Adding a second bedroom in Canberra apartment

Hi everyone, I've looked online for an answer but can't find anything, so interested to get your knowledge/experience - are there any general rules against adding a second bedroom to a (large) apartment? The ad is linked below, it's a 1/1/1 with 79m^2 and so there's room to add a second bedroom and bathroom (I think). The real estate agent isn't aware of any rules against it (but not the most independent of advisors) and nothing in my research suggests there would be, am I missing something? I know the body corporate have the final say over any large structural changes (anything more than paint-deep I believe), however I think a second room can be added through the use of partitions. A second bathroom would be a little harder, but also just an extension of partitions and plumbing. In case it's relevant the ground floor apartment has dual residential/commercial zoning.

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-act-city-134726914

Thanks for your help!

 

That floorplan looks like it already has a bathroom upstairs and toilet / vanity downstairs. What do you want to add?

 

What is the purpose? ppor, increased rental income, flip?

I expect that the logical place to do this is to cut the bedroom out of the living area and add a shower to the laundry. I also suspect that the voids and stair case are reducing the claimed 79m^2 and a bedroom will chew out another 8-10m^2. You would need to align the bedroom wall with the existing external masonry so it would not be visible from the exterior. but this leads to a very narrow room. Trying to get plumbing etc changed would be problematic as the foundations and beams for an 8 storey building are large. Is there underground parking under the unit? If so it may make things easier.

Personally II expect it would be of limited benefit and would think the bc wouldn't welcome the changes. This sort of thing is much better done in a house/townhouse where there is usually more under utilised space (halls, garages etc) that can be reclaimed.

 

You're right, it does, however I'm not sure the person upstairs would want the second person tromping through their bedroom to access the bathroom each time they wanted a shower. So I figured if I was going to add a second bed, I'd need a second bathroom?

 

Ah okay everyone thanks for your feedback, yes I haven't crunched the numbers but expect it would be a pricey renovation for a very modest rent/property value gain.

Thanks for your input Mark, that's a very detailed outline and similar to what I was thinking. There is underground parking but not sure about the placement of plumbing etc

 

Doesnt look doable with that big window there, if it was multiple smaller windows you might've been able to get away with it as stated by @Mark F.