The strata job-day checklist: from first call to the suite door

Why access deserves its own checklist

Each strata building can have its own rules about deliveries, moves and trade visits, so the same job can run very differently two blocks apart. The B.C. government's strata housing overview explains that every strata has bylaws, and that owners and residents must follow those along with the strata's rules and the provincial Act. It also notes that roughly 1.5 million British Columbians live in strata housing.

For you, that means two things. First, the customer may not know their own building's rules, especially if they moved in recently. Second, the person who can actually approve your visit is often the property manager or concierge, not the customer. A checklist closes both gaps.

Consider the cost of skipping it. If a two-person crew loses ninety minutes at a lobby because the elevator wasn't reserved, that's three labour hours gone before any work. Do that three times a month and you've lost more than a full working day.

Step 1: Questions to ask at booking

Ask these when the customer books, and write the answers in the job notes. Once a building's answers are on file, you only need to confirm they haven't changed.

1. Building name and address, including which entrance trades should use.
2. Suite number and the name on the strata or tenancy, in case the manager asks.
3. Property manager or concierge contact, with their working hours.
4. Elevator rules. Does the job need a reserved elevator? Who books it, how far ahead, and are pads or covers required?
5. Parking and loading. Is there visitor parking, a loading bay or a time-limited zone? Is there a code or permit for the parkade?
6. Entry method. Fob, buzzer code, concierge sign-in or customer meeting you in the lobby?
7. Permitted work hours. Some buildings limit noisy work to set times.
8. Paperwork. Does the building ask contractors for proof of insurance, a business licence or a description of the work in advance?
9. Shutdowns. If the job needs water, power or another shared system shut off, who arranges it and how much notice is needed?

You won't need all nine every time. A quick fix in a suite may only need entry and parking. A renovation needs everything.

Step 2: Messages to send before the day

Send two short messages once the job is booked: one to the customer, one to the manager if the job needs approval or shared equipment. Keep them polite, specific and brief.

To the customer

Hi [Customer name], this is [Your name] from [Business name]. We're booked for [Date] at [Time] at [Suite number], [Building name]. Could you confirm the elevator is reserved for [Time window] and send the parking or entry details? Thanks.

To the manager

Hi [Manager name], [Business name] is scheduled to work in suite [Suite number] on [Date], [Time window], for [Short job description]. We'd like to use the [service elevator or loading bay]. Our insurance details are attached. Please let us know if anything else is needed.

Templates with placeholders mean anyone in your office can send them in under a minute, and managers start to recognise your business by its clear messages.

Step 3: The day-before confirmation

The day before every tower job, at a fixed time, confirm three things: access, elevator and parking. Set a rule for silence in advance. For example, if the customer or manager hasn't confirmed by 3 p.m., you call; if there's still no answer by 5, you warn the customer the job may move.

This one habit prevents most lobby failures. It also gives the customer a chance to fix things they forgot, like booking the elevator, while there's still time.

Step 4: On the day

Give the crew a short card or phone note for the job with everything they need at the door:

• entrance to use and entry method
• where to park and for how long
• elevator booking time and whether pads are required
• the manager's or concierge's name and number
• the customer's number, and a backup contact if possible

A crew member who can say "I'm with [Business name], we're booked for suite [Suite number] and the service elevator from 9 to 11" gets through a concierge desk much faster than one who has to phone the office.

Step 5: Record what you learned

After the job, spend two minutes updating the building record. Note anything that differed from what you were told, such as a different entrance, a stricter parking limit or a manager who needs three days' notice instead of one.

This is where the value builds up. Around Burquitlam and Lougheed, a busy trade may work in the same towers repeatedly. After a few months, your record covers most of them, and booking a job in a familiar building takes minutes.

A simple building record has these columns: building name, address, manager contact, elevator rule, parking and loading notes, entry method, permitted hours, paperwork required, last visit date, and notes.

Common mistakes

• Assuming the customer knows the rules. New residents in particular often don't.
• Booking the job before the elevator. Elevator availability can be the real constraint. Ask early.
• Keeping building knowledge in one person's head. Write it down so anyone in the office can arrange the job.
• Leaving flyers in lobbies. Unsolicited material can annoy managers whose approval you need for future jobs.
• Not telling the manager when you finish. A short thank-you message after a job involving the service elevator builds goodwill.

Measuring whether it works

Count three things for the month before and the month after you start: tower jobs that started late, tower jobs cancelled or moved because of access, and the office time spent arranging them. Even rough counts from your calendar show the trend.

If access problems drop but you're still losing customers before they book, the issue may be at the phone instead; see our missed-call cost worksheet. If you'd like help setting up the routine, our strata access and booking engagement builds it with your team. Other guides are listed on the guides page.