Who decides about the roof in a condo or townhome?
Usually the association board, acting under the governing documents and Illinois law. Owners may have a vote, particularly on special assessments. Read the declaration and bylaws to see whether the roof is a common element, and ask the board or the manager before you call a roofer on your own.
An owner who hires a roofer for a roof the association controls may create a dispute, and may not be reimbursed. Do not authorize work on common elements without the board's written approval.
If you are an owner in a unit with a leak, report it to the board or manager with photographs and the date. The board then decides how to respond, and the condo and HOA guide lists questions to ask.
How do associations fund a roof replacement?
Most use a reserve fund built from regular assessments, sometimes topped up by a special assessment or a loan. A reserve study estimates when the roof will need replacing and how much to set aside. Owners should ask to see the study and how the roof line item compares with what bids show.
A shortfall is common when a reserve study was done years ago and costs have moved. Ask whether the study has been updated, and how the board plans to close any gap.
Bids should be compared on scope, not only on the total, so that a lower bid is not simply a smaller job.
What should owners ask the board before a roof project starts?
Ask for the reserve study, the scope, the bids received, the contractor's Illinois license number, the planned schedule and the funding method. Ask how owners will be notified and whom to call about a problem during the work. Written answers protect everyone and make the board's decision easier to explain.
Boards often work with volunteers and a management company, and owners who ask early and politely tend to get better information than those who object after a vote. Request the documents instead of relying on summary notices, and ask how competing bids were compared on scope.
Owners should also ask what is expected of them during the work: moving cars, clearing balconies, covering attic storage, keeping pets inside. A short written notice for each building avoids last-minute conflicts.
What should a board ask before choosing a roofer?
Ask for the Illinois license number, which must appear on every contract and bid, proof of insurance, references from comparable buildings, the permit plan, the schedule and the process for decking surprises. Compare bids against the same written scope and read the contract before it is signed.
The license guide explains how to check a number. A residential building of more than eight units needs an Unlimited licensee, while buildings of eight units or fewer can be roofed under either class.
Ask how the roofer will handle weather delays and how owners will be notified of work days.
How is a leak between units handled?
Report it to the board or manager first. The roof is generally the association's responsibility, while interior damage may be the owner's or the association's depending on the documents and insurance. A roofer finds and fixes the roof source; who pays for interior repair is a question for the governing documents and insurers.
Document everything: dates, photographs, who was told and when. Keep wet materials until an adjuster has seen them if a claim is likely.
