Do I Need Strata Approval to Renovate My Apartment?

This is the quick decision guide. Find your job in the table below, see what approval it needs, and move on. If you want the full walk-through of the application, the by-law and the timeline, read our complete NSW strata approval guide.

Do I need strata approval to renovate my apartment?

Whether you need approval comes down to which of three categories your work falls into. NSW law splits renovations into cosmetic work, minor renovations, and major work, and each one needs a different level of approval. Here is the short version.

Categories from the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (sections 109, 110 and 108). An ordinary resolution is a simple majority at a general meeting. A special resolution needs 75 percent of the votes.

The three categories, explained

1. Cosmetic work: no approval needed (s109)

Cosmetic work is anything that does not touch the structure, the waterproofing, the plumbing, or the outside of the building. Section 109 lets you do it without asking the owners corporation, as long as you repair any damage and do the work properly. The Act names these specifically:

• · Painting, and filling minor holes and cracks in internal walls
• · Laying carpet
• · Installing or replacing hooks, nails and screws for hanging things on walls
• · Installing or replacing built-in wardrobes
• · Installing or replacing internal blinds, curtains and handrails

Your by-laws can add to this list, so it is worth a quick check, but these are no-approval jobs in every NSW scheme.

2. Minor renovations: an ordinary resolution (s110)

Minor renovations need the owners corporation's approval by an ordinary resolution at a general meeting. A special resolution and a by-law are not required. Many buildings pass a by-law that lets the strata committee approve these directly, which is faster. You give written notice of the work first, including plans, who is doing it, and how you will manage rubbish. Section 110 lists:

• · Renovating a kitchen
• · Installing or replacing wood or other hard floors
• · Changing recessed light fittings
• · Installing or replacing wiring, cabling, power or access points
• · Reconfiguring non-structural walls

The owners corporation cannot unreasonably refuse a minor renovation, but it can attach reasonable conditions, such as work hours and the acoustic rating of your floor underlay.

3. Major work: a special resolution and a by-law (s108)

Anything that is not cosmetic and not minor is major work to common property under section 108. It needs a special resolution at a general meeting, which means 75 percent of the votes, and almost always a registered by-law that sets out the terms and who carries the ongoing responsibility. Major work includes:

• · Anything involving waterproofing, which means most real bathroom renovations
• · Moving or adding plumbing, or changing the exhaust system
• · Structural changes, including removing a load-bearing wall
• · Work that changes the outside appearance of your lot

Common jobs, decided

These are the questions we get asked most. Use this as a quick reference, then confirm against your own building's by-laws, which can add requirements but cannot take away the statutory minimums above.

What happens if you renovate without approval?

Skipping approval on work that needs it is the expensive mistake. The owners corporation can order you to undo the work and put the original back, and you stay liable for any damage you cause. With a bathroom, that damage is usually a failed membrane leaking into the unit below, and the building's insurance does not cover your renovation. Unapproved work also shows up when you sell, where it can stall the settlement until it is regularised.

For major work, budget roughly $1,100 in approval costs, around $990 plus GST to draft the by-law and $175.70 to register it with NSW Land Registry Services, and allow 6 to 12 weeks for the meeting and registration. Our full NSW approval guide walks through every step.

Frequently asked questions