Home improvements under HOA rules: What to know

Key takeaways

• Most exterior home improvements in a homeowners association, or HOA, require approval from an architectural review committee before work begins, and skipping that step can lead to fines, forced removal of the work or a lien on the property.
• State and federal laws override certain association restrictions, meaning associations in at least 29 states cannot ban solar panel installations, and many states also protect drought-resistant landscaping and disability-related modifications.
• Buyers purchasing a home in a homeowners association community inherit any existing architectural violations from the previous owner, so requesting a list of open violations from the association before closing is a necessary step during due diligence.

Planning home improvements under homeowners association rules means dealing with a layer of oversight that goes beyond standard building permits and budgets. If you live in a homeowners association community, most exterior changes and some interior work require board approval before you start. Skipping that step can lead to fines, forced removal of finished work or liens on your property.

Below you will find which projects typically need approval, how the submission process works, what to do if your request is denied and how state laws may limit what your homeowners association can restrict.

Related content:

• What is an HOA?

A homeowners association, or HOA, is a governing body in a residential community that enforces shared rules called covenants, conditions and restrictions to maintain property standards, protect home values and manage common areas.

About 78 million Americans live in a community association, according to the Foundation for Community Association Research. These associations manage rules, amenities and shared services in planned developments, condominiums and cooperatives. Membership is typically mandatory when you purchase a home in the community. Covenants, conditions and restrictions are the binding legal documents every owner agrees to at closing. They spell out which modifications are allowed, which are restricted and require board review before work begins.

Most associations have an architectural review committee that evaluates improvement requests. The committee reviews everything from paint colors and fence heights to roof materials and landscaping changes. Its approval is separate from any city or county building permits you may also need, so getting a municipal permit does not substitute for association sign-off.

"Don't assume city approval is enough," said Jeremy Nova, co-founder of Studio Home, a national accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, builder based in Louisville, Colorado. "A lot of homeowners spend months working through local permits and don't realize the HOA has a completely separate review process."

Most homeowners associations require approval for any change visible from the street or shared areas. This includes:

• Exterior paint
• Fencing
• Roofing
• Structural additions
• Decks
• Patios
• Major landscaping redesigns

Exterior projects almost always require a formal submission to the architectural review committee. Painting your home a different color, replacing siding with a new material, adding or extending a fence above a specified height, building a deck or patio and reroofing with a different shingle type or color are common examples. But large-scale work is not the only trigger. "The biggest mistake I see is homeowners assuming a small exterior job, a fence, a screen enclosure, even repainting, doesn't need HOA sign-off when almost anything visible from the street usually does," said Graham Banks, a licensed Florida pool and spa contractor and founder of Verify My Contractor in Jupiter, Florida.

Most committees require detailed project documentation as part of the application, which is covered in the approval process section below.

Landscaping changes that alter curb appeal also tend to need approval. Removing mature trees, installing hardscape like stone or pavers or converting a grass lawn to gravel or artificial turf can all trigger a review. Covenants, conditions and restrictions often specify accepted plant types, bed-edging materials and irrigation standards to keep the community's visual consistency intact.

Even items that seem minor can require a formal submission. Storm doors, video doorbells, security cameras, mailboxes and exterior lighting all appear on many associations' approval lists.

"Many owners assume these are 'minor' improvements, but they frequently affect common elements or the exterior appearance of the community," said Timothy Schofield, founding partner of Schofield Donnelly LLC, a Boston law firm specializing in condominium law.

In condos and some townhouses, interior changes that affect shared structures can require association approval even though the work is inside your unit. Flooring swaps, plumbing reroutes and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) modifications are the most common triggers.

The reason comes down to ownership boundaries. Whether you own a condo, co-op or townhouse, the homeowners association typically controls common elements like exterior walls, roofs and shared mechanical systems. Replacing carpet with hardwood or tile can increase noise transfer to neighboring units, so many associations require sound-rating documentation before approving the change. Plumbing work that ties into shared risers or heating-cooling system modifications routed through communal ductwork may also need board sign-off.

