Living in a home that’s part of a homeowner association (HOA) has both benefits and drawbacks. One of the drawbacks is that when you want to renovate your home, the HOA determines what you can and cannot do. These rules are spelled out in your HOA’s governing documents, commonly called CC&Rs (covenants, conditions & restrictions).
If you go ahead with a renovation that violates your HOA’s CC&Rs, the HOA board can force you to stop the work or redo it completely. This is expensive and a real headache. You could also be fined for noncompliance. Avoid the hassle and unnecessary expense by following your HOA’s rules, as well as our list of do’s and don’ts.