A strata tower is hundreds of private homes behind one shared envelope, so the work succeeds or fails on notification, balcony coordination, and a scope the council can defend at an AGM.
The defining difference from an office tower is privacy and consent. Every window a technician passes is someone's bedroom or living room, and every balcony is private property containing furniture, plants, barbecues, and sometimes pets. That makes notification, scheduling certainty, and technician conduct the core service, with cleaning quality assumed.
The second difference is governance. Work is approved by a strata council against a budget set at an annual general meeting, often informed by a depreciation report. A scope that changes mid-term, or a proposal that arrives after the budget is fixed, is far harder to approve than one aligned to the cycle — which is why strata scopes should be written to be stable for two to three years.
Physically, most Metro Vancouver strata towers are concrete with glass balcony guards and sliding doors. Balcony glass has two sides, resident-installed screens and planters interfere with access, and the underside of balcony slabs collects the staining residents notice most.
Most towers are cleaned by swing stage or rope access from certified roof anchors. Anchor certification is the recurring issue: many older strata buildings have anchors that were never certified or have lapsed inspections, and the certification has to be current before any suspended work can proceed. Where anchors are missing, an engineered temporary system or a boom lift for lower floors may be needed, and that changes both cost and schedule.
Townhouse podium levels and low-rise portions are usually water-fed pole from grade. Balcony interiors, when included, are worked from the balcony itself with resident access arranged in advance, which is the part of the program that needs the most administrative effort.
| Scope | Typical interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior tower glazing | Twice yearly | The common baseline for Metro Vancouver strata towers. |
| Balcony glass, both sides | Annually | Requires resident access coordination and clear balconies. |
| Lobby, entrance, and amenity glazing | Monthly | Common property most visible to residents and buyers. |
| Slab edge and soffit soft washing | Every 2 to 3 years | Low-pressure method to protect coatings and sealant. |
| Parkade and driveway wash | Annually | Usually bundled with a spring service. |
| Gutter, drain, and scupper clearing | Twice yearly | Autumn and spring; prevents interior water claims. |
Residents accept the work easily when they know exactly when a technician will be outside their window and can plan around it. They react badly to surprises — an unannounced drop past a bedroom window generates more complaints than a week of delay. The notice package therefore matters as much as the crew: dated elevation schedule, balcony preparation instructions, privacy expectations, and a named contact for questions.
Weather delays are the other reliable source of friction. A program that publishes a rain-day rule and re-notifies promptly keeps council confidence intact; one that simply does not show up on the posted date does not.
Write the scope to hold for two to three years so it can be budgeted at an AGM without renegotiation. Separate exterior glazing, balcony glass, slab edge soft washing, and drain clearing into distinct line items with their own frequencies. Name the anchor certification requirement, the notification lead time and format, the rain-day rule, and the resident balcony-preparation expectations as contract terms rather than assumptions.
A printable compliance checklist for your file, and a budget range with this building type already selected.
Every document, scheduling confirmation, frequency baseline, and inspection point from this guide, formatted as a checklist you can circulate before a scope of work is issued.
Open the estimator with the building type pre-set to Residential strata tower and get a planning range plus a branded budget PDF in about a minute.
Estimate this building typeTwice yearly is the common baseline in Metro Vancouver, with balcony glass done annually because it needs resident coordination. Buildings near the water, a major road, or ongoing construction often justify a third visit.
Only if balcony access is required and the unit cannot be accessed another way. Exterior-only cleaning does not need residents present, but they should be notified so blinds can be closed and balconies cleared.
A stable multi-year scope with per-service frequencies, current anchor certification status, proof of insurance and WorkSafeBC clearance, the fall-protection and rescue plan, and the resident notification package — enough to answer owner questions at a general meeting without going back to the contractor.
Portfolios rarely hold one building type. Each guide covers failure modes, access strategy, frequency, compliance, and scope of work.
Terminals, control towers, hangars, and air-side glazing where security clearance and airside rules govern every hour of work.
Read more →Acute care towers, clinics, and labs where infection control, patient rest, and never-blocked emergency access set the rules.
Read more →K-12 schools, colleges, and university campuses where the academic calendar, child safety, and multi-building portfolios drive the plan.
Read more →City halls, courthouses, libraries, and public agency buildings with formal procurement, security screening, and heritage constraints.
Read more →Stadiums, arenas, theatres, and convention centres where an unforgiving event calendar defines every available working hour.
Read more →Stations, bus exchanges, terminals, and parkade structures with continuous public flow and live-track or live-lane safety rules.
Read more →Data centres, network hubs, and utility facilities where water control, air intakes, and uptime discipline outrank appearance.
Read more →Send your building age, storey count, and balcony type and we'll return a scope, schedule, and resident notice package your council can approve.