Renovating in a strata: what needs approval, and how to get it
New floors, a moved wall, a heat pump on the balcony. Some renovations need nothing but a booking for the elevator. Others need written approval first, and skipping it can mean undoing the work at your own cost.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Under the Standard Bylaws, an owner needs the strata's written approval before altering a strata lot in ways that involve the structure, the exterior, balconies, exterior doors and windows, fences and railings, or common property within the lot (bylaw 5), and before any alteration to common property, including limited common property (bylaw 6). The strata must not unreasonably withhold approval for strata lot alterations, and may require the owner to take responsibility for related expenses in writing.
What needs approval
Standard Bylaw 5: alterations to a strata lot. Written approval is needed for an alteration that involves:
- the structure of a building,
- the exterior of a building,
- chimneys, stairs, balconies or other things attached to the exterior,
- doors, windows or skylights on the exterior, or that front on the common property,
- fences, railings or similar structures that enclose a patio, balcony or yard,
- common property located within the boundaries of a strata lot, or
- those parts of the strata lot which the strata must insure under section 149.
That last item is wider than it looks. The strata must insure fixtures built or installed by the developer as part of original construction, and "fixtures" includes floor and wall coverings and electrical and plumbing fixtures (Regulation 9.1). On a strict reading, replacing original flooring or plumbing fixtures calls for approval.
Standard Bylaw 6: alterations to common property. Written approval is needed for any alteration to common property, limited common property or common assets.
Bylaw 5 does not apply to bare land strata lots. Many stratas have replaced these bylaws with more detailed ones. Read your own.
What usually does not
Painting interior walls, replacing appliances, and changing cabinets and counters without moving plumbing generally need no approval under the Standard Bylaws. You still must follow bylaws on work hours, noise, use of elevators, and disposal of debris, and obtain any municipal permits.
StrataMinutes can take this off your plate. Repair and approval decisions come back years later. Minutes that record them properly are your protection. Have them prepared for you, free for the first month.
How council must decide
- For strata lot alterations, the strata must not unreasonably withhold its approval (bylaw 5(2)).
- For common property alterations, bylaw 6 contains no such wording, so council has wider discretion, though its decisions must still not be significantly unfair.
- In both cases the strata may require, as a condition, that the owner agree in writing to take responsibility for any expenses relating to the alteration.
Reasonable grounds for refusing or attaching conditions include structural risk, effect on building systems, noise transmission, fire safety, appearance, and insurance. Council should treat like requests alike and give reasons for a refusal.
How to apply
- Write to council describing the work, with drawings, product specifications and the contractor's name.
- Include what council will ask for: proof of the contractor's liability insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage, engineering where structure is affected, underlay ratings for flooring, and confirmation of permits.
- Allow time. Council decides at a meeting. Apply well before your contractor's start date.
- Get the approval in writing, with its conditions, before work begins.
- Sign the alteration agreement if one is required.
- Keep everything. The next owner will need it.
Typical conditions
- Work done by licensed, insured trades, with permits and inspections.
- Work hours and protection of common areas.
- A specified flooring underlay or sound rating.
- The owner, and future owners of the lot, to repair and maintain the alteration and pay for any damage it causes.
- Removal at the owner's cost if the strata needs access for repairs.
- A damage deposit, if the bylaws provide for one.
An agreement under which the owner takes responsibility for expenses relating to an alteration must be disclosed on the Information Certificate (Form B), which is how it reaches a buyer (section 59).
Sample minute wording: Strata lot 14: request to replace carpet with engineered hardwood. MOVED and SECONDED that council approve the request on the conditions that an underlay with the rating specified in bylaw 38 is installed, that the work is carried out between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, and that the owner signs the strata corporation's alteration agreement. CARRIED (5 in favour, 0 opposed).
Special cases
- Removing a wall between adjoining lots. The strata must approve unless the removal would breach building regulations or local bylaws or interfere with services (section 70).
- Changing habitable area. Small increases may be allowed without amending unit entitlement, with the strata's prior written approval (Regulation 5.1).
- Heat pumps and air conditioners. Usually involve the building exterior or limited common property, penetrations through the envelope, noise, condensate drainage and electrical capacity. Approval is needed, and the building's electrical planning report is relevant. See electrical planning reports.
- EV chargers. The Act has its own request process. See EV charging.
- Significant changes to common property. If an owner's proposal would significantly change the use or appearance of common property, council's approval is not enough. The owners must approve by 3/4 vote (section 71).
Work done without approval
An unapproved alteration is a bylaw contravention. After the section 135 process, the strata may fine, and may require the owner to restore the property or do so itself and charge the reasonable cost (section 133). Council can also consider approving the work after the fact, with conditions. Buyers inherit the problem: an unapproved alteration does not become approved by a sale.
Tips for owners and councils
Owners: ask before you sign with a contractor, and keep the approval with your purchase documents. Councils: adopt a standard application form and alteration agreement, decide promptly, and record every approval or refusal in the minutes by lot number.
Questions councils and owners ask
Do I need strata approval to renovate my unit in BC?
For work involving structure, exterior, balconies, exterior doors and windows, common property, or original fixtures the strata insures, yes, under the Standard Bylaws.
Can the strata refuse my renovation?
For strata lot alterations it must not unreasonably withhold approval. It has wider discretion over common property.
Do I need approval for new flooring?
Often yes, either under a specific flooring bylaw or because original floor coverings are fixtures the strata insures.
Who is responsible for an alteration after it is done?
Usually the owner and future owners of the lot, where an agreement to that effect was a condition of approval.
What if a previous owner renovated without approval?
The current owner is responsible for the strata lot as it is. Ask for approval records before buying.
Approvals granted today are questions asked in ten years
StrataMinutes records each alteration approval with its conditions by strata lot number, so future councils and buyers can find it.
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For a 30-lot strata, that is under $1 a lot each month. Have the strata pay: free council approval kit.
This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
Common Property
Limited Common Property
Noise Complaints
EV Charging
Electrical Planning Reports
Form B Certificate