. The best way to look out for signs of this early wearing away is to simply climb up on the roof with the changing of seasons or at least once a year in the springtime. This allows you to clear debris from the roof and look for any wear patterns that suggest a leak or soft spot is forming. Your shingles will discolor after about a decade, and their tough asphalt exterior will begin to wear down at fifteen or so. If either of these begin early, or you see specific wear patterns that streak across the surface, then you know that there’s a more pervasive problem at hand. This is when calling a professional to handle the replacement should be done.
Messing around with roofing repairs is the equivalent of asking for a cave-in, water leak, or infestation from rodents or insects. Don’t wait, just get the repair done and over with in order to ensure your peace of mind and the community center for learning’s continued operation for the 20 years to come.
Move inside to install upgrades to the facility.
Inside the facility is where the magic happens. This is your learning space, gathering area, or community hall. Whether you’re running a vacation bible school that seeks to teach young minds the expressions of religion, or you’re running an art class using canvas and paints, keeping the interior up to standard is equally important in order to ensure that your students are enjoying their time.
Religious community centers often consider structural upgrades that provide a high quality educational feel to the center. Utilizing a contractor or team that’s well versed in plumbing, electrical systems, and general construction is the best way to turn any dream you might have for your center into a reality. A professional contractor team can reimagine a tired meeting room as a series of breakaway classrooms or an atrium-style space that’s perfect for music, dance, or art classes. Religious centers often engage students with a mixture of these different mediums, so creating a space that incorporates larger rooms with smaller classroom styles spaces is a great way to create the perfect space for both group activity and quiet introspection when the circumstances warrant it. Keep in mind that your use of the interior may be limited during this process.
Make use of self-storage during the renovation process.
One of the most important, and often overlooked, aspects of renovations for community learning centers is the use of self-storage while the work is being done. Any upgrades that you might conduct on the interior space will require you to move your belongings out in order to make room for the work. Looking for ‘climate controlled storage near me’ is a great way to find an affordable rate for a self storage unit that suits your sizing and securitization needs.
Many educational facilities deal with sensitive information, and you’ll want to ensure that your community’s documents are kept safe during this process. Many self storage facilities offer the perfect balance of security features and freedom of access for those who need it. A climate-controlled unit is typically located within a building, and therefore accessible through the main entrance. The best facilities put their units on a higher floor that’s only accessible with a key code or key fob while in the elevator or stairwell. Once on your unit’s floor, you will obviously need to locate the unit and use a key to access the items kept within it. All this combines to provide a highly secure environment that also benefits from the moisture-resistant and air-conditioned qualities that many have come to expect as a standard within the self-storage industry.
While approaching upgrades for your extra-curricular learning center, you can’t leave anything to chance. Make sure that your facility’s property is secured within a vault-like storage facility and that your maintenance is always kept to a high standard to ensure that a high-quality educational environment is always offered to your students.
