Modifying internal wall of apartment - do I need strata approval?

Your motives are irrelevant.

 

How so? Someone mentioned people expect an en-suite bathroom in a one bedder, I’m letting you know I’m not doing it for resale value.

 

It’s irrelevant to the strata committee who own apartments in your complex and don’t want walls being compromised. You have a fundamental misunderstanding of strata living. To make modifications you need approval, you’re being selfish and fair trading/tribunal is on the side of the strata committee.

How would you feel if someone else did something that made the insurance void on the building? Wouldn’t you be annoyed? Or did something that affected the structure and thus damaged the value of your property?

 

In a nutshell

 

Do you mean that you are paying someone to knock down a wall that is not owned by you?

 

I would have thought the internal wall was owned by the OP.

 

Strata plans show internal walls as they're common property where other parts of the building are reliant on the support, it's not a volumetric strata plan.

 

I’m not the one who brought it up though.

 

The first one i did, had building permit and engineering drawings. I used a builder who had done one in the same block of units before. He handled the permit with council. This was in a different council to the second one (and a different builder), so things might be different with the process. Neither time did I have to get strata approval, though I did advise strata after and sent them a copy of the building permit details for the first apartment.

 

As long as the wall removal is engineered and building permit has been complied to, why does strata need to approve it? Are they building experts? I don't really understand the logic, its an internal wall. Letting them know with the building permit details should be sufficient.

 

It is common property, you own the paint.

No, but they are entitled to engage an independent consultant AT YOUR COST to verify the calculations

It is a load bearing wall which will be supporting the structure of the above the property.

 

Dual engineering certification takes care of all of that. Must be different regulations in NSW to that of Victoria.

With everything make sure you hire professionals like I did and not take advice from people on forums.

 

Just spoke to strata manager, he pretty much said this. OC doesn’t have much say over what you do internally as long as you have a council permit and engineers report but you could run it by the committee if you wanted to be extra cautious.

 

The builder said if it’s a load bearing wall it’s up to the council whether you can modify it. Leaving it up to the owners committee could have them saying no simply because they dislike you.

 

OC owns the wall ie all of the owners in the building not you, not council, not Santa Claus.

Council requires the DA to be signed by the OC as giving consent to its property being modified. This is no different to a tenant requesting consent from the Owner to do work within the property or to run a family day care within the property, they would need both owner and OC consent.

 

Even in Victoria?

 

@DrunkSailor -

@lixas4 is probably your best reference in Victoria, in NSW



Differs slightly in Victoria


Source: PLT Vic