Renovating a detached home and renovating a condo are two very different things. While you may need to apply for a building permit, chances are your neighbors won\u2019t have a say in what type of flooring material you can choose for your living room or whether or not your plumber can park on the street. In a condominium, however, there are all sorts of rules and regulations that dictate how you can update your shoebox in the sky.<\/p>\n
For advice on planning a condo reno we turned to interior designer Rebecca Hay of Rebecca Hay Designs. As a Toronto-based design professional, she\u2019s worked on numerous condo renovation projects, both older condos and new construction. From start to finish, find out everything you need to know about the condo renovation process.<\/p>\n
1. Consult your condo board well in advance<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cYou need to know what the rules and regulations are surrounding any form of construction in your building,\u201d says Hay. \u201cUnfortunately there is not a standard \u2014 every building is different in how they operate, and their expectations can vary.\u201d Reach out to the property or building manager first as they\u2019ll be able to put you in touch with the condo board or hand over any relevant materials and forms. \u201cThere should be a basic guideline about what can and can\u2019t be done for renovations. The older and more established the building is, the more detailed that list is going to be. Condo boards tend to learn as they go,\u201d explains Hay.<\/p>\n 2. Know that newly-constructed buildings may not yet have rules in place<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI just completed a project where our clients had purchased the condo pre-construction, they had taken ownership and we went in to do the reno, but there was no board in place,\u201d says Hay. \u201cThe property manager had basic rules about work hours, but in a way, it\u2019s really a good time to be doing renovations.\u201d Typically other trades are still onsite finishing up the amenity spaces and the hallway carpeting is still covered in plastic. \u201cYou can get away with a little bit more and the building will be more flexible than once those rules are firmly in place.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Find a contractor that is willing to work in a condo<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe first question you should ask a prospective contractor is \u2018Are you willing to work in a condo?\u2019\u201d says Hay. \u201cWorking in a condo is more logistically challenging \u2014 you have to coordinate elevator bookings, you have to find parking, you have to book loading zones. You want to make sure the contractor is comfortable and familiar with working in a condo building.\u201d Another important question to ask? \u201cYou\u2019ll also want to find out if the contractor will have a project manager who will be on site managing all the trades that are coming and going.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Understand that every condo building is different when it comes to restrictions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMost buildings won\u2019t let you do any work that involves sound after work hours. The condo building I just finished a project in wouldn\u2019t even let us book the elevator until 10am, which was a huge hindrance,\u201d notes Hay. Work hours are typically between 9am and 5pm, but again, it varies. \u201cAnother restriction we encountered was technology \u2014 this new condo building would only let you book an elevator using their app, which you had to download to your phone.\u201d Occasionally, condo boards will restrict building materials such as hardwood flooring. \u201cSome older buildings will say it\u2019s prohibited because of sound transfer, however, if it\u2019s installed properly with the proper underlays and as a floating floor, there should be no sound transfer,\u201d says Hay.<\/p>\n 5. Offer up your parking space or be willing to pay<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cParking is an unfortunate add-on when you\u2019re renovating a condo because usually the homeowner has only one parking space, if any,\u201d says Hay. \u201cMost of your trades, including your design team, will have to pay for parking, which is so expensive. They\u2019re not going to eat the cost of parking when it\u2019s $20 a day for most downtown garages. Make sure you budget that extra amount for anyone working in your condo,\u201d adds Hay.<\/p>\n 6. Identify common elements within the unit that cannot be altered<\/strong><\/p>\n You may think you own your condo, but beware of exclusive-use common elements like windows, balconies and front doors. \u201cYou\u2019ll also encounter immovable objects like posts, pillars and concrete walls.\u201d Electrical and plumbing obstacles are likely to arise, but according to Hay there are ways to work around them. \u201cYou can\u2019t drill into a concrete ceiling to install pot lights, but you can create a drop ceiling and then run the electrical through that.\u201d While she has moved the location of a toilet in a past condo renovation project, she warns that plumbing can be restrictive. \u201cWater lines are easier because they\u2019re just tubes, but it\u2019s the drains that are the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n 7. Your kitchen island is not a workbench<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to condos, there\u2019s just not enough frickin\u2019 space!\u201d laughs Hay. \u201cThe best thing you can do is stagger your trades so not everyone is working in the unit at once, but there\u2019s only so much you can control with that.\u201d You\u2019ll also need space for storing building materials and construction tools, which can be problematic in a cramped studio or one-bedroom. \u201cWhen there\u2019s nowhere to put that stuff out of the way, it can cause damage to the unit.\u201d A dropped hammer can chip your granite countertop or dent the hardwood floor, so be wary.<\/p>\n 8. Maximize storage for the best return on investment<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cObviously, kitchens and bathrooms are always top of the list for ROI, but storage is probably the most important feature for people living in condos,\u201d says Hay. Consider spending your reno dollars on custom shelving for a walk-in closet or building out a space-savvy pantry. \u201cMake sure you maximize that storage because it\u2019s such a premium that adds value,\u201d notes Hay.<\/p>\n 9. Expect the worst and hope for the best<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI always try to educate my clients that the reno process will not be perfect,\u201d says Hay. \u201cIt\u2019s almost guaranteed that something will go wrong or there will be a delay.\u201d Build these hypothetical delays into your timeline to prevent headaches down the road. \u201cYou could end up waiting three-and-a-half weeks for a city inspector to come because they\u2019re so busy \u2014 it\u2019s not a delay you can foresee because it\u2019s out of your control.\u201d<\/p>\n 10. Don\u2019t rely on your contractor to do the cleanup<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMake sure you hire a professional cleaning company when you\u2019re done the reno and before you move in,\u201d insists Hay. \u201cDon\u2019t attempt to clean it yourself, don\u2019t rely on your contractor to clean it \u2014 be sure to hire an outside cleaning company to take care of all the dust because it\u2019s the last thing you want to do after any reno.\u201d<\/p>\n