How long does HOA approval take for a condo remodel?

It depends entirely on the association — some boards review continuously and turn packets around in days, others meet monthly, which can add weeks. Ask your board or property manager how often they review, and build that into your schedule before you commit to a start date.

Do I need permits for a condo remodel, or just HOA approval?

They're separate. HOA approval is your association's permission; a permit is the city's. Work that changes structure, plumbing, or electrical generally needs a permit regardless of what the HOA says, and your association will usually want to see the permit too.

Can I replace carpet with hardwood or tile in my condo?

Often yes, but most associations set requirements for acoustic underlayment and a minimum sound rating, and some restrict hard surface in bedrooms and living areas. Confirm your building's rule before selecting materials — it's the most common reason a plan has to be revised.

Who is responsible if a remodel damages a neighboring unit?

This is exactly why associations require a certificate of insurance naming them as additional insured — so there's a clear policy behind the work. Any contractor working in your building should carry general liability and workers' compensation and be willing to provide that certificate before starting.

Do you handle the HOA paperwork, or do I?

We prepare the scope, drawings, license, and insurance certificate that make up the packet, and we work within whatever hours, access, and flooring rules your building sets. You submit it as the owner, since associations deal with owners — but you shouldn't have to assemble it yourself.

Reference guide

Remodeling a condo in Salt Lake City: the HOA rules

Before you can remodel a condo in Salt Lake City, your HOA will almost always require a written approval packet, a contractor's certificate of insurance naming the association, and agreement to the building's work hours and access rules. Getting those three things right up front is the difference between a project that starts on schedule and one that sits for a month. Here's what buildings in the valley typically ask for, and how we handle it.

The approval packet

Most associations want the scope in writing before anything is demolished. What they ask for varies by building, but the packet usually includes some combination of the following.

A written scope of work describing exactly what's being changed
Drawings or a floor plan when walls, plumbing, or electrical are moving
Your contractor's license and certificate of insurance
A schedule with start and finish dates
Flooring specifications, including the underlayment and its sound rating
A signed acknowledgment of the building's construction rules

Certificates of insurance — the detail that stalls projects

Associations typically require the contractor to carry general liability and workers' compensation, and to name the HOA as an additional insured on the certificate. That last part is what trips people up: a standard certificate is not enough if the association's name isn't on it, and requesting a revised certificate from an insurer takes days.

We request the certificate with the association named as soon as we know the building, so it isn't the thing holding up your start date.

Work hours, noise, and your neighbors

Nearly every multi-unit building limits when loud work can happen — commonly weekday business hours, with tighter or no weekend allowances. Demolition, tile cutting, and anything involving a hammer drill are the activities associations care most about.

Practically, this means a condo remodel has fewer usable hours per day than the same remodel in a single-family home, and the schedule has to reflect that honestly. A contractor who quotes a condo like a house is either going to miss the date or annoy your neighbors into complaining.

Access: elevators, loading, and protection

In buildings with elevators, you'll usually need to reserve one for deliveries and debris removal, often with protective padding installed. Some buildings restrict which entrance crews and materials can use, and many require common-area floors to be protected along the path to your unit.

This is logistics, not craft — but it's most of what makes condo work different, and it's why the schedule matters more than in a house.

Flooring and sound transmission

If you're replacing carpet with hard surface, expect the association to have an opinion. Many buildings set a minimum sound rating for the assembly and require an acoustic underlayment beneath tile or hardwood. Some prohibit hard surface entirely outside kitchens and baths.

Check this before you fall in love with a floor. It's the single most common place a condo remodel plan has to change.

What's yours to change, and what isn't

In most condo arrangements, you own the interior surfaces of your unit while the association owns the structure, the exterior, and typically the plumbing and mechanical systems that serve more than one unit. Windows and exterior doors are often association property even though you look through them every day.

That boundary decides what's even possible in your remodel. Your association's declaration is the authority on where it falls — read it, or have someone read it, before you plan around moving anything structural or mechanical.

Dust and containment in an occupied building

In a house, containment is a courtesy to you. In a condo, it's a courtesy to everyone sharing your air and hallways. We seal the work area, control dust at the source, and keep the common path clean throughout — because the fastest way to lose a building's goodwill is to leave drywall dust in a shared corridor.

Common questions

How long does HOA approval take for a condo remodel?: It depends entirely on the association — some boards review continuously and turn packets around in days, others meet monthly, which can add weeks. Ask your board or property manager how often they review, and build that into your schedule before you commit to a start date.
Do I need permits for a condo remodel, or just HOA approval?: They're separate. HOA approval is your association's permission; a permit is the city's. Work that changes structure, plumbing, or electrical generally needs a permit regardless of what the HOA says, and your association will usually want to see the permit too.
Can I replace carpet with hardwood or tile in my condo?: Often yes, but most associations set requirements for acoustic underlayment and a minimum sound rating, and some restrict hard surface in bedrooms and living areas. Confirm your building's rule before selecting materials — it's the most common reason a plan has to be revised.
Who is responsible if a remodel damages a neighboring unit?: This is exactly why associations require a certificate of insurance naming them as additional insured — so there's a clear policy behind the work. Any contractor working in your building should carry general liability and workers' compensation and be willing to provide that certificate before starting.
Do you handle the HOA paperwork, or do I?: We prepare the scope, drawings, license, and insurance certificate that make up the packet, and we work within whatever hours, access, and flooring rules your building sets. You submit it as the owner, since associations deal with owners — but you shouldn't have to assemble it yourself.

Planning this kind of project?

We handle condo remodeling in Salt Lake City — including the approval packets, insurance certificates, and building logistics above. Tell us about your unit and we’ll walk you through what your building will require.

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