HOA Compliant Front Doors
With all this in mind, what should you do if you live in an HOA and want or need to do something about your current front door. The proper approach to this will depend on the ins and outs of your particular HOA. Here is our advice for getting the most out of your front door while keeping it HOA compliant.
What to Know About HOA Compliant Doors in the Bay Area
Who’s Responsible for Front Door Renovations in an HOA?
Before anything else, you need to know who’s responsible for repairing and/or altering your front door -- you, or your HOA? While most CC&Rs cover the same general aspects of property use, maintenance, and conduct, the details of these documents can vary widely depending on your HOA in particular. For instance, some HOAs have strict guidelines on which exterior house painters can be hired to paint their properties. Read your CC&Rs carefully, and if you can’t find anything specific regarding front door renovations, reach out to your HOA for a concrete answer. They might inform you that they are in charge of overseeing front door replacements. When it comes to repainting your doors or making minor repairs, however, the burden may fall on you.
HOA Painting and Compliance Considerations for Front Doors
If you’re charged with updating your front door, you will still most likely need to seek approval from your HOA regarding the nature of this renovation to ensure you’re remaining compliant. Otherwise, you might get hit with fees and other penalties. Here are some key aspects to consider for front door renovations.
What is an HOA Compliant Door?
Aesthetic Obligations
Since most CC&Rs list several restrictions regarding exterior painting, especially in terms of which colors are acceptable or unacceptable for your home’s facade. Because your front door is a major component of your home exterior, your color choices might be limited, and in some cases, your HOA might require your front door to remain the same color it’s always been. Similar restrictions may apply to the style of your front door. Extreme changes might require gutting part of the home’s exterior and potentially alienating your home from the rest of the neighborhood -- not something most HOAs would allow.
Front Door Functionality
Maintaining HOA compliant front doors isn’t just about appearances. Your doors must also remain functional in order to keep the home well-protected and insulated. Inspect the knobs and hinges often, properly clean its outward and inward facing sides, etc. Some HOAs might have particular rules against additions like screen doors, but you can find screen doors and other functional alterations that meet many HOA requirements across the board. The key to enhancing your front door without violating your HOA’s rules and seeking approval for every change you wish to make.
Security Concerns
While your front door is designed to let people in, it must also be adept at keeping unwanted visitors out. Individual homeowners should do what they can to keep their home secure. While most HOAs won’t allow highly pronounced security measures like barred doors and windows, they might be fine with security screens -- these reinforced steel mesh barriers are inconspicuous and also protect the home from UV rays and certain pests. Additionally, you may be able to install certain types of locks to beef up your home security, so long as these installations don’t drastically alter your home’s outward appearance.
It’s no secret that HOAs can be restrictive -- there are pros and cons to these guidelines. At Endure Painting, our interior and exterior painting services are designed with HOA constraints in mind so you can keep your home compliant without the unwanted stress and confusion. For more information regarding our skills and services, call us at (510) 458-2120 or send us an email at hello@endurepainting.com.
