# Have to get permit to build treehouse?



## socalmach (Mar 21, 2005)

I have a very strict neighboorhood that doesn't allow much.

I can't find anything in the bylaws and I don't want to ask because the answer will probably be no. But if there isn't anything in the bylaws does building a treehouse need the same permit as say building a shed does? I want to build a pretty nice one too.


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## JTR (May 8, 2005)

The only real lway to find out it so ask the neighborhood association. Even if the answer is no, if it's not allowed better to find out now than risk the fine. Some of those can be pretty stiff.


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## cami7 (Sep 16, 2005)

wow! how sad that you have to ask permission to bulid a treehouse on YOUR OWN property! My goodness next thing you will have to have the hosues paitned to look excatly the same with the same kind of flowers like everyone else!
 
Did you ever end up buliding your treehouse?


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## afunguy (Sep 16, 2005)

that is messed up i would be mad if i had to ask everytime i wanted to do something i would like to know also if you got approved to bulid it


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## Sun (Sep 16, 2005)

where do you live at??


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## bondo (Sep 19, 2005)

you all would be suprised by some of the totalitarian rules dictated by some homeowner associations in the name of maintaining property values.  I've been in some rules that dictate color scheme of your facia boards and shutters, materials your mailbox can be made of, times when your garage door can be open, activities that can occur in you front lawn or driveway, size and color of the address painted on your curb, and color/materials of your roof, too name a few that I can think of off the top of my head.


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## classy1 (Oct 1, 2005)

C.S. Lewis makes a remark somewhere that the "day will come" when everything in England is so tightly regulated that a man won't be allowed to cut down one of his own trees and build a shed or even a ladder without government permission - he wrote that in the late 40s or early 50s - I can only imagine what he might think about this question.


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## classy1 (Oct 1, 2005)

And by the by, the courts have repeatedly upheld restrictive housing covenants and building regs/by-laws/approvals, as long as there is no race-based element in the covenants.


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## sonofthesoil (Oct 14, 2005)

Cami - there are some cities that, if they cannot mandate what people paint their houses, they at least try through community pressure groups (generally known as the local Arts Council, Preservation Committee, or whatever) - I know of several college and university towns (Lewisburg PA, home of Bucknell, is one I am most familiar with) that has tried to demand the right to determine the "color scheme" of the entire city.  And a city just north of me has attempted to make everyone paint their homes white to give the place a "New England" feel to promote tourism


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## TxBuilder (Oct 18, 2005)

Do not move into a neighborhood with an HOA. REPEAT NO HOA!!!!!!!!

My friend lives in an HOA. No cars allowed in the driveway, no basketball goals, no working on vehicles in the driveway. He is a Jeeper and friends come over and he helps them fix stuff. They are now investigating him on running a business out of his house.


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## Gary (Nov 27, 2005)

I'd have to move if ordinances were that restrictive. I run a business out of my house. There are some restrictions, but as long as i keep the place neat and don't bother the niegbors with noise I'm within the law. It's a sign shop. I letter the police cars, fire trucks and city vehicles so it's not a secret what I do. However, if ypu drive by our home, you would not know it's a business, with the execption of the occational vehicle in the driveway waiting to be picked up.


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## shadebuilder (Nov 29, 2005)

If I were sure there were nothing in the bylaws I would probably go ahead.  But be sure.  I know of two rules I have had to abide by while contracting for other people,  Sheds had to be below fence level or sheds had to be sided and painted to match home.  Something silly like this might get you.

I live on two and a half acres and raise horses.  I am also a contractor so I have trucks and tools out back.  I would have a tough time having to ask permission every time I wanted to do something, but yet I have to every time I contract a job for a customer.  Oh well, best of luck


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## cranbrook2 (Jan 4, 2006)

this guy spent 15,000 to build this little gem.


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## The Gingerbread Man (Jan 10, 2006)

In an "upscale" area around here a person repainted their house the same color as before, call it "yellow #1", They used the same color and the HOA caused a stink because it was a different color. The old paint had faded and the HOA swore that they didn't ask permission to repaint it a new color.  They went round and round. forgot where it ended up.


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## milehigh_woodcrafter (Apr 5, 2006)

one of my buddies bought a home in a covenant controlled neighborhood.  in the literature it said leasing the home is acceptable as long as all of the occupants are caucasian. yeah no ****, this was two years ago.  can you believe that?!


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## Bridgewater (Apr 5, 2006)

Man I would just build the fort for my son with out making alot of noise and p*$$ on anyone that got in my way.
  I have a young one to, and some older ones also and I wont let anyone get in my way. And if the neighbors had a complant about it,I would just say, OK you wana be like that, im just gona cut the tree down cause I want grow a garden there. And have the last laugh at them! And see if they wana reconsider.


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## PaPaDan (Apr 6, 2006)

HOAs are a pain in the A$$. Read your Bylaws carefully and if there is no printed restriction agains tree houses, play houses or play structures, then you are good to go. If you ask and they say no, even without being in the bylaws you are stuck with that decision and wont be able to build it. There are clauses saying that They can change the rules anytime they want, but it wont hold if you build before you ask.


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## woodworkingmenace (Apr 29, 2006)

My neighbors kids moved into a "gated community" with this HOA stuff... They are regulated to what thier yard looks like, how many trees are on it, they must paint thier house with in the first year that they move there. At 5pm, EVERYONE must get out and RIDE BICYCLES in the STREET!  No Kidding!  Its some place in Indiana... (I think Ft Wayne, but not sure).  

I asked them if they were in thier right mind, wanting to live there? But, his wife is an "upscale" woman, wanting to live in the "right place" to meet the "right people".. yea, uppity thing if you ask me... Never could get into that snob scale thing...  But, thats only my opinion...

My two cents worth....

Jesse


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## glennjanie (Jun 6, 2006)

You know?
In some counties of Kentucky your status is guaged by how many cars you have on blocks in the front yard. Having one of them rolled over on its top gives you extra points, I could go on and on. Deed restrictions are for the owner's protection. What if one of those good-ol'-boys moved in next to you? And what if he decided he was going to make a pick-up truck out of a hearse? Ya get my drift?
Glenn


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