Homeowners of single-family houses in communities with associations rarely face interior restrictions. However, any work that changes the home's exterior appearance still falls under covenants, conditions and restrictions review. Adding a window, installing a new vent through an exterior wall or enlarging a garage opening are examples that cross from interior project to exterior alteration in the association's eyes.

Related content:

• Condo, co-op, townhouse: Find what works best for you

Start by reading your covenants, conditions and restrictions and architectural guidelines, then submit a written application to the architectural review committee with project plans, material specs, contractor information and a timeline. Most committees respond within 30 to 60 days.

• Review the covenants, conditions and restrictions and any supplemental design guidelines. Confirm whether your specific project requires approval, which materials or colors are pre-approved and whether there are seasonal or time-of-day construction restrictions that could affect your schedule. Some associations maintain a list of pre-cleared options for common upgrades like exterior paint or roofing shingles, which can speed up the process.
• Complete the architectural review committee application with full documentation. Attach a site plan or drawing, material samples or product spec sheets, the contractor's license number, proof of insurance and a proposed start-and-finish timeline. Incomplete submissions are the most common cause of delays, so check the application checklist twice before submitting. Visual detail matters as much as paperwork. As Whitney Hill, a licensed general contractor and co-founder of SnapADU in San Diego, California, said, "The more clearly you show the committee what the finished project will look like, the easier it is for them to say yes."
• Attend the review meeting if the board invites you. Be prepared to answer questions about scope, timing and materials. Ask for the decision in writing and confirm any conditions of approval, such as permitted work hours, debris removal requirements or a final inspection by the architectural review committee, before breaking ground.

Skipping approval can result in fines, a requirement to undo the work at your own cost or a lien on your property that complicates a future sale.

Enforcement generally follows a progressive path. The board sends a written warning notice first. If the violation is not resolved, fines begin to accrue, often on a daily or weekly basis. In severe cases, the association can file a lien against your property that must be satisfied before you can sell or refinance. That lien can include the original fines plus legal fees and remediation costs, which can exceed the original project cost. How a board responds often depends on the homeowner's reaction to that first notice.

"There is generally room to work with an owner who has made an honest mistake, but the goodwill runs out much faster when notices are ignored," said Erik Leland, a real estate broker and a homeowners association board member in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Because these fines compound over time, a delayed response allows costs to accumulate quickly. Understanding your homeowners association fees and fine structure before you start any project helps you avoid surprises that turn a simple upgrade into a financial setback.

Related content:

• HOA fees explained: What every buyer should know

You can request a written explanation, revise your proposal to address the board's concerns, file a formal appeal or consult a real estate attorney if you believe the denial is unreasonable or violates state law.

Most covenants, conditions and restrictions include an internal appeal process, typically a hearing before the full board. Come prepared with revised plans that directly address the stated objections. Document every communication in writing and ask whether a modified version of the project would be acceptable. Boards are more likely to approve a second submission when the homeowner shows they considered the feedback. For larger or unusual projects, homeowners can reduce the chance of a denial by seeking informal input before they file.

"When the guidelines are vague, request a pre-application conversation with the architectural review committee before you invest in drawings and renderings; most committees will give informal guidance, and that guidance can shape the design in ways that make formal approval far smoother," said Keith Ostendorf, a project developer at Next Stage Design + Build in San Jose, California.

That early conversation can also reveal whether the committee has approved similar projects in the past, giving the homeowner a reference point for materials and design choices.

If the denial appears arbitrary or conflicts with state homeowner-protection statutes, a real estate attorney can review the governing documents and advise on next steps. In some states, associations that deny requests without following their own procedures can be held liable for the homeowner's legal costs. Whether attorney fees are recoverable depends on your covenants, conditions and restrictions and your state's fee-shifting provisions.

Yes. Many states have laws that prevent associations from banning specific improvements, even when covenants, conditions and restrictions say otherwise. Before planning a solar, accessibility or landscaping project, check whether your state limits your association's authority over that type of work.

