Garage door dent

Started by MichaelZ • 16 replies • 812 views

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MichaelZ (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Hello,please help me to understand next issue.I have received violation notice regarding garage door dent.I have called to garage door specialist and he did work to fix the dent.i can not see the dent now after the fix.HOA updated me that it is still noticable and I need to replace and paint again 2 panels.How I can dispute what is acceptable for fixing the dent without replacing and painting.Second issue that HOA is responsible for painting the outside of home,but they asked me to paint garage door after it fixed.
I think my repair is acceptable and the door not to be replaced.what should I do?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Are you in an HOA or a condo association? I'm asking because garage doors can be treated differently.

Next, have you looked at your governing documents to see what it says about the garage door? I'm confused because it sounds like you're responsible for maintaining it, but then you said that the HOA paints the exterior. Governing documents can be really nitpicky, so be sure to read thoroughly.

Then I'd ask the board to define exactly why they believe your previous fix is not acceptable, and exactly what their standard is for an acceptable repair. If they can still see the dent, they should be able to provide a photo that shows it. (They should have a photo anyway so that they have evidence supporting their decision.)

Having said that, I believe the usual repair for a dented garage door is replacing the damaged panel. Unless the dent is really tiny, I would think that it would be difficult to remove any trace of it.

(Cathy's Rules for Life #22: It's usually cheaper to bite the bullet and do a proper repair the first time. Otherwise you'll pay for a half-baked repair *and* the proper one when the first repair doesn't do the trick.)

GeorgeS21 (Florida)
Posts: 3,808

Posted:

Michael,

It sounds li’e the clearly think your repair was not “good enough.”

Does your door look like all the other garage door? Is the dent visible? Is the paint color and sheen the same as whatever the others are that are the same?

MichaelZ (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

My neighbor also received letter, regarding the garage door dent and it is also not noticable dent.
I have condo association.I understand that best solution to replace panels to solve this issue from your answers

RoyalP
Posts: 1,104

Posted:

if 'damage' is still visible the dent was NOT repaired but merely patched

one should not be able to discern a proper repair (applies to everything)

if a repair is visible it is merely a patch

eg. you can still see where your living room drywall was repaired after the 'so-called' repair was made

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

I think your association is being overly nit-picky I would consult with an attorney and have said attorney send them a bugger off letter.

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LetA on 02/20/2019 5:58 AM
I think your association is being overly nit-picky I would consult with an attorney and have said attorney send them a bugger off letter.

Probably cheaper ta just fix th' darned door... :-)

GeorgeS21 (Florida)
Posts: 3,808

Posted:

LetA,

Gotta go on record that I completely disagree with your advice to hire an attorney - what silliness.

Seriously? You're gonna go to court (if I were on the Board, I would assume the lawyer letter to mean you want to go to court, and so it would start) over a couple hundred dollars and either mismatched paint or a visible dent?

I would assume, as most noted, it would be REASONABLE to find out what the issue is - and fix it.

Sheesh.

MichaelZ (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Thank you all for replying

RoyalP
Posts: 1,104

Posted:

..... (Cathy's Rules for Life #22: It's usually cheaper to bite the bullet and do a proper repair the first time. Otherwise you'll pay for a half-baked repair *and* the proper one when the first repair doesn't do the trick.) .....

Project Manager's 'go-to' question:

Why is there never time or money to do it correctly, but always time and money to do it again?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By RoyalP on 02/20/2019 10:04 AM

Project Manager's 'go-to' question:

Why is there never time or money to do it correctly, but always time and money to do it again?

Guess who spent part of her career as a project manager...????

Seriously, one of my frustrations as a board member is that associations often run tight budgets that encourage short-term thinking. Reserve requirements help, but not for the routine operating stuff.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By GeorgeS21 on 02/20/2019 8:27 AM
LetA,

Gotta go on record that I completely disagree with your advice to hire an attorney - what silliness.

Seriously? You're gonna go to court (if I were on the Board, I would assume the lawyer letter to mean you want to go to court, and so it would start) over a couple hundred dollars and either mismatched paint or a visible dent?

I would assume, as most noted, it would be REASONABLE to find out what the issue is - and fix it.

Sheesh.

Maybe you failed reading comprehension is school, I read where the owner made a reasonable repair, and the association was still bothering them. A letter from an attorney cost about $100.
Most boards that get a letter from an attorney will immediately back down.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Let's do a cost analysis.. Owner made reasonable repair, dent fix cost $100.00 Cost to replace entire door panel $300.00 P&L, owner out $400.
Owner spends another hunno with an attorney for a letter, owner spent $200, That's $200 saved.

RoyalP
Posts: 1,104

Posted:

..... owner loses and is forced to properly restore door to pre-dent condition at a cost of $400 for the two panels PLUS the HOA's attorney cost(s)

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Sounds to me like the owner made what he THOUGHT was a reasonable repair and others disagree. My take is that the owner is seeing what he wants to see. Without seeing the door myself, I wouldn't conclude the association is being nitpicky.

These disputes happen all the time. HOA wants owner to repaint because the house is looking shabby. Homeowner: Looks good to me!
HOA wants the owner to replace his roof because the current one is 20 years old and looking shabby. Homeowner: It's got at least another 10 years before it needs to be replaced!

In most governing documents that I've seen, the board, "in its sole discretion", has the final say on these matters. Fix or replace the door. Odds are money spent on a lawyer will get you nothing but legal bills on top of your cost to repair or replace the door.

RoyalP
Posts: 1,104

Posted:

? 'ya think ?

GeorgeS21 (Florida)
Posts: 3,808

Posted:

LetA,

Nah ... did ok, actually. I appreciate the irony.

Sounds like we’re gonna strongly disagree.

It’s OK, but you are, in my opinion, offering inflammatory and generally terrible advice.

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