2018 was a year of enormous growth for us at GLE. We added 19 new team members and added 332 new clients in addition to our existing client base.
At the same time, we continued our commitment to provide you with timely, useful information and news on topics that are important to you through our blog. We’re grateful for your engagement with our work, and we’re excited to present our top 10 most-read articles of 2018.
In reverse order:
No. 10: Everything You Need to Know to Mitigate Construction Lending Risk
Mitigating risk is critical to successful construction and construction lending. This article, which was our tenth most popular this past year, discusses the 3 main sources of construction lending risk:
- Overfunding
- Funding incomplete work
- Funding trades that are never paid
Then it outlines a practical plan for mitigating each of those risks in a sensible, cost-effective manner.
No. 9: Everything You Need to Know About Radon in Commercial Buildings
Our ninth most popular article of 2018 discusses the topic of radon, especially in the context of commercial buildings. It covers:
- What radon is
- Why facility owners, managers, and employers should care
- How to make sure you’re in compliance with radon laws
It includes Florida’s regulations and a step-by-step process for meeting its requirements.
No. 8: Phase I versus Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
Our #8 most popular blog article this year helps clear up confusion about the difference between and uses of Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs). It covers:
- Why a site assessment matters
- A side-by-side comparison of Phase I and Phase II ESAs
- A brief discussion of a Phase III Environmental Site Assessment
It also discusses when you’re required to have each type of assessment, and how each can help mitigate risk, depending on circumstances.
No. 7: How to Prevent Mold Growth During Construction
We have found over the years that mold is a perpetually popular topic, so we were not surprised to find this one on the list in the #7 spot. In this article we discuss:
- The costs and risks associated with mold growth during construction
- How mold grows
- Steps to avoiding mold growth during construction
- When to inspect a property for mold growth before continuing construction
We consider this one a money-saving must-read for construction professionals and property owners alike.
No. 6: 4 Construction Mistakes that Will Come Back to Haunt You
Construction is a high-risk low-margin business, and one or two big mistakes can threaten the entire project. In the #6 most-popular spot is our article highlighting 4 big mistakes you definitely want to avoid during construction. It discusses:
- Incomplete plans
- Badly coordinated plans
- Too little detail in the plans
- A plan and cost review using the wrong set of plans
While these mistakes seem simple and basic, they continue to plague construction companies and property owners alike. We hope this post helps readers avoid them.
No. 5: What Does Quiet Enjoyment Mean for Property Managers?
Property managers are legally responsible for meeting the terms of their leases with tenants, providing a safe facility that meets all applicable codes and regulations, and providing their tenants with “quiet enjoyment.”
This latter point can cause confusion, so we wrote our #5 most popular article to answer common questions about it. We cover:
- A working definition of “quiet enjoyment”
- A discussion of how it specifically applies in commercial environments
- How “quiet enjoyment” can be impacted by renovations
- Issues of “quiet enjoyment” and environmental health
No. 4: Repair or Replace? What to do About Your Aging Asphalt Parking Lot
Parking lots are a large investment, and as they age, property managers are faced with critical decisions about how to maintain and manage them. In this piece, our fourth most popular of the year, we examine:
- Primary types of asphalt parking lot damage
- What types of damage are usually good candidates for repair
- Under what conditions resurfacing can be a smart choice
- When it’s time to consider replacement
You can read the article here.
No. 3: Estimating and Controlling Commercial Renovation Costs
This piece was hugely popular and started a lot of conversations. In the #3 slot, to no one’s surprise, is an article about money and how to estimate and control costs.
The article covers a lot of ground, including:
- The key factors that affect renovation costs, from location and size, to building use and market factors
- Step by step instructions for controlling costs, from planning and avoiding surprises, to hiring the right partners and overseeing the renovations
We’re awfully proud of this piece and glad it made one of the top slots.
No. 2: 3 Common Causes of Pavement Failure and Their Solutions
Pavement is a perpetually hot topic, and this year was no different. In the #2 most popular slot, this piece discusses:
- How pavement is constructed and how it works
- The effect of poor soil on pavement
- The problem of “localized voids”
- Effects of common design and fabrication mistakes
While no one wants to deal with pavement failures, it is unfortunately common. We hope this piece helps property owners understand the causes, avoid expensive mistakes, and maintain their pavement in the most effective manner.
No. 1: How to Estimate the Cost of a Commercial Roof Replacement
What do you get when you combine a conversation about money with one of our perpetually most popular topics, the commercial roof? You get a #1 most-read blog article!
We’re thrilled to see this one in the top slot, as we put a lot of our deepest expertise into making it as useful, thorough, and practical as possible. We’re glad you liked it.
The article discusses:
- The top five factors that impact roof replacement costs, including roof type, roof access, what’s underneath, wind loads and fastenings, and code requirements
- Typical cost ranges for each type of roof under average conditions
- How each of the five factors impacts the likely cost range based on roof type
We hope you’ll find it as useful as many other readers have.
We want to thank you for making 2018 such an incredible year. We appreciate every one of you for visiting our site, engaging with our team, and being a part of our business community.
Happy 2019!
