Renovating an apartment can feel overwhelming at first, especially when you are balancing design choices, building requirements, neighbours, budgets and timeframes. This guide answers common questions, bringing clarity to some of the key aspects of design, planning and construction.
How do I decide what I want with my renovated apartment?
The best starting point is to sit down with our designer. They will ask how you actually use your kitchen and living areas, what works well, and what does not. Those answers usually reveal the main reasons for renovating, and they allow the apartment to be designed around your lifestyle rather than the other way around. Ideally, the builder is involved in this meeting, so the design is aligned with practical construction, right from the start.
Who do we use to come up with a plan?
This happens in two stages. First, our designer puts together a preliminary (concept) plan, then sits down with you to walk through it and explain the thinking — from there it gets revised until you're happy with it. Once the concept plan is confirmed, the designer produces detailed drawings of the apartment. From those, we then prepare the working drawings needed for the building permit, which cover all the relevant regulations and how we're meeting them.
Do I need to know the interior design elements before we start?
Our designer will guide you through this entire process and help you make each decision because it is important that design elements like flooring, carpet, paint colours, benchtop finishes, cabinetry finishes and handles, appliances, tiles, lighting and all plumbing fixtures are selected and approved before we start on site. It's worth taking the time to lock these in beforehand, because once we're on site, changes are more difficult and start to affect both cost and schedule.
Who helps me make design decisions?
Our designer stays with you through the whole process and helps with every decision along the way — from the initial concept and layout right through to the small details, like exact placement of bathroom fixtures. They can also join you at supplier visits for tiles, plumbing fixtures, flooring, carpet and other selections to help you work through the options.
Can we change walls inside our apartment?
Yes, in most cases. Some internal walls are structural and some are not, so it is important to confirm which is which before you get too far into the design. We can inspect the walls in question early and confirm what can and cannot be removed, so the designer understands the real constraints before doing too much design work. Because we have worked on many apartments in this building, we also have a good understanding of which walls are structural and which ones may carry services for neighbouring apartments. If the design affects those walls, we can flag any issues early.
Do we need approval for our designs?
Yes — designs are submitted to the Owners Corporation for approval before work starts. The building's requirements are not intended to restrict your internal design choices. They mainly focus on impacts to common property, structural integrity, waterproofing, fire and life safety, acoustic performance, acoustic compliance for any new floor coverings, and ensuring the proper process is followed before and during the renovation. As long as those requirements and conditions are met, you have a lot of freedom with the actual design.
Who sorts building consent, or do we even need it?
Yes, a building permit is required and we obtain it for the vast majority of our projects. This ensures the work complies with current regulations and gets properly inspected and certified. We work with a building surveyor we know well and can recommend, but you are also free to use your own. Either way, we supply all the documentation needed for the permit.
How do I decide where to get our kitchen from?
We work closely with a cabinetmaker we highly recommend as part of our team. They're familiar with the building, our standards and the timeframes we work to, and their level of finish matches ours.
Can I use any builder for our apartment renovation?
Yes, you can use any builder for your apartment renovation; the choice is entirely yours. However, using a builder with experience in the building, the Building Manager, the Owners Corporation, and the Renovation Works Requirements and Conditions can make the project run more smoothly and help keep it on time and on budget.
Do we have to organise the different sub-contractors?
No, we manage all of that. You will order your selections directly with suppliers, and once you have, we coordinate with them to make sure deliveries arrive when needed and the project stays on schedule.
How do we make sure we don't upset other residents with the works — these are our neighbours and friends?
We work closely to the building's Renovation Works Requirements and Conditions, which strike a balance between resident comfort and getting the job done. Building work is inevitably noisy and dusty at times, and we manage both carefully throughout — keeping common areas tidy at the end of each day and flagging any particularly noisy days (like tiling removal or jack-hammering) in advance so the building manager can notify residents ahead of time.
How long could our renovation take?
The timeframe can range from around six weeks to three and a half months, depending on the scope of work and level of finish. A standalone bathroom renovation might take around six weeks, while a full high-spec apartment renovation can run closer to three and a half months. Most projects sit somewhere in between.
Do I have to move out during the renovation?
Living through a renovation isn't much fun given the dust and noise involved, so we suggest moving out for the duration of the renovation for your own comfort. If it's a small enough project, and we can find a way to properly separate the work area from your living space, staying on may be an option but it would be something to discuss once we fully understand the project.
Do we have to pay for it all up front?
No. All work is carried out under a Master Builders home improvement contract, which sets out the payment structure. We take a 5% deposit up front, then progress payments as milestones are completed, meaning you're only ever paying for work that's actually been done.