Paperwork before hacking

Renovating a condominium unit involves a step landed properties do not have: getting the building's approval before anything starts.

Requirements vary between buildings, but most ask for some combination of the following:

• A renovation submission with drawings and contractor details
• A refundable renovation deposit
• Agreed working hours, often excluding weekends and public holidays
• Protection of lifts, lobbies and common corridors

Factor the approval window into your schedule. Starting the paperwork after the quotation is signed usually costs a week or two nobody planned for.