Repainting an occupied high-rise condominium is a different job from repainting a low-rise community. Owners are living in the building the whole time, every elevation needs a different way to reach it, and the board has to answer to residents for every week of disruption. For boards and community association managers in Tampa Bay, the contractor’s plan matters as much as the paint.

Here is what we learned repainting Bayshore Royal, an occupied 101-unit high-rise on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa built in the 1920s and managed by FirstService Residential, and what boards should ask any contractor before a high-rise repaint.

1. Access is the first decision, not the last

On a high-rise, how crews reach the wall drives safety, schedule and cost more than any other factor. Most towers are handled with boom lifts and swing stages, with scaffolding in some situations. Bayshore Royal was an unusual case: its projecting top floor and balconies on every face meant the usual methods couldn’t reach the whole building, so we combined three:

• Mast climber, which is rarely needed, but this building’s profile called for one.
• Suspended swing stages for the upper elevations.
• Boom lift for lower areas and spots the other systems could not reach.

Ask your contractor: Which access method will you use on each elevation, and why? Where will equipment be staged, and how will that affect parking, entrances and landscaping?

2. Walk the board through the plan before work starts

At Bayshore Royal, the board’s two biggest concerns were the impact on owners and whether the finished work would meet their expectations. Both are answered before the first coat goes on. We walked the board through the access plan, sequence and expectations up front, so there were no surprises once crews were on the building.

Ask your contractor: Will you present the plan to the board? Who is our single point of contact, and how often will we get updates?

3. Treat resident communication as part of the scope

In an occupied tower, crews work outside people’s windows and balconies for weeks. Owners need to know when their side of the building is scheduled, when to clear balconies, and when windows and doors will be masked. We coordinated with management and residents across all 101 units throughout the project and addressed issues as they came up.

Ask your contractor: How will residents be notified before work reaches their unit? How do owners report a concern, and how fast is it handled?

4. Keep the property clean and orderly every day

Residents judge a repaint by what they see on the way to their car. Daily cleanup, protected landscaping and organized staging areas keep complaints down and keep the board out of the middle. The Bayshore Royal board specifically noted that our crews were respectful of residents and kept the property clean and orderly.

5. Stand behind the finish

A high-rise repaint should not end with a crew packing up and a punch list left open. The project was completed on schedule and on budget, and we stayed until the finished product met the board’s standards as well as our own.

“They didn’t simply complete the job and move on. They took ownership of the finished product and were willing to do whatever was necessary to make things right and ensure that the work met their standards as well as ours.”

Reece Gerdon, Board President, Bayshore Royal Condominium

“Our project finished on schedule and on budget. All crew members were very respectful and hard workers. I highly recommend Bayshore Painters and would love to have them on any future projects.”

Dylan Renaker, LCAM, Community Association Manager, Bayshore Royal | FirstService Residential

High-rise repaint checklist for boards and managers

• Access plan by elevation (boom lift, swing stage, scaffolding, or a combination, plus specialty equipment only where the building requires it)
• Equipment staging and its effect on parking, entrances and landscaping
• Board walkthrough of the plan before mobilization
• One named point of contact and a regular update schedule
• Resident notices before work reaches each side of the building
• Daily cleanup and protection of landscaping and common areas
• Coating system and manufacturer specified in writing
• Proof of license and insurance, with the association listed as required
• Punch-list and final walkthrough process
• References from other occupied mid-rise or high-rise buildings

Frequently asked questions

Can a high-rise condo be repainted while residents live there?

Yes. High-rise repaints are commonly done while owners stay in their units. Bayshore Royal stayed fully occupied throughout. The keys are a clear access plan, advance notice to residents and daily cleanup.

What equipment is used to paint a high-rise?

Boom lifts and suspended swing stages handle most high-rise repaints, and scaffolding is sometimes used for specific areas. Mast climbers are much less common and only make sense when a building’s shape rules out the usual methods, as it did at Bayshore Royal. The right mix depends on the building’s height, balconies and profile.

Who should a board talk to first about a high-rise repaint?

Start with your community association manager, then bring in a commercial painting contractor early enough to walk the building, recommend access methods and help the board plan budget and timing.

Planning a high-rise or mid-rise repaint in Tampa Bay?

Bayshore Painters repaints occupied condominiums, HOAs and commercial properties across Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota and Central Florida. See the full Bayshore Royal case study, browse more completed projects, or request a property assessment and we’ll walk the building with your board or manager.