HOA and townhome repaints in Denver, planned like the capital project they are
A community repaint is usually the biggest recurring exterior expense an association has. This page is for the board members and managers who have to scope it, bid it fairly, fund it and keep residents informed. Homeowners asking their HOA to approve a color should read our HOA color approval guide instead.
By Denver Paint Contractors · Updated
Direct answer
A Denver HOA repaint goes best when the board writes one specification (product line, preparation, carpentry repair, colors and phasing) and every painter bids against it. Colorado law does not require a reserve study, but it does require a written reserve-study policy. Exterior paint belongs in it as a component with a planned service life and cost.
Colorado context
What do Colorado boards have to plan for?
Foundation for Community Association Research, 2025
Same source
Colorado Division of Real Estate
The Colorado Division of Real Estate’s HOA Information Office answers the common question plainly: Colorado does not require a reserve study, but the association must have a reserve policy, and the governing documents may require a study anyway. Whatever your documents say, the exterior paint cycle is predictable enough to plan years ahead, which is exactly what a reserve line is for.
Free phasing calculator
How much should each phase of the repaint budget be?
Enter your buildings and how many budget years you want to spread the work over. The cost range uses Angi’s Denver exterior rate per square foot of paintable wall. The carpentry allowance is your own assumption; set it from your last repaint or a walk-through.
The specification
What should an HOA paint specification include?
Three bids on three different scopes cannot be compared. A one- or two-page specification fixes that, and it becomes the checklist the board uses to accept the work.
| Item | What to write down | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Product line and sheen | Manufacturer, product line and sheen for body, trim, doors and metal | Two bids on different product grades are not the same price |
| Number of coats | Primer where bare, plus how many finish coats | The Forest Products Lab puts a primer plus one topcoat at about half the life of primer plus two |
| Preparation | Washing method, scraping, sanding, caulking, spot priming | Most paint failures are preparation failures |
| Carpentry repair | Unit prices for fascia, trim and siding replacement, or a not-to-exceed allowance | Rot found after scaffolding goes up is where budgets break |
| Colors | Approved scheme by building, with color names and numbers | Prevents mid-project color debates and mismatched phases |
| Scope boundaries | Garage doors, front doors, railings, fences, mailbox stands, unit-owner items | The most common source of change orders |
| Schedule and access | Phases, working hours, resident notice periods, parking and patio rules | Residents tolerate work they were told about |
| Insurance and warranty | Certificates naming the association, written workmanship warranty terms | Protects the association if something goes wrong |
| Older buildings | Year built; lead-safe work practices if any building is pre-1978 | Federal rules apply to paid work on pre-1978 housing |
For buildings old enough for the lead rule, our lead-safe painting guide explains what the work involves.
Reserve planning
How long should a community repaint last?
The most-cited federal reference is the USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook. Its figures are for vertical surfaces at an average location in the contiguous U.S., and it says expected life depends on climate and exposure.
| Finish on wood siding | Expected service life |
|---|---|
| Paint, primer plus two topcoats | 10 to 20 years |
| Solid-color stain | 6 to 15 years |
| Semitransparent stain (saw-textured or weathered wood) | 4 to 8 years |
| Paint with primer plus only one topcoat | about half the three-coat life |
For reserve purposes, many boards plan the paint cycle by building and by elevation rather than as one date for the whole community, because south and west walls weather first. Painting the worst-exposed buildings in phase one, and doing carpentry repair in the same phase, keeps the program honest.
How we run community work
What happens once the board awards the work?
- Pre-start walk with the manager. We confirm the scope, the building order, staging areas and where crews park.
- Resident notices. Written notices by building with dates, what residents need to move, and when windows and doors will be painted.
- Carpentry first, building by building. Repairs are logged with photos against the agreed unit prices or allowance, so the board sees exactly what was replaced.
- Prep, prime, paint. To the specification, with the product data sheet followed for temperature and recoat times.
- Daily cleanup and a punch list per building. The manager signs off each building before we move on.
- Close-out package. Colors and products used by building, repair log, and the written 5-year workmanship warranty, ready for the reserve study file.
Exterior work in Denver fits between the median last spring freeze on May 5 and the median first fall freeze on October 9 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Denver International Airport). Boards that approve the scope over the winter get the best choice of start dates. Stucco buildings have their own coating choices, covered on our stucco painting page.
Questions
Questions boards ask
Does Colorado require an HOA to have a reserve study?
No. Colorado’s Common Interest Ownership Act requires each association to adopt a written policy on reserve studies, including when one will be prepared and how it may be funded, but it does not require the study itself. Your declaration or bylaws may require more, so check those too.
How often does a townhome community need repainting?
It depends on the siding and the paint system. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory puts paint on wood siding at 10 to 20 years and solid-color stain at 6 to 15 years for an average U.S. location with a primer and two topcoats, and about half that with only one topcoat. Sun-facing elevations usually age first.
Can we phase the repaint over several years?
Yes, and many boards do so the work fits the annual budget. The trade-off is color and sheen consistency between phases, so the specification should lock the product line and colors for the whole program, and each phase should include whatever carpentry repair its buildings need.
Who handles color approval and owner notices?
The board or its architectural committee approves colors. We provide drawdowns or sample boards, a written schedule by building, and notices residents can use to plan for parking, patio furniture and window access.
Will you bid on our manager’s specification?
Yes. If your manager or a consultant has written a specification, we price exactly that and list any exclusions. If there is no specification yet, we can walk the property and suggest one the board can send to every bidder.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from the source listed. Checked October 22, 2026.
- HOA Information Office forum: reserve funds (CCIOA §38-33.3-209.5), Colorado Division of Real Estate, HOA Information & Resource Center, October 27, 2023.
- 2025 Statistical Review: community associations by state, Foundation for Community Association Research, Community Association Fact Book 2025.
- How much does it cost to paint a house exterior in Denver, CO?, Angi, updated November 13, 2025.
- Wood Handbook, chapter 16: finishing of wood, Tables 16-2 and 16-3 (FPL-GTR-282), USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 2021.
- U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Denver International Airport (USW00003017), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, median freeze dates.
Free estimate
Ask for a community walk-through
Tell us the community, the number of buildings and when the board meets. We can walk the property with your manager, or start from photos and your existing specification.
Name and phone are all we need to get started.