Wow, I just found this about the building on myleakycondo.com. Not sure when it was posted, but it looks like a rain screen wouldn't be enough to fix all the problems:
We have identified that we have water ingress throughout our building envelope that is acutely damaging the structural integrity of the building. We have also identified certain irregularities in the building foundation that upon close examination, may prove to be an additional impairment to the structural integrity of the building.
We have and continue to exercise due diligence in or assessment and approach to making our building structurally sound and in our investigation of technologies that will solve the problem of water ingress through what has been described as a poorly constructed, inappropriate architectural features of our building. The strata corporation is encountering significant difficulty obtaining plans, specifications, and other relevant technological data rom the developer/builder also referred to as the "Acme Group/Acme Developments Ltd." "Acme Developments Ltd.[the company formed to develop this strata corporation] is no longer an active company.
Council is considering its options at this time with respect to recovery of costs and unspecified damages, however council being cognizant of its responsibilities both legally and morally, is applying due diligence in as much as undertaking the rehabilitation of the facility. Council is of the opinion that our obligation is to rehabilitate the facility and not wait for any results that may be in our favour as a result of the findings of the commission and our pending legal actions.
Technical Component.
The strata corporation is a wood framed building built on a typical low rise multi- residential concrete foundation that includes a below grade parkade. The architectural style is Georgian. The exterior cladding system is principally stucco/mesh/tyvek/oriented stranboard over untreated dimensional green lumber, presumably hemlock or fir. The roof system is principally tar and gravel, with the balance being painted corrugated steel. The structure is complicated by Georgian influenced architectural details that are not indigenous to the West Coast of British Columbia. These details would impose a severe challenge under ideal conditions, to even the most experienced professional tradesman. Give that the influencing factors for developers in the condominium market are: location, price and cost to bring to market. It is now painfully clear that in the building of LMS 000 we had a recipe for inattention to detail, poor workmanship, lack of supervision, lack of inspection by competent personnel and civic authorities.
The 187 unit complex was built in two phases. Phase 1 was completed in the spring of 1993. Fire completely destroyed the initial Phase II of wing shortly after lock-up was initiated. Phase II was subsequently completed in the fall of 1994. Purchsers of Phase I bought their suites site unseen. A similar site developed by "Acme" in another suburb of the lower mainland, was proffered by the developer as the model of quality that purchasers could expect to discover at our strata corporation when they moved in. Interestingly enough, we have it on competent authority that this other development has been repaired twice up until now and need to be repaired for a third time at a staggering cost to the remain- ing owners. We understand that the strata corporation is considering litigation.
For various reasons Council became suspicious that a problem may exist with the building envelope. After some discussion Council elected to investigate the building envelope for moisture content. The contractor selected probed the building envelope utilizing semi- invasive technology and provided conclusive evidence of moisture and humidity levels in excess of tolerable limits in a number of locatins around the building perimeter. Upon receipt of the investigatin report, Council further commissioned full exposure of' suspected "hot spots" that warranted further investigation. Utilizing fully invasive technology the contractor exposed the suspect areas of the building envelope and discovered structural damage in the form of wood rot in various stages of development caused by ingress of water from unknown sources.
Investigation and observation of the building exterior has given rise to much speculation as to the areas of the structure that could provide access for rain water and ground water to penetrate the cladding system. Flashing, conspicuous by its absence, on horizontal stucco details are immediately suspect. We have a proliferation of such architectural details present in our building design. Failure of caulked seams and joints is also cited as a potential for water ingress and is strongly suspected. Window details are suspect as are balcony details. In addition anywhere that two walls meet is also a concern. It is also suspected that improper drainage and possibly inappropriate civil design or lack of due consideration to locally influenced, seasonal hydrological events has contributed significantly to the problem. Lack of full consideration for these signficant design components may be providing for collection of ground water into pools which then wich up the wall structure.
While there is a range of age groups at our strata corporation, it was marketed and sold as a 'mature lifestyle' development. That meant you had to be aged 45 or older to purchase here although the average age is older. We have many amenities such as an English style pub, a social lounge, a crafts room, a woodworking shop, a grandchildern's playroom, a swimming pool, and a hot tub. There is an active social committee that arranges various regular activities for our residents such as Whist, poker, bingo, movie nights, pub nights, dances, etc. Many of our senior residents sold their family home and purchased here to enjoy a carefree, active social life in their senior years. Ironically, although we have all the makings of the real community we thought we had bought into, we have instead become individual combatants in a war that can have no winner. Something that none of us expected when we purchased our homes.
Many of our residents, both our seniors and those who are still working, will find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find the money to pay the large assessments that we may shortly receive. Most of our seniors are on fixed incomes and have no prior experience with condominium living. Some suffer from ill health and/or disabling conditions. In general, they find it difficult to understand how a four year old, multi-million dollar building, built by a supposedly reputable developer, could have problems of this magnitude. They don't understand how you can have afive year home warranty program that does not cover the costs of the needed repairs.
Much like when one receives a diagnosis of terminal illnesses, our residents are each in various stages of grief such as denial, anger, sorrow, only a very few have achieved acceptance of our current situation. This has created an atmosphere of distress resulting in friction between owners, accusations and threats being made by one another, and assertions made by some that they will not pay any assessments. Regretfully, the Condominium Act requires us to perform due diligence and make the necessary repairs.
The current state of confusion, disbelief, anxiety, and tension has resulted in a distrust of the Strata Council, the property manager, and of each other. In a time when we all need to pull together and support each other, we are instead threatened by the enemy within; an unstable chaotic state of paranoia.
-----
Sounds like a nightmare.