Renovating a strata-titled property in Western Australia comes with its own set of considerations and regulations. Unlike traditional houses, owning a strata-titled property means you share a lot of the features of your home with others. These shared features are considered common property, and depending on your building, this may include the walls, ceilings and floors – making renovations quite an interesting topic.
Within a Strata Title Scheme, there are 3 overarching types of building boundaries that can be registered. Each of the below is unique and determines the building lot boundaries of the property in relation to each lot owner.
- Lot Boundary 3(2)a
- Lot Boundary 3(2)b
- Lot Boundary 3AB
This information can be found in your Strata Plan or you can contact your Strata Manager for more information.
Alterations to your property can only be made inside your lot and can not impact common property.
Check and provide reasonable notice to the Council of the Strata Company
You should always check and provide reasonable notice to the Council of the Strata Company of your renovation plans. ESM Strata have put together a sample document showing the information which you should provide. Some works that you may not believe require approval, may in fact be considered structural or impact on common property, so always check with your Strata Manager.
Some renovations such as structural work or flooring changes may require a resolution without dissent to be passed (depending on the existing by-laws of the complex) at a General Meeting of the Strata Company.
Bathrooms and Kitchens
It is recommended that you check with your Council of the Strata Company before commencing any renovation work on your bathrooms and kitchens. The reason is that on some strata plans, the lot boundary is from the surface of the tile inwards. Therefore, tiles form part of the common property. Any changes to common property may require a resolution without dissent to be passed at a general meeting.
Waterproofing is also a consideration. It’s painted on prior to tiling but it is essential that it is applied professionally, so as to ensure there is no water transfer between lots.
Flooring
This is an excerpt from the SCAWA website:
“Never – repeat, never – install hard flooring in a multi-story strata dwelling without first (a) reviewing the strata development’s by-laws to see if there are any specific rules regarding hard flooring; (b) seeking permission from the owners committee, preferably with a consultants report; and not least (c) ensuring adequate acoustic underlay is installed. (Ideally, more than adequate.)
Many strata owners who have installed hard flooring without following these straightforward steps have found themselves saddled with the expensive burden of having to rip it out after challenges from owners committees and owners living beneath them who have suffered ‘loss of amenity’ due to noise.”
Proceed with your planned works
Once approved, you are free to proceed with your planned works with the comfort of knowing that no one can ever make you remove your upgrades and reinstate to how it was before.
Advise other residents of potential noise
Letting other residents know there may be noise etc. during the renovations will help to maintain the harmony within your complex.
More Information
For a comprehensive understanding of strata-titled properties and their management, you can refer to the fact sheet provided by Landgate, Western Australia. This document offers an in-depth look into the basics of strata, including key definitions, responsibilities, and benefits of strata living. It’s an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn more about the structure and governance of strata schemes.
Understanding the Basics of Strata – Fact Sheet – Landgate, WA.
