Got an HOA Violation Letter? Common Exterior Fixes in Alpharetta & Johns Creek

That crisp envelope from the HOA isn’t a suggestion. In Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Milton — some of the most HOA-dense suburbs in metro Atlanta — violation letters come with a cure period, usually 30 days, and a fine schedule that starts when the clock runs out. Every week you wait is another week closer to penalties.

The good news: the violations HOAs actually cite are almost all handyman jobs. Nobody’s asking you to re-roof the house. They’re asking for the exterior maintenance that keeps the neighborhood looking the way the covenants promise. Here’s what shows up on letters most often, and how quickly each one can be resolved.

The 7 most common HOA violations (and the fix)

1. Mailbox posts. The classic. A leaning, rotting, or faded mailbox post is the #1 cited item in north Fulton HOAs — it’s the first thing the compliance drive-by sees. A full mailbox post replacement, installed and painted to your HOA’s color spec, is typically a half-day job.
2. Rotted or damaged exterior trim. Soft fascia, flaking window trim, or a split garage-door frame. HOAs spot it from the curb. Cut out the rot, replace the trim (PVC in the wet spots so it never comes back), prime, and paint. Usually done in a day.
3. Peeling or faded paint. Most Alpharetta and Johns Creek covenants require paint to be “in good condition,” and Georgia sun plus humidity is brutal on south and west faces. Touch-ups can fix isolated peeling; full faces get repainted. Pro tip: photograph the finished work — boards want proof of compliance.
4. Dirty siding, driveways, and roofs. Yellow pollen season followed by summer algae turns siding green and driveways black. A professional pressure wash (or soft wash on siding and shingles) erases years of grime in a day and is the cheapest curb-appeal fix on this list.
5. Fence repairs. Leaning posts, missing pickets, and sagging gates all get cited. Fence repairs are handyman bread-and-butter: re-set or replace posts, replace pickets, realign gates — usually faster and far cheaper than calling a fence company.
6. Overgrown landscaping and dead plants. Some letters cite landscaping, but many also mention the wooden elements around it: rotted landscape timbers, broken edging, leaning retaining-wall blocks. We fix the hardscape; pair it with a landscaper for the plants.
7. Damaged gutters and downspouts. Bent sections, sagging runs, missing downspout extensions. Gutters also cause half the other items on this list — overflowing gutters soak fascia, which rots, which gets cited. Fix the gutter, fix the rot, kill two violations in one visit.

The cure-period clock: how to handle a violation letter

1. Read the letter carefully. It names the violation and the deadline — usually 30 days from the date of the letter, sometimes less for safety items. Mark the actual date.
2. Don’t wait to get quotes. Call a handyman immediately. October through February is actually a good time to get work scheduled — spring fills up fast.
3. Check your HOA’s approved colors and standards. Many Alpharetta and Johns Creek communities require pre-approval for paint colors or mailbox styles. We work to your HOA’s spec sheet — just forward it to us.
4. Document everything. Take before-and-after photos of every repair. If there’s any dispute about whether you complied, photos end the conversation.
5. Respond to the HOA in writing. Once the work is done, notify the board or management company with your photos. Don’t assume they noticed.

Why one handyman visit beats five specialists

A typical violation letter lists three to five items across different trades: paint, a mailbox post, pressure washing, a fence post, caulking. Hiring a painter, a fence company, a pressure-washing crew, and a carpenter separately means four trip fees, four schedules, and four invoices — all against a 30-day deadline.

One handyman visit knocks out the whole list. We pressure wash, replace the mailbox post, repair the trim, repaint, re-set the fence post, and re-caulk — in one or two visits, with before-and-after photos you can send straight to the HOA. That’s the service this letter was designed for.

FAQs

Q: How long do I have to fix an HOA violation in Alpharetta?
A: Most north Fulton HOAs allow 30 days to cure a violation from the date of the letter. Some safety-related items get shorter deadlines. Read your specific letter — the clock starts on its date, not when you feel like it.

Q: What happens if I ignore an HOA violation letter?
A: Fines start accruing after the cure period — typically $25–$100 per day or per violation depending on your covenants — and chronic non-compliance can lead to liens. It’s always cheaper to fix the trim than to fund the fine schedule.

Q: Do I need HOA approval before fixing a violation?
A: Repairs that match existing colors and styles almost never need pre-approval. If the letter requires a paint color or mailbox style change, check the community’s approved list first. We’ll install to whatever spec you forward us.

Q: Can a handyman handle all my HOA violations at once?
A: Yes — that’s exactly when a handyman is the right call. Most violation letters span painting, trim, mailboxes, fencing, and pressure washing: all one-visit work for a single pro instead of four separate contractors.

Q: How fast can you complete HOA repairs?
A: Most violation lists are one to two days of work. The real variable is scheduling — call the day you get the letter, not the week the deadline hits. Fall and winter have the best availability in metro Atlanta.

Q: Do you provide photos for HOA compliance?
A: Absolutely. We take before-and-after photos of every repair so you can submit proof of compliance to your board or management company in one email.

Q: What if my HOA cites something structural, like a roof?
A: We’ll tell you straight if something is beyond handyman scope. We can still handle everything else on the letter and coordinate the documentation, so you’re not starting over with another contractor.

Q: Can you prevent future HOA violations?
A: Twice-a-year exterior walkthroughs — spring and fall — catch most violations before the compliance drive does. Ask about a seasonal maintenance visit; it’s the cheapest insurance against the next letter.

Beat the deadline

Violation letters don’t get better with time — fines do. Call (678) 549-8083 today and we’ll knock out your entire HOA punch list in one or two visits, with before-and-after photos for your compliance file. Just Fix Today serves Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, and the surrounding Atlanta suburbs, and we work to your HOA’s exact color and style specs.

 

 

 

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