Ravens Crest East

Along the front of every building on the end units are outside water faucets for all residents to use. The water from the faucet as well as all water in RCE are paid for from Association fees. If there is a hose attached it belongs to one of your neighbors and should ask if you may use it. Note, you are discourage from washing your cars on the property. The electrical outlet outside does belong to the resident which the outlet is closest to and is paid for by that resident, not the Association.

This new website is a work in progress.  We wanted to have it up and running as soon as possible in order to use it as an informational tool for the upcoming Renovation Project.  In order to do that, some areas are not yet complete.  If you have questions you would like to see in this area, please send them in to help us populate this page.  We hope to make updates on an ongoing basis, so check back frequently!

Ravens Crest East is always looking for residents interested in getting involved with Committees within the Community.  Please contact Management for current Committee needs.  As of this writing, we are looking for volunteers for the Covenants Committee (limited to unit owners only), and the Neighborhood Watch Patrol and Social & Welcoming Committee (open to all adult residents).

Notification of violations of the Association’s rules & regulations by a fellow community member can only be accepted in writing, and may not be anonymous.  You may notify the Management Office by completing a complaint form.

No.  The Association’s governing documents only permit one household pet per unit.  Additionally, all pets must be walked at least twenty feet away from the buildings, must be immediately picked up after, and may not be left alone on or tethered to any patio or building.

Typically, when purchasing or refinancing a unit, your mortgage company will ask you to provide proof of the Association’s insurance coverage.  To obtain this, you must call the Association’s insurance agent, BHB, at (800) 596-5252.

There are a number of different ways to pay the monthly maintenance fee. For details – see Payment Options under the About tab on the Home page.

Dumpsters are provided in each parking lot for the disposal of household trash.  All trash must be in sealed plastic bags and placed inside of the dumpster.  Not only are residents subject to fines if trash is left on the ground, but it is unsightly and attracts animals.

Only electric grills are permitted to be used.  Gas and charcoal grills are prohibited by state, township, and governing documents.  The prohibition also effects our insurance premium.  Any residents found to have gas or charcoal grills will be sent violation letters demanding their immediate removal, and be brought to the attention of both the Plainsboro Housing Department and Fire Official.  If the resident fails to remove the gas or charcoal grill, the grill will be confiscated and disposed of, and the unit owner and/or tenant may be assessed fines. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in this matter.

There is a charcoal grill located at the Pool which is open for all residents with a valid pool pass.

Most of the units used faucets from Mixet. Although this company is no longer in business, other companies manufacture Mixet parts, which may be found at local plumbing supply stores or online. One online supply store is PlumbingSupply.com, which has a very good parts drawing/listing on their website.

Please see the schedule.

Yes and No.  The Board has enacted a new storm door resolution that allows existing doors that are in compliance with Special Resolutions 4 and 9 to remain, provided that they are painted to exactly match the colors of the respective new 6-panel entry doors prior to re-installation.  Any existing storm doors that are not in compliance with the new resolution will be removed and not reinstalled.  The new resolution also specifies that future replacements  are to be Larson, Model 277-FB, and are to match the colors of our new six panel entry doors.

Yes.  Your pet can remain in your Unit.  However, your pet must be kept secured in a crate, carrier, or a room in which no work will be performed while your Unit is being renovated.  You should consider boarding your pet elsewhere so they are not disturbed by the construction activity.

It is not necessary for you to be home when your Unit is being renovated.  You may make arrangements to temporarily turn over your house keys to the Renovation Project Facilitator in order to allow the contractor access into your Unit.  The contractor needs access to your home to remove your old skylight (if you have one), entry door, sliding door, and window(s) and to install new replacements.  If you decide to stay home while the contractor is working in your Unit, you must be careful not to impede the work of the contractor.

The total cost of the Renovation Project is estimated to be $12 million.  However, the scope of the Renovation Project is very comprehensive as it includes 30 buildings and 612 Units.  Many of the components of our buildings will be replaced, so when the Renovation Project is complete, our buildings will have new exteriors.  Also, the Renovation Project includes site-wide improvements to drainage, lighting, landscaping, the tot lot and asphalt surfaces.  The building renovations of the project represent 83% of the total project cost while site-wide improvements make up the balance of the total cost.

