HOA Painting Guidelines and What to Expect
Many of our clients live in HOA communities and we have lived in some different HOA communities ourselves so we’re here to answer some of the common questions about changing your home’s exterior when you live in a HOA.
Every HOA is different and even within your HOA community there might be varying rules about painting and exterior changes. We lived in a HOA community in El Dorado Hills, CA where there were different villages within the HOA that all had varying rules and then within each village paint colors and exterior changes depended on who the original home builder of the home was within that village. It can get really confusing. We got mad when we first moved to our home and noticed neighbors on one side of our street had black trim and when we tried submitting our HOA paint approval we got denied. After some research, we found out that our neighbors were actually part of a development by a later builder and only the homes built by a specific builder were permitted to use black and we were not.
HOA rules can change, And often do. In our last home, we submitted a paint approval to paint our home a crisp farmhouse white. We were denied and told to rethink our decision. After some discussion we were permitted to use a color a home down the street had used that was a warmer muslin white. About a month later a friend bought a home down the street that was recently updated and their home was painted the whitest white I have ever seen. The HOA had relaxed their rules on white since so many new home buyers and builders in the area were requesting white. There’s not much you can do about changing ideas and board members when living in a HOA so it’s important to stay involved in your HOA meetings and make sure you ask questions.
Even custom homes in HOA communities might have paint restrictions. Make sure to read your HOA bylaws and see what the rules are about painting. Don’t ever assume that if you live in a custom home you can do whatever you want. Often times, custom communities can be even more stringent to keep control over the look of the community and keep it’s value.
HOA’s often require home painting after a specific number of years or at their discretion. When we moved into one of our previous homes were were frustrated to find out, as we were unpacking our boxes and found a letter on our door, that our home required immediate painting and that the previous owner had been notified and warned about not complying. While this is something buyers should find out during the homebuying process it can sometimes be overlooked or forgotten about. We were given a specific time period to comply and paint with the order. HOA’s can also require painting anytime they believe the home requires it. If the home has noticeable paint chipping, cracking or other signs of wear. Make sure to ready your bylaws and familiarize yourself, and budget for frequent upkeep.
Now how can you overcome all of these obstacles to get a color close to what you want and get it done right? Hiring a Exterior Design professional or painter who is referred by your HOA or offers this service is always advised. Design professionals and painters work with HOA’s all the time and they know how to navigate the process.
As Exterior Designers we can easily find out from your HOA what the approved paint colors are. We can start from there and find some combinations that you like. Even if it seems like every house in the neighborhood looks the same, in most cases, they really don’t and some subtle changes can really make your house stand out. Painters aren’t always on top of the newest design trends so hiring a design professional like us gives you insight into what colors and combinations are going to keep your home current and maximize your investment if you do decide to sell. We are also experts in talking through design updates with HOA design review boards and sometimes we are able to finesse the process slightly to come to a common ground that you are more satisfied with. Often, HOA communities have reasons for the rules they enact so once you familiarize yourself with the history of the HOA and why some colors are preferred it can ease the blow of not getting exactly what you want. The benefit of living in most HOA’s is that your neighbors are being held to the same standards you are and this keeps the neighborhood looking it’s best for years to come.
Painting the exterior of your home can be one of the most costly updates you complete during the time in your home so it’s important you get the most for your investment. Hiring a design professional is a small price to pay to have a home that really makes you delighted every time you drive in your driveway.
