HOA approval

What your HOA will ask for

Every association is different, but the questions a committee asks about a given project rarely are. Pick your project to see what review usually turns on and what to submit.

• HOA approval for solar panels

  Solar is the project with the strongest legal backing and the most paperwork. Both facts work in your favour when the application is complete.

• HOA approval for a fence

  Fence applications are denied for boring reasons: a height the guidelines don't allow, a material that isn't on the list, or a line that isn't clearly on your lot.

• HOA approval for a roof replacement

  A like-for-like re-roof is usually the easiest approval you will ever get — as long as the application names the exact product.

• HOA approval for exterior paint

  Paint is the project where associations are most prescriptive, and the one where a palette makes the decision almost automatic.

• HOA approval for an EV charger

  Most EV charger reviews come down to one question: what will anyone else see?

• HOA approval for landscaping and turf removal

  Associations review the design, not the decision to use less water — California law is explicit about the difference.

• HOA approval for a pool or spa

  A pool application is really three reviews at once: the pool, the equipment, and the months of construction traffic.

• HOA approval for a shed, pergola, or addition

  New structures get the most scrutiny, because they change the outline of the house from the street or from a neighbour's yard.

Want the law rather than the checklist? Read the guides.