Adding a bedroom to a strata unit

[Craig-G]

Hi Guys,

I currently own 1 IP and looking to purchase a unit as my second in the near future (either in WA or NSW). 1 strategy that I am currently exploring is purchasing a unit with the potential to add an additional bedroom (just adding walls not removing any) to add value. I was hoping some fellow forumites would be able to point me in the right direction to find out the legalities of this. I would assume that there are some standards in place that state minimum room sizes, whether windows are needed etc etc but I haven’t been able to track these down. Additionally will I require council and/or body corp permission to do this in a strata block – do they have any power to say no?

All help most appreciated - Craig

 

[TheCamel]

you'll almost certainly need strata approval... especially if yuo're needing to add a window, or do anything that in any way changes the outside of the apartment or affects the other owners.


the owners corp will also want to know when you plan to do the work and make you minimse disruption to other occupants, if tey even allow you to do it.


stratas most definitely have the power to say no - they have the power to tell you what colour your window frames must be, and if you don't adhere, they can go in and fix it, and then charge you for the privelege

 

[dave99]

You'll have to do three things:

1. Check to see if planning approval is required from the council. If so, get it.

2. If you're only changing the interior, notify the owners corporation. They can't withhold permission, but you'll have to sign an indemnity that you'll pay for any damage to the common property or structure of the building, and comply with noise and access requirements to the common property.

3. If you're changing the exterior walls (e.g. adding window), you will need to get permission from the owners corp. They may refuse you permission, depends on who is on the committee - you have to butter them up or perhaps offer them some benefit.

 

[PrimeCommercial]

I found a beauty that you may be able to add an extra bedroom to.

1B Unit in Chippendale

Up for $315k but should be able to get it cheaper as recent sales in the building show high $200's. This one has a 11sm loft style room that may ba able to be converted into a 2nd bedroom.

Another furnished 1 bed in the same building is available for rent at $395pw

2b units are avaiable from $500pw.


******Edit looking again its a 1b/studio unit, one of those ones with the half height wall around the bedroom*********************

 

[Southsider]

Approval

Hi Guys,

I currently own 1 IP and looking to purchase a unit as my second in the near future (either in WA or NSW). 1 strategy that I am currently exploring is purchasing a unit with the potential to add an additional bedroom (just adding walls not removing any) to add value. I was hoping some fellow forumites would be able to point me in the right direction to find out the legalities of this. I would assume that there are some standards in place that state minimum room sizes, whether windows are needed etc etc but I haven’t been able to track these down. Additionally will I require council and/or body corp permission to do this in a strata block – do they have any power to say no?

All help most appreciated - Craig

Hi Graig,
There are a number of issues you need to think about
but not limited to the following :-
.1 Planning approval
Number of bedrooms per unit is regulated by the
number of on site car spaces - check with local Council
Building approval
.2 All habitable room (which is a bedroom) must have
10% natural light and 5% natural ventilation and have
a Building Surveyors approval (C of O)
.3 Body Corporate.
Will not approve the additional bedroom unless the
above two items have been fullfilled (and stiil may
reject)
.4 May have legal ramifications when selling if all of the
above have not been fullfilled

Note alterations to strata properties are more involved
than altering a fee standing house.

SS

 

[PrimeCommercial]

Hi Graig,
There are a number of issues you need to think about
but not limited to the following :-
.1 Planning approval
Number of bedrooms per unit is regulated by the
number of on site car spaces - check with local Council
Building approval
.2 All habitable room (which is a bedroom) must have
10% natural light and 5% natural ventilation and have
a Building Surveyors approval (C of O)
.3 Body Corporate.
Will not approve the additional bedroom unless the
above two items have been fullfilled (and stiil may
reject)
.4 May have legal ramifications when selling if all of the
above have not been fullfilled

Note alterations to strata properties are more involved
than altering a fee standing house.

SS

Sounds complicated.

I'd just call the extra room a study..No need for any of those approvals then!

 

[Cartoon]

are u suppose to get the body corp's "rules" when u buy a unit or villa?
i never got one n started my renovations lol.

 

[Craig-G]

Cheers for the responses guys.

I agree the Chippendale property looks like good value (location, development of the brewery, balcony etc) and loft possibilities????

The kind of places I have been looking at feature an L shape combined dining/lounge where the dining section has a separate window (i.e. meeting the light and ventilation regs). My thoughts were along the lines of putting a couple of walls up to turn the dining bit into a bedroom. This way there would be no modification to the exterior of the building and the renters will just have to eat there 2 minute noodles on the couch or bean bag in the living room (note: I have been looking near unis).

Does anyone know where you find info on minimum sizes for rooms – I would assume this is a bigger regulation than that of the local council alone?

Again all views appreciated.

