In a strata building? Work involving waterproofing generally needs owners corporation approval before it starts. How approval fits in
Two projects, not one
In a house, a full bathroom renovation starts with a measure and ends with a handover. In a Parramatta apartment, there is a whole project in front of that: approval from the owners corporation.
We treat them as one job, because the paperwork determines the program, and the program determines whether the quote is honest.
Part one — approval
Under NSW strata law, renovation work that involves waterproofing is generally treated as a major renovation. That means approval by special resolution at a general meeting of the owners corporation, with notice given in advance.
The strata manager will usually want:
- A scope of works in plain language.
- The waterproofing system and specification — product, coverage, heights and the compliance certificate that will follow.
- The licensed builder's details, licence number and certificate of currency for insurance.
- A program showing noisy-work days and working hours.
- How common property — lift, corridors, entry — will be protected.
We prepare the technical parts. The meeting date is set by the owners corporation, and that is usually the longest lead item in the whole job.
Part two — the work
Protection. Lift pads, corridor floor protection and door jamb guards go in before anything is removed.
Strip-out. Tiles, screed, fixtures and the old membrane come out. On a concrete slab this is the noisiest stage — two to three days, confined to permitted hours. Waste is bagged and removed via the service lift.
Asbestos check first in older buildings. In walk-ups from before about 1990, linings are sampled before the price is finalised. If positive, a licensed removalist handles it with clearance.
Rough-in. Plumbing is adjusted within the existing waste positions. Electrical work covers lighting, the exhaust fan — ducted to the building's exhaust riser or outside, per the building's rules — and any heated towel rail.
Waterproofing. The part that matters most in a unit, because a failure leaks into the apartment below. Membrane applied, cured and certified. See waterproofing.
Tiling and fit-off. Floor, walls, vanity, toilet, tapware, screen and mirror.
Designing around the slab
Apartment wastes pass through the concrete slab into the ceiling space of the unit below. Moving them means core-drilling a new penetration and making good the old one.
In older walk-ups that is possible but disruptive to the neighbour, whose ceiling needs opening. In many newer Parramatta towers, the slab is post-tensioned — steel tendons under tension run through it. Drilling into one of those without scanning and an engineer's sign-off can be dangerous, and many owners corporations simply will not approve it.
So the design works with what is there. Fortunately, most of what makes a bathroom better does not need a waste to move: removing a bath to widen the shower, a frameless screen, a wall-hung vanity, full-height tiling and better light.
Level-entry showers in apartments
A hobless, level-entry shower needs the floor to fall to the waste. In a house, the floor can be set down. In an apartment, the slab usually is not recessed, so the fall has to be built up with screed — which can leave a small ramp at the bathroom door. A linear drain along the back wall helps minimise it. We show you the actual heights before you commit.
Houses
Harris Park, North Parramatta, Granville and Dundas have plenty of houses too. For those, the renovation is conventional, with no strata approval — though houses in a heritage conservation area should check before changing anything visible from outside, such as a window.
What it costs
An apartment main bathroom runs $18,000–$30,000 including strata logistics. A house main bathroom runs $24,000–$36,000. See the 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 4601 3371 or send the room details through.
Everything else we quote
Questions people ask before they commit
How long does an apartment bathroom renovation take?
Three to four weeks on site once work begins. Before that, allow for strata approval, which depends on when the owners corporation can hold a general meeting — anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Restricted working hours in some buildings can add a few days to the site program.
What does the owners corporation need from me?
Typically a written description of the work, the waterproofing specification, the licensed builder's details and insurance, the proposed program and working hours, and how common property will be protected. Some buildings also require a bond and a dilapidation record of the lift and corridors. We prepare the technical documents.
Where does the rubbish go without a skip?
In most apartment buildings there is nowhere to put a skip. Demolition waste is bagged, taken down in the service lift during booked times with the lift protected, and removed by vehicle the same day. That costs more than a skip, and it is included in our apartment pricing.
Can the bath be removed in an apartment?
Usually, yes — it is one of the most common requests. The shower is then rebuilt across the full width. The bath waste position is used or capped, and the new shower waste sits where the slab already allows. Removing a bath does not usually need anything beyond the standard strata approval for the renovation.
Will the renovation disturb the neighbours?
Strip-out is noisy for two or three days, especially tile removal on a concrete slab. Most by-laws restrict noisy work to set hours on weekdays. We tell the building manager the demolition dates in advance so neighbours can be notified.