Key takeaways
- Your deadline comes from your community’s CC&Rs and landscape guidelines, not state law. It’s often counted from close of escrow.
- A common structure is two deadlines: submit plans for approval first, then finish the install. One builder’s published guidelines, for example, require plans within 30 days and completed front-yard landscaping within 120 days of close of escrow (Fulton Homes).
- In California, an HOA can’t ban artificial turf or low-water plants (Civil Code 4735), but it can set reasonable design and quality rules.
- Book your estimate early. Design, HOA approval and scheduling take longer than the install itself.
Where to find your deadline
Look in three places: the CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions) you received during escrow, the community’s architectural or landscape guidelines, and any welcome packet from the HOA or management company. Search for “landscaping,” “front yard,” “close of escrow” and “days.” If the documents aren’t clear, email the management company and ask for the deadline in writing.
How these deadlines usually work
Many new-home communities split it into steps: submit a landscape plan for approval, wait for the review, then complete the install by a set date. One published example from a large builder requires front-yard plans within 30 days of close of escrow and finished landscaping within 120 days. Your community’s numbers may be different, so use them, not these.
Approval itself takes time. Review committees commonly quote turnaround times of 7, 14 or 30 days, and spring is their busiest season.
What HOAs typically require
Guidelines often cover how much of the front yard can be turf versus planting beds, an approved plant list, a minimum number of trees or shrubs, rock size and color, and drainage that carries water away from the house, walkways and driveway. Some specify the grass type for sod. Check for these before you choose materials, so your plan gets approved the first time.
What California law says about turf and low-water plants
California Civil Code Section 4735 makes HOA rules void and unenforceable if they prohibit low-water plants as a group or prohibit artificial turf. That was added by AB 349 in 2015. The HOA can still apply reasonable design and quality standards, such as the type of turf, as long as those standards don’t effectively make turf impossible.
A timeline that works
Work backward from your deadline:
- Right after closing: find your deadline and guidelines, and request estimates.
- Weeks 1 to 3: settle the design and materials, then submit plans to the HOA.
- While you wait for approval: lock in your install date with the contractor.
- Install: most front yards take a few working days once materials are on site.
- Buffer: leave two or three weeks before the deadline for weather, inspections or touch-ups.
Our new construction landscaping page has a planner that calculates these dates from your move-in date.
If you’re going to miss it
Ask for an extension before the deadline, in writing, and explain why: a summer heat wave, a backordered material or a pending approval. Missing a deadline without asking can lead to notices and fines under the CC&Rs.
Sources
- California Legislature: AB 349 (Civil Code 4735)
- Irvine Ranch Water District: FAQ for HOA residents
- Fulton Homes: Design guidelines for landscaping (example of builder deadlines)
- iScape: How to get HOA approval for landscaping changes
Prices are national and California estimates from the sources above, not Valley Oak quotes. Every yard is priced after an on-site visit.
