Rules and Regulations

Interior Installations and Alterations

Make Your Home a Castle

There are so many ways for members to make improvements and alterations to their units. And, we want to help you bring your ideas to life, safely and securely—so reach out to us! We can give you tips, building history, and other important information that can help you save money and headaches. More importantly, we'll work with your contractors to make sure everything you do is up to code, suitable for our buildings, and insurable.

Because of the wide variety of interior alterations possible, we will review each proposal individually. Follow these steps to get started.

  1. Submit Your Proposal
    • Before you begin construction on any installation or alteration, you must complete a Forest Hills Interior Installation Permit form.
    • Failure to submit an Installation Permit prior to construction may result in the removal of your installation—at your expense.
    • Include with your Installation Permit, all specifications, as well as drawings (or other imaging) to communicate your proposed alteration.
    • All Installation Permits are subject to Board approval.
    • Depending on your project, office staff may require additional information from you or your contractor.
  2. Get Final Approval
    • Once your proposal has been accepted, the Forest Hills office will provide you with a Tentative Letter of Approval.
    • Many installations require a City of Ann Arbor permit. The City of Ann Arbor will need you to submit your Tentative Letter of Approval from Forest Hills. The cost of a permit varies, depending on the nature of your project. Expect to pay a minimum of $25.00.
    • Once your project is approved, you will have 30 days to complete the work.
    • Forest Hills staff will inspect your finished project for final approval.
  3. Maintain Your Installation
    • Members are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their installation or alteration.
    • Failure to maintain your installation or alteration will result in a notification from Forest Hills outlining the problem and how you can resolve it. You will have 10 days following that notice to either perform the required work or request an appeal before the Board of Directors. If you do not respond within those 10 days, maintenance staff will perform the work and charge you accordingly.

Removing Your Installation

While the expense and effort members put into their additions and installations are greatly appreciated, there are situations in which members may be required to remove their installations. Please be advised that:

  1. All installations are permitted at the discretion of the Board of Directors, and are subject to removal, at the member's expense.
  2. Requirements for installations are established by the Board of Directors and are subject to change. Members are responsible for ensuring their installations conform to any such changes, whether those changes are announced or not.
  3. Upon moving out of the co-op, your installation must be approved, in writing, by the incoming member, using a form provided by the office.
  4. If the incoming member does not approve of your installation, you must remove it and return the area back to its original condition. If you are unable to do this, Forest Hills staff will perform the work, and you will be charged accordingly.
 
ATTENTION: This form is not currently accepting submissions due to a technical problem. We are aware of the problem, and are working to fix it. We thank you for your patience!

Download a PDF of the Installation Alteration Permit