Home Improvement

Home Improvement (HI) is the improvement of your apartment in a way that is not regularly expected of you. It is a lasting contribution and a capital and habitable improvement to the residence. HI is capped at 2 hours. If you do 6, you will only be credited for 2 HI hours.

To receive HI credit, you must take a picture of what you are cleaning BEFORE YOU HAVE STARTED CLEANING IT and then a separate picture (or pictures) AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED CLEANING IT. Send those pictures in an email to your manager, detailing that it is your HI project. Every project must be pre-approved unless it is one of the pre-approved HI projects listed in the workshift handbook. You will receive credit depending on how dirty the items were, and how well you cleaned them.

The office staff reserves the right to require an in-person check to confirm the hours if it feels necessary for whatever reason. This should be done within the same week as HI was completed.

Pre-Approved Home Improvement Projects 

• Painting a non-white wall in the apartment back to white

  • (up to 2 hours)

• Cleaning under, behind, the sides and inside of the oven

  • (45mins -1 hour)

• Cleaning the grease traps of the oven/under the burners

  • (30 mins)

• Cleaning under, the sides or behind (not inside) the fridge thoroughly 

  • (30- 45mins)

• Clean bathroom tile grout behind and under toilet bowl (not the actual toilet bowl) 

  • (30-45mins)

• Clean bathroom vent (15 mins)

• Clean Baseboards (15 mins)

• ONLY TO APARTMENTS WITH ACCESS TO A PATIO/BALCONY:

  • Deep Cleaning of Patio/Balcony (1 hour)

    • Remove all items from the balcony 

      • If items were from previous tenant(s) and you no longer want them  make sure to contact your house manager to receive additional credit to place those items in the dump pile

    • Sweep any leaves or small items left on patio/balcony

    • Clean the gutter if located at patio/balcony 

    • Wash the balcony

    • Place items back

If you choose to propose a non-pre-approved HI project you must write an email to your respective workshift manager with the following 5 days prior to the workshift deadline date:

1. Subject Title: 

   1. Proposal for an HI project

2. Instructions for the inside of the email:

   1. Proposal:

      1. What is the current condition of the area?

         1. Explaining the current status of the area 

         2. Describe if the area has dirty items:

            1. Old food stains, Built up dirt,etc

      2. How does cleaning the area you request contribute to the habitability of the unit? 

         1. Listing the reasons why cleaning the area would be a lasting contribution and capital in the improvement to the apartment unit

   2. Attach a picture(s) of the area you are requesting to clean (this means attach a picture that shows how dirty it is, DO NOT CLEAN IT) :

      1. Failure to attach a picture that shows the status of the area you are requesting to clean may result in no credit.

3. Send to your respective workshift manager:

   1. Rochdale, rocam@bsc.coop

   2. Fenwick, fenam@bsc.coop

4. MOST IMPORTANT WAIT TO HEAR BACK FROM THE RESPECTIVE WORKSHIFT MANAGER.

What if I want to do multiple HI pre-approved tasks?

Please submit separate google HI form submissions per task to avoid confusion. Please clearly label before and after. You must submit one (1) HI form per the pre-approved task you wish to complete.