The Logistics of an Apartment Renovation
Renovating an apartment or unit brings its own set of challenges. Working with you we need to answer a range of practical questions before we get started, like:
- Where is all the apartment renovation waste going to go?
- What are the hours of operation in your building?
- Where can all the delivery trucks for the – tiles, kitchen cabinets, stone benchtops, appliances etc – going to park?
- Where do the contractors park when they are all working together on a busy day?
- What times are best to use the lifts?
- How does one protect the lift?
- What are the lifts internal dimensions?
- Is traffic control needed for deliveries?
- If mains water needs to be turned off, who needs to be notified?
Getting answers to these questions and more lets us build this information into your unit renovation project plan, and avoids delays and conflict.
Understanding Strata By-Laws
Each strata scheme has its own by-laws, which all owners and occupiers are legally obliged to comply with. These cover a range of activities including how residents use common property, noise levels, if you can keep pets, what you can renovate with or without approvals etc.
By-laws often vary from scheme to scheme so it is important you understand what by-laws apply to your scheme – as they can impact your apartment renovation.
You will need to have a new by-law passed to cover your unit renovation if it changes the common property, such as when new waterproofing is required in the bathroom or wet areas.
The owners corporation must then decide by special resolution at an AGM or EGM to make or change a by-law. To have it pass, 75 per cent of lot owners must vote for your by-law.
What About Noise Regulations in Apartment Renovations?
Renovating if often a noisy job, so when it comes to the works, try to be as considerate of your neighbours as possible. You want to give them plenty of warning – written and verbal – when the works are going to be happening.
This not only notifies them of any potential noise but can highlight when there may be tradies and contractors accessing your apartment via common areas like parking garages and corridors.
In Sydney there are also regulations covering noise from home renovations and or construction works, which may affect neighbours, this means there are restrictions for when power tools can be used.
We are generally allowed to work from 7 am to 8 pm during weekdays and to midday on a Saturday – though local by-laws will definitely differ and are stricter so for apartment renovations we generally work between 8am to 4:30pm.
As a courtesy to your neighbours, we take a community-focused approach to working on unit renovations and try to limit the impact our trades and works have.
When you get approval for works to commence we letter drop all the adjacent neighbours a courtesy community letter notifying them about the works, duration, approved hours of work, with our contact details for feedback or in the event of an emergency.
Lot Property vs Common Property Differences?
With apartment renovations, you need to get your head around what belongs to you (lot property) and what is property is managed by the Owners Corporation (common property).
Unlike a house, where you own everything on the stand, in an apartment or lot, common property is normally the main structure of the building, including the four main walls, ceiling, roof and the floor slab.
It is also all the external walls in the building, as well as areas like foyers, driveways and the gym or pool – places everyone uses and can access.
If you are wondering what actually belongs to you – an owner’s property is basically the airspace in the lot – which includes the internal walls, fixtures, carpet, and paint on the walls.
If you are planning to strip out and renovate your kitchen and bathroom you are very likely to require permission as you will be making changes or affecting the common property.