Strata Painting Budgets in the Sea-to-Sky: What Councils Should Plan for This Fall

Exterior painting is one of the largest predictable expenses a strata corporation faces, and it is almost always decided months before a single brush touches the building. In the Sea-to-Sky corridor, that decision happens in the fall.

If your council is heading toward an AGM without current numbers, owners end up voting on an estimate rather than a quote. This guide explains how painting projects are funded and approved under the BC Strata Property Act, what a comparable quote should contain, and why Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton buildings often price differently from one another.

1. Know which fund the work comes from

A building-wide repaint is normally treated as a major repair rather than an ordinary operating expense. That usually points to the contingency reserve fund (CRF), which exists for common expenses occurring less often than once a year.

Smaller, genuinely routine work, such as touch-ups to a lobby or a single entry door, can sometimes come from the operating fund if the approved budget has room. The distinction matters because it changes what kind of owner approval is required.

Where the CRF is not sufficient to cover the project, a special levy is the other common route. Either way, the funding decision should be settled before the scope is finalized, not after.

2. The vote that has to happen first

Spending from the contingency reserve fund generally requires approval by a 3/4 vote at an annual or special general meeting. A special levy generally requires a 3/4 vote as well. A recommendation in a depreciation report does not replace that vote.

There are narrow statutory exceptions, most notably where urgent action is needed to prevent significant loss or damage. Those provisions exist for emergencies and are not a route around owner approval for planned maintenance.

Practically, this means the resolution put to owners should already name a maximum dollar amount, and that number needs to come from a real quote. An AGM must generally be held within two months after the end of the strata's fiscal year, so working backward from that date is what determines when quotes need to be in hand.

3. Your depreciation report has already flagged this

Depreciation reports are required to address exterior and interior painting among the building components they assess, alongside items like exterior walls and roofs. The report estimates condition, remaining life and projected cost, and the corporation's annual CRF contribution has to be set with the most recent report in mind.

Requirements around report timing have tightened, with renewal generally expected at least every five years and transitional deadlines applying to corporations that have not obtained one recently. If your report is several years old, the painting figure in it is likely well behind current pricing, which is a common reason councils are caught short at the AGM.

4. What makes two quotes actually comparable

The Strata Property Act does not prescribe a set number of quotes. As a governance practice, most councils obtain at least three comparable written quotes for a major exterior repaint, and larger projects may be tendered with a consultant-written specification.

Comparable is the operative word. Three numbers on three letterheads are not comparable unless they cover the same work. Look for:

• Scope broken out by building, elevation and common area rather than a single lump sum.

• Surface preparation described specifically: washing, scraping, sanding, caulking and priming of bare substrate.

• Access priced as its own line: scaffolding, swing stage or lift often costs more than the coating itself.

• The coating system named by product, with the manufacturer's data sheet conditions and any warranty attached.

• Exclusions stated plainly, particularly carpentry, rot repair and any work that belongs to another trade.

• Insurance, WorkSafeBC coverage and a realistic schedule with weather contingency built in.

• A phased option, so a full repaint can be spread across two or three budget years if the CRF cannot absorb it at once.

A lower total frequently reflects less preparation or lighter access equipment rather than a better price for identical work. That difference tends to reappear as early coating failure, which the same owners then pay to fix.

5. Why Sea-to-Sky buildings price differently

Squamish receives well over 2,000mm of rain in a typical year, among the highest totals in the province. That exposure pushes buildings toward premium moisture-resistant systems and makes thorough preparation non-negotiable, because any bare or failing area will absorb water and undermine the new coating within a season.

Whistler properties frequently combine wood siding, timber detailing and stucco on a single elevation, and each substrate needs its own preparation and product. Pemberton runs drier but colder, which narrows the window in which coatings can be applied and cured within their stated temperature range.

A quote that reads identically for a Squamish townhouse complex and a Whistler mountain-side building has probably not accounted for either of them properly.

6. Planning around residents

Strata painting has to work around notice periods, visitor parking, balcony use and shared amenities that cannot be closed for weeks. Sequencing a building elevation by elevation, with advance notice issued by unit rather than one blanket email, prevents most of the complaints that otherwise land on council.

Owners also need to know what to clear from balconies and patios, and when they can put it back. That instruction should come from the contractor's schedule, not be improvised the morning work starts.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a 3/4 vote to repaint the building?

If the money is coming out of the contingency reserve fund or from a special levy, generally yes, approved at an annual or special general meeting. Genuinely routine work funded from an approved operating budget is treated differently. Confirm the specifics against your own bylaws and the Act.

How many quotes does the strata need?

No fixed number is imposed by legislation, though your bylaws, a council policy or a management agreement may set one. Three comparable written quotes is the common standard, and it gives owners meaningful information before they vote.

Can we start in the fall, or should we wait for spring?

Most full exterior repaints in the corridor are scheduled for the drier months. What fall is genuinely good for is assessment, quoting and the owner vote, so the project is booked before contractors fill their spring calendars.

What if the contingency reserve fund cannot cover it?

Phasing the work across budget years, a special levy, or a combination of both are the usual options. Ask for the quote to be structured so phasing is priced up front rather than renegotiated later.

Get a number you can take to the AGM

Pretty Good Painting has worked on strata, commercial and multi-unit properties throughout Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton and the North Shore. If your council needs a defensible figure before the vote, book a walkthrough now rather than in the spring rush.

Learn more about our commercial and strata painting services, or see our exterior house painting work for smaller buildings.

This article is general information about how strata painting projects are typically funded and approved in British Columbia. It is not legal advice. Your strata's registered plan, filed bylaws and the current legislation govern your specific situation.