🏘️ The HOA Headache: How to Survive Window & Door Projects in Deed-Restricted Communities

Let’s be honest—HOAs can be the best and worst thing that ever happened to your zip code. On one hand, they help keep the neighborhood looking sharp. On the other hand, you may need a signed affidavit, a pint of blood, and the blessing of a three-person architectural review committee just to change your front door color from “Cloud White” to “Off-Cloud White.”

And when it comes to window and door projects in Florida, your HOA can turn what should be a straightforward home improvement into an Olympic-level obstacle course.

At Windoor Retro Professionals, we’ve seen it all. We don’t just install windows and doors—we navigate the bureaucratic jungle on your behalf, machete in one hand, building code in the other.

🤯 Common HOA Shenanigans (That Might Actually Be Illegal)

Florida Statute 720 is pretty clear about how HOAs are supposed to operate. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean every HOA follows the rules—or even understands them.

Here are just a few of the eyebrow-raising tactics we've helped homeowners fight (and win):

• “Deposit for Damages” Applications – That $500 “refundable” deposit your HOA demands just in case your contractor messes up? Yeah, that’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. HOAs cannot legally hold money just to offset hypothetical insurance deductibles unless their bylaws specifically allow for it. Spoiler: Most don’t.
• Double Certificate of Insurance Requirements – Many HOAs demand a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from your contractor listing them as the certificate holder (fine). But some want a second COI listing you, the homeowner, as the certificate holder just so they can hold it in your file. This is excessive, redundant, and honestly… sketchy.
• Design Dictatorship – “Sorry, your neighbor has beige windows, so you can’t have white ones.” Really? HOAs often try to control the aesthetic of window frame colors—even if the Florida Building Code mandates white frames for energy efficiency in certain cases. We can (and have) gone to bat for our customers to challenge these outdated or arbitrary style rules.

🧠 Why You Need a Contractor Who’s HOA-Savvy

Hiring a company like Windoor Retro Professionals means you don’t have to spend your nights decoding HOA covenants written in legal hieroglyphics.

We bring:

• ✅ Experience with HOA bylaws across counties and cities in Florida
• ✅ Knowledge of Florida Statute 720 and what an HOA can and cannot do
• ✅ Direct communication with HOA boards and management companies
• ✅ Paperwork handling from COIs to architectural review packets
• ✅ Strategies for appeal if your application is wrongly denied

We speak fluent “HOA” so you don’t have to.

🎯 What to Watch for Before Starting a Project

If your home is part of an HOA, here's a quick checklist to help smooth the process:

• 📝 Request your community’s ARC packet early (Architectural Review Committee)
• 🔍 Review bylaws for exterior modifications and color rules
• 📸 Take “before” photos of the property to include with your application
• 📎 Provide your contractor’s license, insurance, and scope of work in writing
• ⏳ Allow 2–4 weeks for approval—but let us know if it's taking too long. We have... gentle ways of reminding them. 😎

🏆 The Windoor Advantage: We Handle the Drama, You Enjoy the Results

HOAs can be difficult—but they don’t have to derail your project.

Windoor Retro Professionals has successfully navigated window and door projects through some of the strictest and most bureaucratic HOAs in Florida. From Ocala to Miami, from single-family homes to manufactured housing communities, we’ve handled paperwork, politics, and permit puzzles—and we come out smiling.

Let us help you get your new windows and doors approved, installed, and HOA-happy… with none of the gray hairs.

Ready to start your window or door project without the HOA nightmares?
📞 Contact Windoor Retro Professionals today and let the pros handle the red tape.