Exterior Paint Every X Years

Hello all-
I live in a Florida HOA that in my opinion has been less than maintained appropriately. I’m planning on attending the next meeting with the suggestion that the BOD entertain the idea of voting on a bylaws change to mandate residences be repaint the exterior every XX years - to the HOA color scheme choice profile. Many of the homes in the neighborhood are 15 or more years old and have never been repainted since they were constructed. The bylaws don’t say anything about a mandated re-painting schedule. Has anyone approached their board with this idea?

Thanks
John

Bad Idea. Not all paint or conditions are equal. It should be based on Condition not a time-line. A 20 year paint does NOT mean 20 years before you paint again. I live in Alabama. We get lots of sun and humidity. Paint doesn't last but about 7 - 10 years.

We have our paint selections dictated by an approved colors, paint type, and sheen. We preferred Sherwin Williams or Behr. Not all paints are made equally. So limiting certain factors or sheens help make the paint last longer. A cheaper type paint is more watered down and can cause quick fading.

So I would not institute a time schedule as much as a conditions list of what considered paint failure.

Hi Geno- the home owners are responsible for painting not the HOA. The governing docs aren’t very specific, just that it’s the owners responsibility to maintain the paint - which MANY have not.

The development is about 18 ish years old with 600+ homes. It was a fine neighborhood years ago, but lax oversight has caused it to degraded over the years.

John L,
With 600+ single family homes you have 600 different situations.

Different construction types age differently. In our neighborhood one of the builders chose 3 paint colors that faded extremely fast on the original paint form the builder. Within a few years they looked horrible. We had other homes that had Stucco and that paint lasted 10 years without showing need for paint. That being said the trim on the Stucco homes needed attention. What all this means is putting something in the By-Laws is not only hard but nearly impossible to get done and would not serve the purpose.

On a separate note the homeowners need time once being noticed by the HOA. Paining a home can cost anywhere from 3 to 6k and it is doubtful that most people have budgeted for that expense. We tried to have our ARC person drive around and estimate when people should get the painting done into 3 groups.

1) Needs immediate attention within the next 3 months.

2) Will need attention in the next 6 months.

3) Early warning that you will need paint in the next year.

JohnL,

I think your Board is going to need to set up better oversight mechanisms and start planning to increase the pressure on owners to provide suitable and appropriate levels of maintenance, including painting.

You have a management company, right? They should be tasked to provide the necessary review process and neutral judgment of required maintenance. This keeps a lot of politics out of the process.

It sounds like this is the first cycle of real maintenance for the neighborhood ...plan on this being REALLY difficult, likely including a couple of lawsuits - but, if your CCRs support this level of involvement, you should be ok. Bylaws will likely not have the material you are seeking - they may support the CCR mandated process, though.

John

You have to re-read your docs. Most make reference to things like maintaining community standards. This is usually sufficient for a BOD or ARC to order one to paint their house.

True, but it is merely a guideline don't mean it has to be done. I think our last reserve study looked at the entire gated community as whole and said common elements should be done this this and this, and homes need painting after x. They probably do it that way so they don't get sued for prematurely sending a letter.

Surely your CCRs have a section in it that talks about appearance of homes and requirement to maintain, along with landscape guidelines.

Painting requirements would not be in the bylaws.

Questioning if they were in his bylaws was my first question to the OP. He hasn't replied to that.

And I think we or someone asked: don't your CC&Rs (declaration; convenants; deed restrictions) say something about maintaining the homes' exteriors??? Most like there is. what is the wording??