HOA Approval and Permit Packages

Two Separate Yeses

Owners in Irvine often assume that once the association approves a kitchen, the job is cleared to start. It is not. There are two approvals, from two bodies, for two different reasons.

The association, through its architectural committee or a delegated reviewer at the management company, approves changes to a property it shares responsibility for. Its concerns are the building, the neighbors and the look of the community. The City of Irvine issues permits and inspects work for safety and code. Its concerns are wiring, plumbing, structure and energy rules.

A signed HOA alteration form does not replace a building permit, and a permit card does not satisfy the association. Most kitchens that change anything behind the walls need both, and the order matters.

What an Alteration Package Usually Contains

Every association uses its own form, and the governing documents decide what is required. Across the villages we work in, committees tend to ask for some combination of the following.

• The application form, signed by the owner, sometimes with neighbor acknowledgment signatures.
• A dimensioned floor plan showing existing and proposed layouts, so a reviewer can see what moves.
• Elevations or a simple drawing of any change visible from outside, such as a new vent cap.
• Finish and product specifications, especially flooring and its underlayment in stacked buildings.
• A work schedule with start date, duration and the hours loud work will happen.
• Contractor paperwork as listed on the form.
• A deposit or review fee if the association charges one.

We assemble all of it, walk you through what you are signing, and submit it the way your management company prefers.

Why Packages Come Back

Most returned applications are not rejections. They are requests for information. The reviewer could not tell whether the sink moves. The flooring spec did not mention underlayment. The hood was drawn without showing where the duct goes. Each one pushes the decision to the next meeting, and in a village where the committee meets on a fixed calendar that can mean weeks.

The fix is dull and effective: answer the question before it is asked. If the sink stays put, the drawing says so. If the hood recirculates, the drawing says so. If the floor is being replaced, the spec sheet for the underlayment is attached.

The Permit Side

When the kitchen involves new circuits, a relocated drain, a removed or altered wall, or new gas work, the City of Irvine permit process applies. We prepare the drawings the permit needs, including the lighting plan that shows Title 24 compliance, and schedule inspections at the right moments. Rough electrical and plumbing are inspected while the walls are still open. Nothing gets covered with drywall until that inspection is signed.

If a wall is load bearing, or if nobody can say with certainty that it is not, a structural engineer looks at it and provides the details the permit reviewer will want. In a multi story condo, a wall that looks like a partition can carry loads from above, and the association will usually want to see that letter too.

The Order We Follow

1. Read the CC&Rs and architectural guidelines.
2. Settle the layout within those limits.
3. Submit the association package and wait for written approval.
4. Submit for the city permit where one is needed.
5. Order cabinets and book the slab only when both are in hand.
6. Notify the management office of demolition day and delivery dates.

Step five is the one owners push back on, because cabinet lead times are long. We understand. But cabinets built for a layout the committee later changes are an expensive thing to store in a garage.

When You Need No Package at All

Some jobs need neither approval. Replacing a dishwasher, painting cabinets or swapping a faucet in the same spot often falls outside review. We will tell you plainly when that is the case rather than inventing paperwork.

Call (949) 360-3742 and have your association’s name ready.