Renovating Your Apartment Building? 2 Ways To Prevent Damage To Exercise Equipment When Moving It To A New Room

23 November 2015
 Categories: , Blog

Share

If you have decided to renovate your apartment building to attract new tenants and increase retention of current ones, then you may be moving a lot of your pricey, heavy exercise equipment from the old room it was in to a new, updated one and adding new pieces. When already spending big bucks on the renovation, you don't want to add the cost of replacing or repairing costly exercise equipment that was once in perfect working order because it became damaged during the move. Follow these tips for keeping every item in great shape and free from damage when shifting it around in your building or complex. 

1. Plan Well to Prevent Having to Move Items More Than Once

No matter who is enlisted to help your equipment, moving it from point A to point B only once will keep the risk of damage much lower than if you have to make last minute adjustments to your plan and move items multiple times. You can prevent multiple moves and shifts by planning well. 

First, measure the square footage needed by each piece of equipment, including extra space needed while it is in use. Then, draw up a plan that includes exactly where each piece will go in the new room, allowing extra space for new pieces of equipment you may have ordered. There are standards for equipment placement that can help you with your planning. Look into state laws first to check for any variations of general safety standards.  

Once you look into state laws, then plan to place larger equipment around the perimeter of your new fitness room. One wall should be dedicated to your dumbbell rack. Keep at least three feet of space around the perimeter of each piece of equipment to allow for safe operation and foot traffic. 

While you may be tempted to just get all equipment into the room and then decide where each piece will go, this can lead to last-minute chaos where items must be shifted around multiple times until a good layout is finally created. Every time a piece of equipment is shifted, it adds another chance for a ding, scratch, or more extensive damage to the piece. 

2. Enlist Experienced, Professional Equipment Movers

If you are thinking of having your usual maintenance staff move the equipment, realize that while you likely hired them for their all-around handiness and problem-solving skills, they are not professionally trained movers. There are moving companies with professionals who have dedicated their entire career to moving heavy, complex equipment without damaging it. Many pieces of equipment will need to be broken down into smaller components before moving, and they can can also break these items down and then reassemble them for you in the new fitness room. 

While you are likely looking to save a few bucks wherever you can during your pricey renovation, trying to cut costs by having your current staff move your exercise equipment can backfire tremendously. Exercise equipment that is not reassembled perfectly could end up injuring a person while they are using it. This will not only leave you in court while paying your attorney's fees defending yourself against the accident, but one bad accident can tarnish your reputation and the reputation of your building as a safe place for tenants. 

Renovating your apartment building can help attract new tenants willing to pay more for your units and increase tenant retention. Many tenants love a great fitness room that helps them save on pricey gym memberships. Just make sure that you plan well when moving older equipment into the new room, and hire professional equipment movers like Don R Fruchey Inc to reduce equipment damage and make sure each piece of equipment is reassembled safely.