Renovating
9 Things to Know Before Renovating Your Apartment
These headache-saving tips will help you avoid the potential stumbling blocks that can come with renovating an apartment
Renovating an apartment can be rewarding, but being sky-high can also throw a few challenges your way. There are more neighbours to consider, for starters, but there is also the issue of access to manage, and a strata committee or body corporate to check in with. Fabulous apartment renovations are most certainly possible, but you need to have a savvy plan in place to avoid some potential traps.
2. Talk to the experts
Before you get too excited about knocking down internal walls, make sure you speak with a builder and structural engineer to get a realistic opinion on what’s actually possible. In a multi-level apartment building, you definitely do not want to be taking out a structural wall without knowing exactly what you’re doing.
13 key issues to consider before you renovate
Before you get too excited about knocking down internal walls, make sure you speak with a builder and structural engineer to get a realistic opinion on what’s actually possible. In a multi-level apartment building, you definitely do not want to be taking out a structural wall without knowing exactly what you’re doing.
13 key issues to consider before you renovate
3. Make friends
Get to know your neighbours before you begin – that means neighbours on your floor, as well as above and below – because they’ll all be affected in some way by the work you’re undertaking. Managing their expectations and keeping them informed will go a long way towards maintaining a friendly relationship during the build. Make sure you introduce your builder to all the neighbours as well.
Survey: Do renovating and relationships mix?
Get to know your neighbours before you begin – that means neighbours on your floor, as well as above and below – because they’ll all be affected in some way by the work you’re undertaking. Managing their expectations and keeping them informed will go a long way towards maintaining a friendly relationship during the build. Make sure you introduce your builder to all the neighbours as well.
Survey: Do renovating and relationships mix?
4. Know your waterworks
Water and power, and knowing how to turn them off, are key to any successful renovation. It’s important that your builder knows how to cut the water and power to your apartment only, without leaving the rest of the residents high and dry.
Water and power, and knowing how to turn them off, are key to any successful renovation. It’s important that your builder knows how to cut the water and power to your apartment only, without leaving the rest of the residents high and dry.
5. Timing is everything
Builders and other tradespeople generally start work on site at 7am, but in an apartment that may not win you any friends. Check with the body corporate and consider having them start at 8am instead, when most people are out of bed and into their day (without having been woken by a jackhammer).
Builders and other tradespeople generally start work on site at 7am, but in an apartment that may not win you any friends. Check with the body corporate and consider having them start at 8am instead, when most people are out of bed and into their day (without having been woken by a jackhammer).
6. Parking permission
Parking is often at a premium in apartment blocks. Before your work begins, scope out the options (where can you place a rubbish skip if one is required?) and determine where the builders can park without taking up resident or visitor parking spaces.
Parking is often at a premium in apartment blocks. Before your work begins, scope out the options (where can you place a rubbish skip if one is required?) and determine where the builders can park without taking up resident or visitor parking spaces.
7. Protect your common assets
Common property must be considered at all times during an apartment renovation, and any damage to common areas caused by your builders will need to paid for by you. Good quality tradesmen will be well aware of this, and they will need to know where they can find protective panels to hang in lifts and stairwells as they are transporting building materials.
They will also need to clean and tidy any common areas they have used at the end of each day – keep an eye on this to keep your neighbours on side.
Common property must be considered at all times during an apartment renovation, and any damage to common areas caused by your builders will need to paid for by you. Good quality tradesmen will be well aware of this, and they will need to know where they can find protective panels to hang in lifts and stairwells as they are transporting building materials.
They will also need to clean and tidy any common areas they have used at the end of each day – keep an eye on this to keep your neighbours on side.
8. Get clear on windows
Be aware that while new windows and doors can make a big difference to a property, in an apartment they are most likely to be covered by strata and cannot be changed or replaced by an individual. The same applies to any external structures or awnings. Apartment buildings are designed to have a neat and consistent exterior.
Be aware that while new windows and doors can make a big difference to a property, in an apartment they are most likely to be covered by strata and cannot be changed or replaced by an individual. The same applies to any external structures or awnings. Apartment buildings are designed to have a neat and consistent exterior.
9. Bathroom basics
While you can reconfigure bathrooms to some extent, be mindful of the fact that moving plumbing will involve core drilling through the slab to the apartment below – a move that may not be possible or welcome. Instead, be creative with fixtures and finishes to create a bathroom that works for you.
9 bathroom renovation questions to ask before you start hacking
While you can reconfigure bathrooms to some extent, be mindful of the fact that moving plumbing will involve core drilling through the slab to the apartment below – a move that may not be possible or welcome. Instead, be creative with fixtures and finishes to create a bathroom that works for you.
9 bathroom renovation questions to ask before you start hacking
TELL US
Has your apartment renovation been multi-storey magic or high-rise hell? Tell us all about your experiences in the Comments below.
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Has your apartment renovation been multi-storey magic or high-rise hell? Tell us all about your experiences in the Comments below.
MORE
How to Future-Proof Your Renovation
7 Factors to Consider in Your Kitchen Renovation
How Do You Know When You Need an Interior Designer?
Start with a plan of what changes you’d like to make and meet with your body corporate or strata committee. Apartment renovations require permission from the committee before any work is undertaken. It’s also smart to discuss with them whether any of the changes you are planning are covered by the strata (windows and external features, for example).