The Dunes on Monterey Bay is a master-planned community in Marina, just off Highway 1 and Imjin Parkway. It mixes condos, townhomes, duplex-style homes and detached houses. The city lists it in its specific plans as The Dunes (University Village). Call (855) 575-2890 when a leak, clog or water heater problem shows up.
Plumbing in an attached home works differently from plumbing in a house on its own lot. This page explains how, and what to check with your association before you book a repair. We offer same-day appointments when available, and you get a clear price before work starts.
What The Dunes is
Local reporting names Marina Community Partners as the developer of The Dunes and Shea Homes as its builder. A 2018 article said residents were already living there and that about 20 percent of the homes would be priced below market rate. Shea's sales pages describe four collections: Rooftops condos and townhomes of one to four stories, Bay House duplexes, Light House detached homes and Sky House detached homes.
The community sits about nine miles north of Monterey. A shopping center of roughly 365,000 square feet is within walking distance, according to Shea's site, with retailers, restaurants and a movie theater. We cannot publish street boundaries because the sources we checked do not give them, so tell us your address when you call.
Attached homes: who is responsible for what
In a condo, townhome or duplex, a leak does not stay in one unit. Water that starts under a kitchen sink can reach a shared wall or the home below. That makes the shutoff location and your association's rules the first two questions to answer.
| Part of the plumbing | Who usually handles it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fixtures and lines inside your unit | The owner | Supply lines, faucets and toilets are common owner repairs |
| Shared drain stacks and common supply lines | The association | A blockage here can reach several homes at once |
| Water heater | Depends on the building | Some sit inside the unit and some are shared, so ask before replacing |
| Individual shutoff valve | The owner operates it | Knowing where it is stops damage while you wait |
Before you book a repair in an attached home
- Read the association's rules on who may work on shared lines.
- Warn the neighbor below if water is escaping, and photograph any damage.
- Ask whether the association wants notice or a licensed contractor for the job.
- Locate your shutoff valve before you need it.
Close the nearest valve
Turn off the fixture stop under the sink or toilet. If water keeps coming, close your unit's main shutoff.
Protect the floor and the walls
Move belongings, soak up standing water and keep power off in any wet area until it is checked.
Tell the people who need to know
Warn the neighbor below, then contact the association manager and your insurer before cleanup starts.
Call for the repair
Give us the building address, the unit and where the water is showing. We explain the work and the price before we start.
Detached homes in The Dunes
The Light House and Sky House collections are detached houses, and Shea lists them from about 2,800 to over 4,600 square feet. A larger house generally has longer pipe runs, so a long wait for hot water at a far bathroom is a common question. Fixes range from insulating the line to adding a point-of-use heater or changing the heater itself.
If you are weighing a heater change, see our tankless water heater page for sizing and venting, or water heater installation for planned swaps. For a heater that has already failed, water heater replacement covers the next steps.
Shops, restaurants and offices nearby
The shopping center beside The Dunes has its own landlords and tenants, and commercial work is a separate job from home plumbing. Tenants should check with the landlord first, since owners often control the building's lines. Businesses can read about our commercial plumbing service.
Neighboring Marina areas
The Dunes sits near Sea Haven, a neighborhood of single-family homes, and the older core described on our Central Marina page. Housing differs in each, which changes the plumbing questions. For leaks that hide inside walls or under floors, see leak detection.
Frequently asked questions
The city's specific plans page lists The Dunes (University Village) as one plan. Builders and residents say The Dunes. Use that name on the call, and give us the street address.
That depends on the cause, your association's rules and your insurance, so we cannot answer it for you. Shut off the water, document the damage and contact your association and insurer. We can find and fix the source of the leak.
Often yes, but check your association's rules first, since some limit the location, venting or type. Most replacements need a city permit. Call us with your home type and we explain the options and the price before work starts.
Our commercial plumbing page covers shops, restaurants and offices. Tenants should check with the landlord before calling, since owners often control the building's main lines.
We offer same-day appointments when available. Call (855) 575-2890, give the address and describe the problem. We tell you what we can do and give a clear price before work starts.
