The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

A hypothetical end-unit townhome in a Parker-area community, built in the mid-2000s with a tuck-under two-car garage and the kitchen on the floor above. The end unit has three exposed walls. The HOA covers the building exterior and roof under a master policy; owners insure their interiors.

  1. During a week of single-digit nights, the owner leaves for work with the garage door having been open for much of the evening before while unloading.
  2. The cold supply to the kitchen island, running through the floor joists over the garage, freezes near the exterior end wall.
  3. In the late afternoon the line thaws and splits. Water runs along the joists, through the garage ceiling, and down the shared wall toward the neighboring unit's garage.
  4. The owner comes home to water dripping on the car and a bowed ceiling, closes the unit's shutoff in the utility closet, and switches off the garage lighting circuit from a dry spot at the panel.
  5. The owner knocks on the neighbor's door; their garage wall shows a damp stain at the base.
  6. The owner calls the HOA's management company, their own insurer, and a plumber.

The plumber repairs the line and notes that insulation in the garage ceiling had gaps at the exterior end. The owner's insurer handles the interior drying and repair; the neighbor's minor wall damage is reported to the neighbor's insurer and the HOA. The HOA reviews whether the end-wall insulation issue is part of the building envelope it maintains.

Decision points in a shared building

  • IfWater may have crossed into a neighboring unitThenTell the neighbor right away and let them photograph their side; do not assume it stayed in your unit.
  • IfThe cause might involve the building envelopeThenNotify the HOA or management company in writing and ask how they handle envelope defects that cause interior damage.
  • IfThe unit's shutoff is shared or unclearThenAsk the HOA before winter which valve serves which unit, and label it.
  • IfDrying equipment needs to run in a shared wallThenCoordinate access with the neighbor so both sides of the wall are measured and dried.

Questions this owner asked afterward

  1. Which parts of the building does the HOA's master policy cover, and what is its deductible?
  2. Does my own policy include coverage for a share of the master policy deductible?
  3. Who decides whether the end-wall insulation was a construction or maintenance issue?
  4. Can the HOA share drawings showing where supply lines run between units?
  5. Should the garage door have a closer or reminder so it is not left open in winter?

General information for Parker, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.