Navigating an HOA When You Want to Paint Your Home’s Exterior

Many of CertaPro’s clients live in HOA communities. Painting your home when you live within an HOA (Homeowners Association) can be tricky. There are many more rules and regulations to follow. And these rules can involve a lot more than color choices. These regulations also can change quickly and sometimes without notice to homeowners.

But CertaPro Painters are experts when it comes to painting homes with HOA regulations. We have the experience and knowledge you need when trying to stay compliant and still love the exterior of your home.

Exterior Home Painting in HOA Communities

Every HOA is different and even within your HOA community, there might be varying rules about painting and exterior changes. These regulations can change according to where you live within the association and when you move into the neighborhood.

It can be very confusing for homeowners. For example, you may live in an HOA community that has different parts separated within the HOA. Each location may have its own rules or its own standards for the exterior of the homes within that certain section. This is why it is always important to read your HOA’s rules for your particular home and not rely on what your neighbors say.

This also can be a great reason to be an active member of your HOA association. It can be worth the investment of your time to be up to date on all the rules and regulations & to know when they become effective.

Problems often arise when some homeowners are denied when requesting a particular color for their exterior but then a short time later another homeowner applies to paint their exterior with a very similar color and is approved.

HOA rules can change quickly,  And often do. Some HOAs relax their rules on a certain color when many homeowners request to paint with it. There’s not much you can do about changing ideas and board members when living in an HOA so, again 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.

Oftentimes, custom communities can be even more stringent to keep control over the look of the community and keep its value.

They Can Tell You Which Color & When

HOA’s not only have bylaws about color, they also have rules about when you must re-paint your exterior. Many HOAs require home painting after a specific number of years or at their discretion.

For example, one new homeowner was surprised, while unpacking boxes, to find a letter on their door from their new HOA. This letter stated that their home’s exterior required immediate repainting and that the previous owner had been notified and warned about not complying.

Ideally, this is something buyers should find out during the home buying process but it can sometimes be overlooked or forgotten about.  New homeowners are given a specific time period to comply and paint with the re-painting 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 read your bylaws and familiarize yourself, and budget for frequent upkeep.

How to Overcome the Stress of Complying with Your HOA

Now how can you avoid all the stress and heartache of pleasing your HOA and yourself? How do you overcome all of these obstacles to get a color close to what you want and get it done right?

By hiring professional painters who are experienced in dealing with HOAs, like CertaPro Painters. Our painters know how to deal with HOAs, follow their bylaws, and keep everyone happy with the end result. Our painters work with HOA’s all the time and they know how to navigate the process.

CertaPro 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.

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 its 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.

When you’re ready to repaint your home within an HOA community, give CertaPro of Scottsdale a call at 623-518-6467 or schedule a free estimate online today!”