There are three types of renovations for strata apartments:
Cosmetic work
Owners can do cosmetic work without approval. This includes day-to-day work such as:
– installing or replacing hooks, nails or screws for hanging paintings or other things on internal walls,
– installing or replacing handrails within your lot,
– interior painting,
– filling minor holes and cracks in internal walls.
The owners corporation can declare other types of work as ‘cosmetic’ if they pass a by-law.
Minor renovations
Owners need approval, over 50 percent of the votes in favour, before doing any minor renovations.
Minor renovations include:
– renovating a kitchen
– changing recessed light fittings
– installing or replacing wood or other hard floors (refer to By-Laws 13, 14)
– changing internal walls
– sustainability measures (such as reverse cycle air conditioner). However, these cannot involve changing the outside appearance of a lot or structural changes.
The approval process may need the owner to give details of the work. This may include:
– any plans of the work
– when the work will be carried out (times and dates)
– qualifications and details of the tradespeople who will do the work.
Speeding up the approval process. The Owners Corporation can pass a by-law which allows the Executive Committee to approve minor renovations.
The Owners Corporation can also pass a by-law to define other kinds of work as minor renovations.
Major renovations
Major renovations include:
– structural changes to the building, apartments and common property
– waterproofing
– changes affecting the outside appearance of the property, such as an access ramp
– work that needs approval under other laws (for example, council approval).
Undertaking Major Apartment Renovations
Major renovations require the approval of the Owners Corporation by special resolution.
The following guidelines list the required steps to seek approval to undertake major renovations, which may include structural changes to the building and common property.
They do not apply to minor works such as repainting, recarpeting or replacing major appliances.
Guidelines
1) Owner must inform the Strata Manager that owner plans to renovate to their unit and must indicate scale of renovations, proposed start time and overall time frame.
2) Owner must include any plans, specifications of the works planned plus engineering reports if plans include the removal of internal walls.
The Strata Manager will need these as a record of owner’s unit renovations to submit to the Executive Committee for review and their decision.
3) The Executive Committee will decide when to present the proposal to the Owners Corporation, either at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM), or by calling an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), depending on the nature of the proposed renovations.
For example, if any renovation/remedial works involve areas requiring waterproofing (bathroom; kitchen, etc.including balcony tiling), then approval must be granted by the Owners Corporation through an AGM or EGM. This will involve the owner submitting a new By-law, which may include a Bond and which will indemnify the Owners Corporation against any damage and repairs to the common property including driveways as a result of owner’s renovations.
4) In such cases, the owner will require a lawyer who specialises in By-Laws, to prepare the By-Law and provide the correct motions to be presented to the AGM or EGM. This will be at the owner’s cost. If an EGM has to be specially called to fit in with the owner’s renovation timetable, this will also be at the owner’s cost.
5) The Strata Manager can assist with a specialist By-Law lawyer recommendation.
Strata Manager contact information :
Julie Edwards
Body Corporate Services (BCS)
Strata Plan 3840
02-9967 1300
[email protected]
For detailed information, please refer to By-Laws, particularly to by-laws 13, 14 and 36.