Having a Homeowners Association helps keep your neighborhood looking neat and cohesive, but it can make additions to your property a little more difficult. Here are some tips on how to convince your HOA that aluminum fencing is a great idea.
Stylish and secure,
aluminum fencing is an asset to any yard or outdoor space. But how do you go about proposing installing an aluminum fence on your property to your homeowners’ association, and what are some of the many reasons why you would want to?
In this article we’ll be exploring how to properly set about your intentions for a safe and stunning yard via the installation of aluminum fencing.
What is a Housing Association?
Referred to as an HOA, or sometimes POA (Property Owners’ Association), a Housing Association is typically created by an estate agency or developer to aid in the selling of, and the marketing and managing of homes or lots within a residential subdivision. Typically, the case with new or recent builds, if a HOA is in place, prospective homeowners must join the association. The homeowners then gain a variety of benefits (depending on the terms of the HOA), including potential recreational opportunities within the estate, like a park or pool, or even maintenance services.
The main drawback to owning a property covered by a Homeowners’ Association, however, is that there may be limitations to the cosmetic changes you can make to your property – particularly external. After all, it is unlikely residents would agree, for example, to a lime green house amidst their cohesive and pleasant neighborhood! Therefore, as a good homeowner, any significant changes to your property should be proposed to the HOA first.
Doing your Homework
The most important step to beginning your proposition to your HOA is to understand your specific Homeowners’ Associations’ rules. Each HOA is ran slightly differently, and rules can also vary wildly from state to state.
Look over your Homeowners’ Association documents, and if you can’t find them, contact the estate agency or property developer you purchased your home from, and they’ll be sure to help you out.
Reading over these documents can be useful, and you may even find your respective HOA allows the installation of fencing of a certain height with no need to make a proposition.
How Best to Propose Aluminum Fencing to your HOA?
Be as thorough and precise as possible when submitting your proposal to your HOA. If your fencing project is large scale, you may need to submit project drawings, and giving the size, materials and dimensions of your desired fencing is a must. It is advisable to make several copies of your submission before sending it to your HOA, in case they are requested in the future.
Depending on your particular association’s efficiency it may take several weeks, if not over a month to hear back about your submitted plan. Therefore, if you’re planning on installing your aluminum fence as a summer project, it may be best to submit your proposal in spring to allow time for the processing of your application.
Think Aluminum Fencing
There are a whole host of reasons why your HOA would be likely to accept your proposal for an aluminum fence on your property.
Aluminum is lightweight and allows for quick and easy install, quite literally allowing you to transform your outdoor living space in as little as a weekend.
This is a huge plus to you and your neighbors, as traditional fencing can be heavy and require hiring workmen to install.
Secondly, unlike wrought iron or steel, aluminum is corrosion resistant. If not treated properly, other metal fences can deteriorate rapidly in just two years, leaving your yard looking unsightly and unkempt. This could even result in complaints to the HOA by your neighbors if the deterioration becomes severe enough.
Aluminum is also a sustainable resource. It can be reused and recycled endlessly without compromising its quality or structural integrity, also it is the most abundant metal in the world. With the focus increasingly on greener, more environmentally conscious living, particularly within property development, an eco-savvy aluminum fence is bound to go down well with your HOA.
You don’t even need to worry if you choose to landscape or alter your garden in the future, as not only is aluminum fencing light and easy to remove, it’s also incredibly simple to recycle too!
Finally, aluminum is an incredibly malleable material. This flexibility allows aluminum to be molded into a variety of
stylish designs that are virtually indistinguishable from more expensive wrought iron or steel.
When you also consider the fact that aluminum fencing is also far cheaper than conventional materials, the choice becomes clear.
Final Thoughts
Fencing can totally transform an outdoor space, delineating different areas of your garden, or adding a layer of safety to your
poolside, protecting your children or pets from unwanted mishaps.
Making a proposal to your HOA may seem daunting, but will definitely be worth it, when your freshly fenced yard is the talk of the neighborhood.
