All advice / Planning and cost
The biggest difference is who else is involved
In a house, the renovation is between you and the builder. In an apartment, it involves the strata committee, the building manager, and sometimes the neighbours. The building has shared structure, shared plumbing and rules that govern when and how work can be done.
This does not make an apartment renovation harder — it makes it different. The room is often smaller and simpler. But the approvals, access rules and work-hour limits add steps a house does not need. Our strata renovation guide covers the by-law and approval process in full.
Strata approval: what you need and when
In NSW, strata renovations fall into three classes: cosmetic, minor or major. A bathroom renovation is almost always minor or major, because sealing the wet area affects shared property — the slab and the membrane under the tiles.
Minor work needs a majority vote from the strata committee. Major work needs a special vote at a general meeting — at least 75 percent of owners in favour.
Allow four to eight weeks for a by-law to be drafted, sent out and voted on. Start this before choosing tiles, not after.
Waterproofing in an apartment
Sealing matters more in an apartment than a house. A failure does not just damage your room — it hits the unit below. Water can travel a long way through a concrete slab. A leak on the tenth floor can show up floors below, on the other side of the building.
Most strata schemes require the sealing to be checked and certified before tiles go on. Some need a certifier who is not the builder. The by-law names the standard — usually AS 3740 — and the sign-off process.
ETR waterproofs every bathroom to AS 3740 with a compliance certificate, whether it is in a house or an apartment.
Plumbing: what can move and what cannot
In a house, pipes run through the floor and walls and can usually be moved within the room. In an apartment, the waste stack — the vertical pipe to the building drain — is shared property and stays where it is.
This means the toilet is usually fixed in place. It can shift a short distance with an offset connector, but a big move is rarely doable. The shower and vanity wastes have more flex, but they still need to drain to the existing floor waste or stack.
The result: layout options in an apartment are tighter than in a house. The on-site measure shows what can change and what must stay.
Noise, access and working hours
Most strata by-laws restrict renovation work to weekdays between 8 am and 5 pm, with no work on weekends or public holidays. Some buildings restrict noisy work (demolition, drilling) to a narrower window within those hours.
Access matters too. Tiles, tools and waste all move through shared spaces — lifts, halls, car parks. The building manager will usually need floor and lift covers, notice to nearby residents, and a delivery plan.
Demolition in a unit makes the same dust as in a house, but the space is tighter. Dust sealing at the bathroom door and along the hall matters more when the next unit is a few metres away.
Acoustic requirements
Apartment bathroom floors carry impact noise to the unit below. Many Sydney strata schemes need a sound layer between the slab and the tile bed. This adds a step to the floor prep but is a by-law condition, not optional.
The rule varies by building. Some schemes name a product or a minimum sound rating. Others leave it to the builder to suggest and the committee to approve. Read the by-law carefully before the scope is locked in.
Cost differences
An apartment bathroom does not always cost more than a house for the same room size and finish. The room is often smaller, so tile and fixture totals are lower.
Where apartment work adds cost is in the extras: strata fees, building covers, shorter work hours (which stretch the program), sound underlay, and sometimes outside certification. Each is small. Together they add up.
ETR's packages start from $18,000 for a Basic renovation. The on-site measure and the strata by-law together determine the full scope and cost for an apartment.
How ETR handles apartment renovations
We read the strata by-law before quoting so the scope, the sign-off rules and the access conditions are known up front. The written quote covers building covers, noise limits and any sound or sealing rules the by-law names.
Every apartment bathroom is waterproofed to AS 3740 with a compliance certificate. The work is carried out under NSW Builder Licence 475204C with a 10-year workmanship warranty. A free on-site measure anywhere in Sydney is the right starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need strata approval to renovate my apartment bathroom?
Yes, in almost all cases. A bathroom renovation involves waterproofing, which affects common property. Minor renovations need a majority vote from the strata committee. Major renovations need a special resolution with at least 75 percent of owners voting in favour. Allow four to eight weeks for the approval process.
Can I move the toilet in an apartment bathroom renovation?
The toilet position is usually constrained by the plumbing stack, which is common property and cannot be moved. A small shift using an offset pan connector may be possible, but a large relocation is rarely practical. The on-site measure confirms what can change.
Is an apartment bathroom renovation more expensive than a house?
Not necessarily for the same room size and finish level. Apartment renovations add costs for strata fees, building protection, acoustic underlay and sometimes independent waterproofing certification, but the room is often smaller, which reduces tile and fixture quantities.
What are the noise restrictions for apartment renovations in Sydney?
Most strata by-laws restrict work to weekdays between 8 am and 5 pm with no weekend work. Some buildings restrict noisy work like demolition and drilling to a narrower window. The by-law should be checked before scheduling.
Who is responsible if a waterproofing failure damages the unit below?
The lot owner is generally liable for damage caused by work within their lot. This is why waterproofing certification is critical in an apartment — it provides evidence that the work was done to AS 3740 and inspected before tiling. ETR issues a compliance certificate for every bathroom.