Wherever you are living, whether you own the place or are renting, you will always want to make it a place you can call home. Decor, paint and lighting changes could affect how cozy your living environment is. For someone living in a condo, altering their unit is a complicated process.
A condo unit owner has less control over renovation than a detached house owner. Moreover, the Condo Association controls most activities in your building. Before proceeding with the unit renovation, you would need the approval of the Condo Association. Here are three reasons why the Condo Association might reject your renovation request.
It will affect other neighbors
As your unit is adjacent to other units in the building, your renovation would also affect your neighbors. For example, renovating the bedroom to use it as a children’s playroom could affect the noise the neighbor below your unit will hear. Too much drilling on the walls could also frustrate the neighbors to the sides. Noise is usually the cause of neighbor complaints and conflicts.
It will drastically change the layout of the unit
While condo owners can make alterations in their interiors, most condo associations refuse renovation requests that drastically change the unit’s layout. Some buildings will enable the installation of drywall partitions. However, condo associations usually reject moving the kitchen sink to a different corner. This change requires alterations to plumbing and could increase the risk of water leakage to neighboring units.
It will impact the building’s structure
Everything that will impact the building structure, like changing or adding windows, is often rejected. The Condo Association is responsible for maintaining the overall value of the building, which includes the building exterior. Most condo associations would want to preserve a particular look that will distinguish their building from the others in the area. Moreover, they would also reject any alterations that would endanger the stability of the building due to the safety risk it entails.
Before pushing through with that renovation, ensure that your renovation request follows building, city and state policies. Every building has its own set of renovation rules, and you must know the limits allowed within your condo unit. A clear and well-reviewed alteration agreement could save you from the complexities of a legal dispute with your Condo Association and violations of city building ordinances.