The Association will base the amount that each Homeowner will pay for the Renovation Project Special Assessment on a number of different factors.  Those factors will include whether or not your unit has a skylight, full-lite door, exterior storage room door and the number of windows your unit has.  Also, your Renovation Project Special Assessment will contain a certain portion of the cost of the rest of the Renovation Project.  In addition, the amount of money that our Association has saved in reserves will lower the amount each Homeowner will pay for the Renovation Project Special Assessment.

Prior to the renovations being performed on your building, you will be instructed to remove all hanging objects from your exterior walls so that your art, pictures, photos, mirrors, etc. will not be damaged.  It is possible that the interior of your Unit could be slightly damaged.  Damage resulting in nail pops appearing in the interior surfaces of your walls could be incurred from the vibrations of the use of nail guns and hammering during the installation of plywood sheathing and siding.

When the renovations are being performed on your Unit and building, the construction will be somewhat loud. The noise of the construction will fade after your building has been renovated and the construction progresses to the next building and to the next parking lot.
The hours that the construction will take place are between 7:30AM and 7:00PM.  No renovation work will be performed on Saturday, Sunday or holidays.

During the renovation of your building, you will not be able to park your car near your Unit and/or in front of your building while the renovations are being performed to your particular building.  The Association will attempt to make special parking accommodations for handicap residents.

Yes, like the recent water heater replacements, certain HVAC contractors will present replacement options for your HVAC system.  Details will be provided to each Homeowner as soon as possible.  The Association will not require you to replace your heat pump system, but will provide replacement information for your convenience.

If your outdoor heat pump is in good working order and is damaged by the contractor while the flat roof is being replaced, the contractor will be responsible for the damage that he causes.  The Contractor’s liability for damaged heat pumps will reflect the unit’s age and condition.  If your heat pump needs to be replaced, you should consider replacing it after the flat roof of your building is replaced.

This will be a Homeowner responsibility.  It is expected that very few Homeowners will experience interior damage; if they do it will be minimal.

Most likely you will be able to access your Unit when the stairs in your building are being replaced.  However, in some locations you may not be able to leave or gain access to your unit for a brief period of time while the stairs are being replaced.  The contractor along with the Renovation Project Facilitator will coordinate with the Homeowners regarding the schedule of when the stairs will be removed and replaced.  It is important to note that these replacements will occur during the middle of the day when most residents are away at school or work.

Your electricity and water may be turned off during the renovations.  Some exterior electrical panels might require some repairs and your electricity could be turned off temporarily.  The Renovation Project Facilitator will advise residents in the event that your electricity will be turned off temporarily so that you may plan accordingly.

No.  Homeowners with two-bedroom units will pay more than Homeowners with one-bedroom units, which is similar to the difference in amounts for the monthly maintenance fees.  The percentage that determines  this difference is established in our Association’s Governing Documents.

Yes.  The Association will offer three options for Homeowners to pay the Renovation Project Special Assessment.  One option will be to pay the entire Renovation Project Special Assessment upfront.  By paying the whole amount upfront, a Homeowner can save the interest by not acquiring financing through the Association.  The second option will be to finance the entire amount through the Association.  This option means that the Homeowner will have a term of 10 years to repay the Renovation Project Special Assessment.  The Association will offer a third option for Homeowners, which will allow a Homeowner to pay 25% of the Renovation Project Special Assessment upfront and to finance the balance through the Association for 10 years.

It is estimated that the current Special Assessment to Build Reserves will end and be replaced by the Renovation Project Special Assessment sometime this year, 2008.  At no time will you be paying both Special Assessments simultaneously.

The Board hired an engineering firm to evaluate the entire property an to give the Association a complete assessment.  Comprehensive specifications were written which were structured to be all-inclusive to there are few opportunities for the contractor to charge for additional work.  Also, the engineer budgeted for structural repairs that could be needed and those repairs will have set prices.  There is also a contingency budget to capture all other items not covered in the project.  Finally, there will be inspectors on-site from our engineering firm, Morris Engineering, during the entire time the contractor is working.  The inspectors will check the work as it progresses and will evaluate any extra work for approval.

