Designing Metal Buildings for HOA Regulations

When you live in a community with a homeowner’s association, you have to follow certain rules when it comes to the condition of your home and property. Unfortunately, many HOA communities have outdated covenants in place, and some of these covenants limit your ability to construct a traditional pre-engineered metal building on your property.

Typically, HOAs have these restrictions in place because they want all the structures within their communities to share a uniform look. In many cases, this means they want use to use wood when constructing garages, storage sheds or other types of buildings. However, today’s steel buildings can have a wide array of different facades, making them appear as if they feature wood or other construction even if they aren’t.

Wedding Hall

Understanding your options

Steel buildings don’t have to look like boxes or factories – on the contrary, there are now numerous customization and facade options you can choose from to give your residential metal building the precise look you – or your HOA – want. Common facades used to enhance the exterior appearance of steel buildings include:

  • Wood
  • Stone veneers
  • Brick veneers
  • Corrugated metal panels
  • Stucco
  • Mixed façade

If your HOA is keeping you from erecting a metal building because it fears it won’t blend well with the surrounding neighborhood, a steel building façade may help change members’ minds.

Securing approval from your HOA

Ultimately, it is up to the members of your HOA to decide if you can erect a metal building on your property. However, you may be able to boost your chances by taking the following steps.

Pull a permit

Try to get a permit from your town or city so that you can show your HOA you intend to follow all rules and guidelines when it comes to looks and uniformity.

Understand your covenants

Take the time to read through your covenants and note any relevant information about the size and scope of the buildings your HOA allows you to erect.

Submit images

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this may hold true when it comes to working with your HOA. Having images that show how well your proposed building design aligns with those already in your community may help strengthen your case.

Don’t be afraid to nudge your HOA if it takes a long time to respond. It may also benefit you to take thorough notes about all of your requests and interactions with the association along the way. If the HOA approves your request to erect a metal building, ask for a formal approval letter or similar document stating as much.