What You Need to Know Before Renovating a Condo in Canada

Thinking of renovating your condo in Vancouver or another Canadian city? While renovating a condo can be a great way to upgrade your living space, it comes with very different rules and limitations compared to detached homes.

From strata approvals to legal permits and insurance requirements, missing any step can cause delays, fines, or even project shutdowns. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to plan a smooth and compliant renovation.

✅ 1. You Must Get Approval Before Starting

🗂 Strata (HOA) Approval

Most condos in Canada are managed by a strata or homeowner’s association (HOA), and nearly all of them require you to submit a renovation application before starting.

This usually includes:

A description of work and floor plan
Contractor information (business license, insurance)
Project schedule
Scope of changes (walls, plumbing, flooring, lighting)

📌 Some buildings also require a refundable deposit ($500–$2000) in case of damage to common areas.

🏗️ City Permit

If your renovation involves plumbing, electrical work, or structural changes, you may need to obtain a building permit from the city.

Older buildings may also require asbestos or lead testing.

✅ 2. Working Hours and Elevator Access Are Strictly Regulated

⏰ Renovation Hours

Most strata rules only allow construction noise between:

Weekdays: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

No work on weekends or public holidays.

Violating these hours can result in complaints or orders to stop work.

🛗 Elevator Booking & Protection

For large deliveries or debris removal, you must book the service elevator in advance.
Protective padding and floor coverings are often mandatory.
Some strata charge additional elevator usage or protection fees.

✅ 3. Things You Might Think You Can Renovate—but Often Can’t

🚿 You May Not Be Able to Replace a Shower Base or Bathtub

Condo plumbing is fixed and shared. Changing a bathtub or installing a new shower base may cause drainage slope issues or violate building rules.
Waterproofing must meet strata guidelines.

💡 You May Not Be Allowed to Install Pot Lights

Concrete ceilings or limited height may make it impossible to install recessed lights unless you build a dropped ceiling, which reduces headroom.
Some condos ban ceiling modifications entirely.

✅ 4. Your Contractor Must Meet Legal Requirements

📄 Business License

Required for any legitimate contractor in BC. Most stratas will reject unlicensed contractors.

🦺 WCB (WorkSafeBC) Insurance

Contractors must have WCB coverage.
If a worker gets injured and is not covered, you, the homeowner, may be held legally liable.

🛡 Liability Insurance

Minimum recommended coverage: $2 million. This protects against damage to neighboring units or building infrastructure.

✅ 5. Common Renovation Oversights in Condos

🧱 Uneven Flooring

Older condos often have uneven floors. Before installing new flooring, self-leveling may be required to avoid future warping, gaps, or noise.

🚫 Waste Disposal

You cannot throw renovation debris into the condo garbage room.
You must book a junk removal service or check with your strata about designated disposal areas and pickup times.

✅ 6. Other Hidden Rules You Might Not Know

🔒 Structural walls can’t be removed without engineer approval.
🔥 Sprinklers, smoke detectors, or HVAC vents cannot be moved or covered.
🚪 Entry doors and windows are usually common property and cannot be replaced.
🔧 Radiator systems may limit plumbing changes due to building-wide heating infrastructure.

🧾 Summary Table – What’s Regulated?

Project	Special Conditions
Wall removal or layout change	✅ Requires engineer approval or permit
Bathtub or shower conversion	✅ Depends on drainage slope & strata rules
Recessed lighting (pot lights)	✅ May need dropped ceiling
Flooring installation	✅ May require leveling
Elevator usage	✅ Must be booked & protected
Construction hours	✅ Limited to weekdays only
Garbage disposal	✅ Must arrange separate junk removal
Contractor licensing	✅ Must have WCB & liability insurance
Strata application	✅ Required before starting

🧠 Final Thoughts

Renovating a condo involves far more than choosing tiles and paint. Strata approvals, city permits, insurance, and working restrictions all add complexity.

👉 Before you start:

Review your strata bylaws and renovation guidelines
Hire an experienced, licensed contractor
Plan your timeline around restrictions like elevator bookings and work hours

By preparing carefully and following the proper procedures, you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy a beautifully renovated condo—stress-free.