The verdict in three sentences
For a Miami community association management firm running 180 buildings, an owner portal is no longer optional: since January 2026, Florida condominium associations with 25 or more units must post key documents on a website or app. Market platforms, billed 400 to 1,500 USD a month at this size, cover accounting, assessments and that required portal; they handle detailed claim tracking and board meeting preparation poorly. That is where a custom module at 50,000 to 120,000 USD with a US agency, or 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) with Kolonell, saves hundreds of hours a year.
What your management platform does, and what it does badly
Specialist vendors handle the regulated core: association accounting, assessments by ownership share, reserve funds, delinquency workflows and the document portal. Post-Surfside rules (milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies) added new deadlines that many teams still track in spreadsheets. There is no point rebuilding the core. The pain sits elsewhere.
| Process | Market platform | Typical pain | Custom module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessments and delinquency notices | Well covered | Generic reminders | Not needed |
| Required document portal (minutes, contracts, budgets) | Covered, usability varies | Owners still call | Richer information layer |
| Insurance claims and water damage tracking | Basic record | Insurer, adjuster, contractor tracked by email | Yes, core of the project |
| Board and annual meeting prep (notices, agenda, bids) | Standard templates | 6 to 10 h of prep per meeting | Yes, strong gain |
| Electronic voting and remote meetings | Partial | Manual tallying | Yes |
| Owner maintenance requests | Generic form | No visible progress | Yes, with notifications |
| Milestone inspection and SIRS deadlines | Rarely covered | Spreadsheet tracking | Yes, with alerts |
The right architecture keeps the management platform as the source of truth for units, owners and ledgers, and connects the module through regular import or the vendor API where one exists.
The 2026 numbers to weigh
| Item | 2026 range | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Market management platform, 180 buildings | 400 to 1,500 USD a month | Depends on units and modules |
| Claims and meetings module, US agency | 50,000 to 120,000 USD | 3 to 5 months |
| Claims and meetings module, Kolonell | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | 8 to 14 weeks |
| Kolonell maintenance | 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month | Basic, Standard, Premium |
| Meeting prep time without a dedicated tool | 6 to 10 h | Notice, bids, resolutions |
| Water damage claim follow-up time | 3 to 5 h spread over 2 to 4 months | Insurer, adjuster, contractor, owners |
| Annual community manager turnover | 15 to 25 % | Knowledge walks out without a tool |
These are 2026 market estimates, to adjust to your average building size. Manager turnover is often the deciding argument: a claim documented in a tool survives the departure of whoever was handling it.
Mini case study
Hypothetical illustration: Maria, owner of a community association management firm in Miami, manages 180 buildings, about 4,500 units, with 9 community managers. She runs 180 annual meetings a year and handles about 250 claims.
- Meeting prep gain: 180 meetings × 4 h saved = 720 hours a year.
- Claims follow-up gain: 250 claims × 1.5 h = 375 hours a year.
- Total: 1,095 hours, valued at 40 USD per loaded hour = 43,800 USD a year.
- Kolonell option at 6,000,000 FCFA (about 9,150 EUR) plus 75,000 FCFA a month: payback in 3 to 4 months.
- US agency option at 80,000 USD: payback in under 2 years.
The qualitative gain matters as much: fewer angry owner calls, so fewer management contracts lost when boards come up for renewal.
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FAQ
Is our platform's portal enough to meet Florida requirements?
Usually yes, since vendors have updated their portals for the 25-unit threshold that applies from 2026. The custom module enriches the information (claims, maintenance requests) without replacing the required document portal.
Can the module handle electronic voting?
Yes. Ballots are generated per resolution and tallied automatically by voting interest. Allow 2 to 3 weeks of development within the overall budget.
How long for a first release?
A V1 covering claims and maintenance requests ships in 8 to 10 weeks. The meetings module follows in 4 to 6 weeks.
What if we switch management platforms?
The module reads data through import or API: if you change vendor, only the connector needs rebuilding, about 1 to 2 weeks of work, and the claims history stays with you.
What maintenance should we plan?
The Standard plan at 75,000 FCFA a month covers security updates and small adjustments, which is enough for a firm with 9 managers.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of buildings, meetings and yearly claims: we quote a claims and meetings module between 4,000,000 and 7,000,000 FCFA, delivered in 8 to 14 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.