Many planned development communities are managed by a homeowners association (HOA) that assists in exterior homeownership and community upkeep responsibilities. Because of this, living in an HOA managed community can come with many perks but what happens if you need to hire an HOA renovation contractor? Members of the community elect their neighbors to serve on the HOA board. The board enforces the HOA rules and covenants while burden-sharing the maintenance and aesthetics of the community with the homeowners. In addition to having an elected HOA board, there is a possibility these HOA communities are also run by a third-party community association management (CAM) company. The CAM company manages the day-to-day needs of the community – specifically, the outside of the homes – and is responsible for maintenance and care of the common areas.
HOA Maintenance and Repairs
If you found a leak from your roof or noticed the siding on your building is starting to look rough, you should notify your CAM company immediately. It’s likely that they have noticed it and even more likely your neighbor is experiencing this issue as well. By sharing your concerns, with increased community engagement, the CAM can get the process started for fixing your home exterior[s].
Next, your HOA CAM company should reach out to vendors to collect a few different proposals, recommendations, and bids for the exterior repairs or renovation project. Most exterior renovation contractors will complete a free inspection of the current roof or siding to identify what is needed to solve the problem. This allows the HOA renovation contractor to create an accurate estimate complete with inspection results, a recommended solution for the problem and a plan to execute that solution.
How to shop and compare renovations estimates for an HOA?
Now, many vendors and contractors will likely provide their bid to their community management company and allow them to review the options and present them to the HOA board for a vote and approval. As an experienced home renovation contractor, WestPro doesn’t understand this practice, in fact, we discourage it.
Why? The community management company are experts at managing the day-to-day needs of their HOA community. As the siding and roofing renovation experts, we have found that to most efficiently and accurately explain a large project’s scope of work and costs, it is best for us to attend HOA Board Meetings. We’re happy to do it!
If an HOA Board is going to make an investment in repairs or renovations, they should directly involve qualified contractors to explain and present inspection results, design recommendations, site management solutions, and detailed descriptions of warranties.
A community or HOA board simply doesn’t have enough information to make a responsible decision without critical dialogue between the contractor and the board. We can’t say it enough. Folks, invite your contractor to your HOA board meeting.
We see undergoing a project with an HOA community as an invaluable ongoing partnership. Not only will this partnership exist over the months of the project’s progress, but over the years, as we continue to be available for any warranty needs. We believe that with a larger project, such as a full-siding replacement, it is best to present our estimate and proposal to the HOA board directly. Invite us to your meeting!
Our presentation to HOA boards includes our inspection results and our recommended solutions based on what we found on your buildings. We like to use this time to thoroughly talk through how the project will go and address all fears or anxieties of the HOA board and homeowners directly. The presentation discusses options for how materials will be delivered and stored at the property, and how we manage using the parking lot and common areas of the community if needed.
How does an HOA pay for large projects such as Roofing or Siding?
We will also address financials – specifically, where the funds can come from. Some examples of financing options are: a temporary increase on HOA dues by a determined amount, per month; reallocating from existing funds in the HOA account; or completing a special assessment on the property’s value. WestPro has financing options for HOA’s as well, that are offered during the estimating and proposal process.
Upon completion of the presentation, there is time for a discussion with the homeowners association and we answer any questions they may have. Once we leave, the HOA will usually vote to decide whether or not to complete the project with us. This vote determines where the funding for the project will come from and an agreement to how the project will be completed (in accordance with our proposed plan). If the HOA board votes to complete the project with WestPro, they will then reach out to us directly and a contract will be executed.
Comparatively to a single-family residential project, in these circumstances, the HOA in its entirety are our customer. We are here to serve the community as a whole, and provide an exceptional product and installation for the structures in the community. Our goal is to provide proven exterior renovation systems that keep water out of your home for the lowest cost to owners over time. By successfully partnering with your HOA, members of the community can have peace of mind both during the project and for years to come.
Give us a call or reach out today to get a free inspection or a meet and great to discuss options.