In a townhouse or condo, the first question before any work is whether the strata has to sign off. The answer sits in two places: the Standard Bylaws and whatever your strata has filed on top of them. This guide covers where the rules come from, what needs written approval, who repairs what, and the paperwork. It is general information, not legal advice.
Where do strata renovation rules in BC come from?
Section 120 of the Strata Property Act says a strata's bylaws are the Standard Bylaws, except where it has filed different bylaws at the land title office. The Province says stratas often have bylaws that differ from the Standard Bylaws. So start with your own strata's bylaws, and use this guide to read them.
You have a right to see them. The Province says a strata must give every owner and tenant access to its bylaws and rules, within one week of a request. Under section 4 of the Act, the council does the strata's work unless the Act or the bylaws say otherwise, so your request goes to council.
What renovations need strata approval in BC?
Standard Bylaw 5 says an owner must get the strata's written approval before an alteration to a strata lot that involves any of these:
- The structure of a building
- The exterior of a building
- Chimneys, stairs, balconies or other things attached to the outside
- Doors, windows or skylights on the exterior, or that face common property
- Fences, railings or similar structures around a patio, balcony or yard
- Common property inside the boundaries of your unit
- Parts of your unit the strata must insure
Standard Bylaw 6 adds a second rule. Any change to common property, including limited common property, needs the strata's written approval too. Past the Standard Bylaws, the Province says a strata's bylaws may require written permission for moving walls, changing flooring, or plumbing or electrical changes.
Common property or strata lot: who owns what?
Your strata plan draws the lines. Where a wall, floor or ceiling separates your unit from a neighbour or from common property, section 68 puts the boundary midway through its structural part, unless the plan shows otherwise. Pipes, wires and ducts inside that boundary wall are common property. Limited common property, such as a patio set aside for one unit, is still common property.
The line also decides who pays for repairs. Standard Bylaw 2 makes an owner repair the strata lot and any limited common property they use. The exception is work the strata must do. Under Standard Bylaw 8, that includes the structure, the exterior, exterior doors and windows, and the fences and railings around patios and balconies. Before you pay for one of those repairs, ask the strata whether the job is theirs.
Do I need strata permission to replace flooring?
The Standard Bylaws do not name flooring. The Province lists flooring as something a strata's own bylaws may control. Any rules on underlay or sound will be in your strata's bylaws or rules. Read them, then send the product sheet to council with your request. If you are still choosing between floors, my guide on vinyl plank or laminate for a condo compares the two. For the install itself, see my flooring installation in Langley page.
Can I replace my own front door or patio railing in a strata?
Not without asking. Exterior doors and patio railings are both on the Standard Bylaw 5 list. Under Standard Bylaw 8, both are also the strata's to repair. So a sticking door or a loose railing may be the strata's job to arrange. My guide to exterior door and lock fixes covers what can be adjusted before anything is replaced. For the work itself, see door repair in Surrey.
Drilling a shared wall raises the same question. My guide to mounting a TV on steel studs walks through when to ask the strata first.
What does a strata alteration agreement ask for?
The Province says written permission for owner changes is often known as an alteration agreement. The Standard Bylaws set the core of it. Under bylaw 5, the strata must not unreasonably refuse approval. It can still make you agree in writing to take responsibility for any costs tied to the change. Bylaw 6 lets it ask the same for common property.
Each strata writes its own form, so the rest varies. When a strata asks for paperwork from me, I send a WorkSafeBC clearance letter and proof of liability insurance. Get the approval in writing before work starts, and keep it with your receipts. Strata approval is also separate from a city permit. My guide to what a handyman can legally do in BC covers permits.
Is a bare land strata different?
Yes. In a bare land strata, the lot lines are set by survey markers instead of walls and floors. Some detached strata homes are built this way, and your strata plan says which kind you have. Standard Bylaw 5 does not apply to a bare land strata lot. The strata's duty to repair the outside of your unit under bylaw 8 does not either. Common property is still covered by bylaw 6, and the Province notes a bare land strata can have bylaws of its own, such as front door colour.
How I work in a strata
Send the approval, or the council's email, with your quote request, and I work to its conditions. I do this for owners through handyman repairs in Langley and home repairs in Abbotsford. If you manage the building or sit on council, my page on commercial handyman for property managers covers work ordered by the strata itself.
Every job I take gets a written scope before I start, so the price is agreed in advance and the list stays the list.
Want me to take this one on? My page on home repairs covers what the visit includes, what I hand off, and how I price it.