All of the money collected from the Special Assessment to Build Reserves has been deposited into our Association’s Long Term Account.  We currently have over $5 million in our reserve accounts and this money will be applied to the cost of the Renovation Project, thus reducing the total Renovation Project Special Assessment>  The money in reserves has also been earning interest , currently at a rate of approximately x%.  Our Association has earned more than $xxx,xxx in interest since 2004.  This will reduce the amount that each Homeowner will pay for the Renovation Project Special Assessment.

Yes,  All of the money collected from the Special Assessment to Build Reserves will be used to pay for the Renovation Project.  This has reduced the amount each Homeowner will have to pay for the Renovation Project Special Assessment.

The tentative start date for the renovations is April 28, 2008.

The order in which our buildings will be renovated is currently under review by the Board of Directors.  Our Association has a total of 30 buildings.  Someone will have to be first and someone will have to be last.  The Association will distribute sequence of building renovations to Homeowners in the near future.

The Renovation Project will include:

• Roofs (on buildings not already re-roofed)
• Skylights
• Sheathing
• Siding
• Windows
• Sliding Doors
• Entry Doors
• Full-Lite Doors
• Exterior Storage Room Doors
• Balcony and Patio Privacy Railings
• Stair Cases
• Stair Towers
• Breezeway and Balcony Exterior Light Fixtures
• Site-Wide Improvements to:
  – Drainage
  – Lighting
  – Landscaping
  – Asphalt Surfaces
• Tot Lot
• Renovating the Clubhouse

The Association has signed a contract with KPI2, which is based in Morrisville, PA, as the Contractor to perform the renovations.  KPI2 has experience in renovating multi-unit dwellings and one of the reasons that the Board selected KPI2 is because they do good work based on their references.

You will not have to stay in a hotel when the renovations are being performed to your building and your Unit. The construction associated with the Renovation Project will not start before 7:30AM and will cease by 7:00PM. No renovation work will be performed on Saturday, Sunday or holidays. Therefore, you should be able to sleep at home and not in a hotel during the renovations.

To renovate just the buildings, the estimate is that it will take two (2) years. However, the amount of time that the renovation will take will also be affected by inclement weather.

The skylights, windows and sliding doors are seventeen (17) to nineteen (19) years old and the vast majority of them have come to the ends of their useful life spans. They have rubber seals in them that have been failing allowing condensation to form in between the glass panes. Also, the flashings around the skylights, windows and sliding doors have been failing, thus permitting water to infiltrate our homes. If your skylight or window(s) or sliding door is not experiencing the above mentioned problems, it is only a matter of time before they will since they are already seventeen (17) to nineteen (19) years old.

Prior to the renovation of your particular building, you will receive a To Do List from the Renovation Project Facilitator so that you will be able to prepare the interior of your Unit.

In the event that it does rain while your roof or skylight is being replaced, the contractor will take measures to protect the building and your Unit from the rain. If any damage occurs in you unit due to rain while your roof or skylight is being replaced, the Contractor will be responsible for repairing the damage, including necessary repainting.

A Siding Color Selection Committee was formed and was comprised of volunteer Homeowners who convened on several occasions and selected the two colors for our buildings. Our buildings will be Driftwood (a light tan color) and Sage (a khaki green color).

Yes. Prior to the beginning of the construction of the Renovation Project each Homeowner will receive a mailing, which will have a tentative list of the order in which each building will be renovated.

It has yet to be determined where your outdoor heat pump will be relocated, if it is disconnected. However, the contractor will take precautions to prevent damage to your outdoor heat pump upon relocating it.

If the color of your building is grey, it will be changed to Driftwood (a light tan color). If the color of your building is brown, it will be changed to Sage (a khaki green color).

You should not have to go without heat or air conditioning for more than a maximum of twelve (12) hours. The time that you will have to go without heat, or air conditioning, will be shortened during extreme hot or cold temperatures.

Your Unit will not be left open during the day or night when your window(s), sliding door, and entry door are being replaced. The contractor will not remove your window(s) or doors unless they will be immediately installing the replacements. The contractor will not leave your Unit unattended while your window(s) or doors are removed. No Units will be left with the windows or doors removed overnight.

Most likely there will be no damage to the interior paint surfaces of the surrounding areas of your windows and doors that are being replaced. If visible damage to those surfaces occurs, the contractor will be responsible for making repairs.