HOA reserve studies in Tennessee

What the state asks of a non-condo HOA

Section 66-27-403(g) applies to unit owners' associations under the Condominium Act. Most Tennessee homeowners associations are nonprofit corporations governed by a recorded declaration of covenants and the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act. We know of no Tennessee statute that makes such an association commission a reserve study. Your documents may, and some do. If in doubt, check with the association's attorney.

Why boards order one anyway

• Private streets. Repaving a neighborhood's roads is often the largest bill an HOA ever faces, and it arrives every few decades with little warning.
• Amenities. Pool plaster, clubhouse roofs, tennis courts and playgrounds all wear out on known cycles.
• Dues decisions. A study turns "should we raise dues?" into a schedule the whole board can read.
• Resale. Buyers, agents and lenders increasingly ask how well funded the reserves are.

What it usually covers

For a typical Middle Tennessee subdivision: paving and curbs, entry monuments and landscaping, stormwater ponds and drains, fencing, the pool and its equipment, the clubhouse roof and HVAC, mailbox kiosks and street lighting if the association owns it. The component life table on our homepage gives typical lives for most of these.

What it costs

Smaller HOAs with few amenities often sit at the bottom of the ranges on our fee guide. Communities with miles of private road or a staffed clubhouse cost more to study.