Can I do renovations in a strata apartment?

In a strata scheme you own the lot, not the building. Work that stays entirely inside your lot and affects nobody else is one thing. Work that touches common property, or that can affect another lot, is another, and that boundary is narrower than most owners expect.

The usual categories

• Cosmetic work such as painting, filling holes and changing handles, which typically needs no approval.
• Minor renovations such as removing a non-structural wall, changing kitchen cabinetry or installing an air conditioner, which usually need the owners corporation's approval by ordinary resolution.
• Major work, including anything structural, anything affecting waterproofing, and anything altering the external appearance, which usually needs a by-law passed by special resolution.

The two that catch everyone

• Flooring. Replacing carpet with hard flooring transmits impact noise to the lot below and is one of the most common strata disputes. Many schemes require an acoustic underlay to a specified rating and prior approval.
• Waterproofing. The membrane in a bathroom is commonly common property, so a bathroom renovation is major work even though it happens entirely inside your walls.

Air conditioning is a third: the outdoor unit almost always sits on or attaches to common property, and the noise affects neighbours, so it is approval territory even when the indoor unit is entirely yours.