Solar access laws in states like California, Arizona, Florida and Texas restrict associations from prohibiting solar panel installations. Associations may still regulate placement and angle to minimize visual impact, but they cannot issue a blanket ban. Similar protections are expanding to cover electric vehicle chargers and battery storage systems in several states.

Federal and state fair housing laws require associations to allow reasonable modifications for residents with disabilities, including ramps, grab bars and wider doorways. The resident is typically responsible for the cost of these modifications. Separately, many western and southern states now prohibit bans on xeriscaping or drought-resistant plants in response to water conservation mandates. If your association denies a request that falls under one of these protections, the restriction is generally unenforceable. The overall direction is toward more accommodation, not less.

"We are seeing a broader trend where HOAs are having to adapt to projects they may not have historically encouraged, including ADUs, solar panels, EV chargers and water-wise landscaping," Hill said. "In many cases, the conversation is shifting from, 'Can the HOA prohibit this?' to, 'What reasonable design standards can the HOA apply?'"

When deciding which home improvements to pursue under association rules, each project's effect on resale is worth factoring into the decision. Improvements completed with proper association approval can support resale value, while unapproved work may need to be disclosed or reversed during a sale, potentially reducing buyer interest. That disclosure step carries real risk.

"Lying on the disclosure forms or even answering incorrectly without intending to be deceitful is the number one reason I see sellers get sued after closing," said Frederick Blum, a real estate broker and owner of Blum Realty Group in San Diego, California.

Sellers who skipped the approval process years earlier often discover the consequences only when a buyer's attorney flags the non-compliant work during escrow.

Association rules shape how a neighborhood looks and functions over time. Standards around exterior maintenance, parking and architectural consistency reassure buyers that one neglected property is less likely to affect the rest of the street.

Related content:

• Small projects, big gains: Home improvements that add value
• 12 factors that affect property value

If you plan to renovate after move-in, reviewing the association rules before you buy is the best way to avoid restrictions that conflict with your goals. Before closing on a home in a community with an association, request and read the covenants, architectural guidelines, recent meeting minutes and the fine schedule so you understand what improvements are permitted and how the board enforces its rules.

Those rules exist because buyers in communities with homeowners associations are paying for a certain standard.

"A buyer paying a premium for a well-kept community is paying partly for the assurance that the house next door cannot be turned into a junkyard," Leland said.

That expectation works both ways: It protects your investment, but it also means your own projects will be held to the same standard. Ask your real estate agent to obtain a resale package or association disclosure packet during due diligence. This typically includes the bylaws, budget, reserve study and any pending litigation. Pay attention to how often fees have increased, whether the association maintains adequate reserves and if any recent homeowner improvement requests have been denied. A pattern of denials signals a restrictive board, which matters if you plan to renovate after move-in.

You can browse homes for sale on Homes.com and filter by community type to find association properties that fit your criteria.

Related content:

• Buying a home in 10 steps

The new owner inherits the violation. The association can require the current owner to bring the property into compliance, regardless of who completed the original work. During due diligence, buyers should ask the association for a list of any open violations on the property before closing to avoid inheriting someone else's non-compliant project.

No. Beginning a project before you receive written approval is treated as a violation, even if you expect the request to be approved. A common version of this mistake is reading silence as permission.

"Homeowners sometimes interpret a lack of response from their HOA as a green light, when in most cases the rules require explicit written approval before work begins," Ostendorf said.

If the board later denies your application, you may be required to undo the work at your own cost. Always wait for written confirmation before hiring contractors or ordering materials.

Yes. Most covenants, conditions and restrictions include an internal appeals process for fines, which is separate from appealing a project denial. You can request a hearing, present your case and in some situations negotiate a reduced fine or retroactive approval if the completed work meets community standards.

Association rules apply to the property regardless of who lives there. The homeowner is responsible for ensuring tenants comply with all covenant provisions, and violations by a renter result in fines levied against the property owner, not the tenant.

No. Association guidelines govern aesthetics and community standards, while building codes are municipal safety regulations enforced by local government. A project can meet code but still violate association rules or satisfy the association but fail a building inspection. You need to clear both before starting work.