Below is a helpful tip from the Davis-Stirling.com Newsletter by ADAMS | STIRLING PLC regarding . . .

Weekend Projects for HOA Members?

QUESTION: Our board is calling for the community to help paint the common area fences. We prefer it be done professionally by licensed contractors. We paid for a professional paint job last time and I don’t want our maintenance being done by amateurs without licenses and warranties. We pay dues to have the common area maintained professionally, not do-it-yourself. What can I do?

ANSWER: It is not unusual for small associations to engage in self-help projects to keep costs down. As long as the projects do not require much skill and the potential for injury is low, it becomes a team building event that benefits the association by keeping costs down.

Evaluate Risk.  Risky ventures should be avoided. For example, I would not recommend climbing ladders to clean gutters. Nor would I favor volunteers performing electrical or plumbing repairs. The potential for harm to persons and property is too high. Such work should be done by licensed and insured contractors.

Equestrian Trails.  Lower-risk projects can be done by volunteers. I personally worked with volunteer homeowners in cutting equestrian trails for an association. We had our occasional brush with rattlesnakes and poison oak, but never suffered anything more than sore muscles.

Insurance.  Painting fences has little potential for property damage or injury. Even so, if the board moves forward with the project, it should first talk to the association’s insurance broker to make sure it has proper coverage in the event volunteers are injured.

RECOMMENDATION:  If enough owners agree with you about using professionals to paint the fences, you should lobby the board. If the board disagrees and moves forward, you and like-minded owners should run for the board and change the policy once you are elected.

For more knowledgeable information regarding the business of HOA’s, visit: The Davis-Stirling.com Newsletter