Do Condo Renovations Differ from House Renovations?

There are a lot of commonalities and differences regarding condo and home renovations. And if you have not experienced a renovation before or have only modified a condo or a house but not the other, you’ll probably have a lot of questions. However, before starting your renovation project, you should be aware of some key differences, so let’s look at the four significant differences between renovating a condo versus a house.

A matter of permission.

As the term ‘homeowner’ depicts, you are the owner of that piece of real estate; however, making any renovation to a condo means you must gain permission from property management. They will explain the rules and regulations for how and when you are required to do and complete sections of the renovation. The property managers will also ask for the following:

1. Your designs and plans
2. Renovation Work Description
3. Start date and Estimated time for completion
4. Contractor’s Wsib, license and insurance
5. Trades Wsib, license and insurance
6. Acoustic flooring underlay samples to meet their sound control regulation
7. Security deposits for elevator use

When renovating a house, you may require permission from the city. If this is required you will have to present the architects plans for your renovation to the city and have the city approve and  grant permission to perform the renovation before starting the work

The extent of the renovation.

One of the most significant differentiating factors between condo and home renovations is how much can be done. With homes, you can take things done to their bare bones where you can re-route plumbing and electrical if you so choose.

With a condo, while you can undoubtedly gut the area and start anew, you are confined to the perimeters of your purchased estate and don’t have access to any space above or below. Because condos are designed with the intent of functionality for the whole building, electrical, plumbing and ductwork are all encased in concrete. Therefore moving plumbing or electrical may have some challenges and will require alternate ways of doing this. For instance, to install potlights, the ceiling may have to be dropped. To move plumbing, the floor may have to be raised etc.

Construction hours.

One commonality between condos and home renovations is when construction noises are permitted. For home and condo renovations in Toronto, any noise related to construction is not allowed between 7 pm and 7 am. However, quiet trades, such as painters, can go beyond these restrictions so long as they do not cause a noise disturbance. To avoid a noise complaint, we suggest you err on the side of caution since this can make things a little trickier for you in the long run.

Moving materials.

As expected in condos, you don’t have as much access to the inside of the property as you would with a traditional home. Since the stairs and elevator are the only two access points to a condo, you will have to book the elevator for any deliveries for job materials or disposal of construction debris. It is important that you book the elevator in advance as the elevator may already be booked for someone else to use.

Are you looking for a condo renovation company in Toronto to tackle your next big project? Visit Sunnylea Homes to check out our previous condo renovations and see who we are! We’ll help you re-imagine a space that checks off all your wants and needs!