Craig

 

[Southsider]

Room size

Cheers for the responses guys.

I agree the Chippendale property looks like good value (location, development of the brewery, balcony etc) and loft possibilities????

The kind of places I have been looking at feature an L shape combined dining/lounge where the dining section has a separate window (i.e. meeting the light and ventilation regs). My thoughts were along the lines of putting a couple of walls up to turn the dining bit into a bedroom. This way there would be no modification to the exterior of the building and the renters will just have to eat there 2 minute noodles on the couch or bean bag in the living room (note: I have been looking near unis).

Does anyone know where you find info on minimum sizes for rooms – I would assume this is a bigger regulation than that of the local council alone?

Again all views appreciated.

Craig

Hi Graig, there is no requirement, code or regulation that
that stipulates minimum room size, they can be as large
or small as like, but of the room size has to be feasibile
for its intended use.

There are minimum ceiling heights however, and in your case the ceiling requirement would be 2.4m above floor level.

The reference you are searching for is the "Building Code
of Australia 2008, Volume Two, Part 3.8-Health and Amenity".

Copies are available from Government Book Shops, Building
Commission, HIA book shop, Master Builders book shops
etc.......


SS

 

[Highlygeared]

Does a skylight/ventilated constitute natural ventilation and light ie room with no windows but has a skylight?

 

[Nathan]

im ganna do 1 soon. if the kitchen is closed off room, flick the kitchen, put kitchen in loungeroom if size permits and make kitchen a bedroom. already has window and everything set up

 

[Highlygeared]

im ganna do 1 soon. if the kitchen is closed off room, flick the kitchen, put kitchen in loungeroom if size permits and make kitchen a bedroom. already has window and everything set up

So youre turning the kitchen into a bedroom and kitchen gets sandwiched in the middle somewhere with a skylight - I dont think thats a showstopper. Is this a house or unit? How would you feel if the skylit room (no windows) was a bedroom?

I personally wouldn't be overly keen on living in a bedroom with no window but is everyone as fussy as me? That's what I'm contemplating with one of my IPs. Ive added bedrooms before and its never failed me in terms of bang for buck.

But puttting up a wall to create a bedroom with no window is a first for me - dont know how it will pan out. Ventilation and light will come from a glass panel lining the width oon top of the wall against the ceiling. Adding a skylight/tube will not be supported by the Body Corp..and thats without them knowing my true intention ie 2 bed to 3 bed unit.

 

[Belu]

be careful of 2 bed to 3 bed. most councils down here require you to have one off-street car park for every 2 bedrooms, so if you go from 2 to 3 you may require a 2nd car park which wont be as easy...

 

[leiw16]

Hi Guys,

I currently own 1 IP and looking to purchase a unit as my second in the near future (either in WA or NSW). 1 strategy that I am currently exploring is purchasing a unit with the potential to add an additional bedroom (just adding walls not removing any) to add value. I was hoping some fellow forumites would be able to point me in the right direction to find out the legalities of this. I would assume that there are some standards in place that state minimum room sizes, whether windows are needed etc etc but I haven’t been able to track these down. Additionally will I require council and/or body corp permission to do this in a strata block – do they have any power to say no?

All help most appreciated - Craig

If you intend to add additional room to improve the value of your property...it's much better to buy land + house rather than townhouse/unit... you don't have to go through strata, you just need some guidelines from the council... rather than making structural changes...consider converting living/garage into additional room... that will cost you less money...

 

[Highlygeared]

be careful of 2 bed to 3 bed. most councils down here require you to have one off-street car park for every 2 bedrooms, so if you go from 2 to 3 you may require a 2nd car park which wont be as easy...

My unit has a LUG that's long enough to fit two cars (stacked parking). Does that count?

 

[Belu]

no idea, check with the council

 

[Nathan]

nah nah,

mine is a 1 bedder.

there is no skylight....

the kitchen has a normal window like a normal room.

with the kitchen it will be running along the wall of the kitchen with fittings dropping back thru the wall.

you will see nothing from the bedroom side will appear as normal
and as for lighting in the proposed kitchen, well its in the loungeroom so its got the glass sliding doors beside it...

im 100% confident will look smick when its done. i will post pics when i do it, but wont be till later on in the year

 

[Highlygeared]

nah nah,

mine is a 1 bedder.

But its a strata unit right? Might have read from previous posts that youve bought some villas out west so wonderinf if its a ground floor villa or unit in a block.

 

[Nathan]

this one is a mid floor unit in complex of say 25...

old unit where the kitchen is an actual room, so no need to add walls or anything too big...

 

[vbplease]

Nathan, it sounds like an excellent idea... many modern apartments these days have the kitchen as part of the lounge room. But are you sure its physically possible to put the plumbing into the lounge room?