Condo boards and renovations

[mazdavirgin]

Just curious about condo regulations in general. Lets say I purchase a condo and then I would like to change the flooring to engineered hardwood. Can the condo board just reject the application for renovations just for shits and giggles even though it is up the sound dampening requirements?

I have terrible allergies and the last thing I would want is to be saddled with a expensive carpeted concrete box. Pretty much I need a floor type that doesn't create it's own dust unlike carpet which over time degenerates and drifts up into the air.

[Kloubek]

It totally depends on what the bylaws state. Before you purchase the condo, you make it subject to your approval of the condo bylaws.

If the bylaws have it written that you may not lay down laminate/hardwood, or if there are conditions to laying down laminate, then before you sign to purchase the condo I would contact the management company and have the condo board sign a document allowing you to do so.

Voila- Covered!

[HRD2PLZ]

Originally posted by Kloubek
It totally depends on what the bylaws state. Before you purchase the condo, you make it subject to your approval of the condo bylaws.

If the bylaws have it written that you may not lay down laminate/hardwood, or if there are conditions to laying down laminate, then before you sign to purchase the condo I would contact the management company and have the condo board sign a document allowing you to do so.

Voila- Covered!


:werd: Good advice :thumbsup:

With condo's, there is no "standard." Definitely make sure you read the current Condominium By-Laws for the building. If you are looking to purchase a condo, its a standard Buyer's condition of sale.

[ZorroAMG]

Bah....just do it. If anyone asks, say you are putting carpet down, the wood slats are underlay haha

[B20EF]

I was denied by my condo board to do engineered floors in my unit so i talked to my lawyer to get the real scoop. There is nothing they can do after it's installed. They do not have the actual power to make you take it out or change it. I used expensive underlay out of respect for my neighbors though.

[Kloubek]

^^^ Bad advice.

No, they cannot force you to take it out since it is in your own place. Just like they cannot evict an owner.

BUT, if you're breaking the bylaws, they CAN fine you. Repeatedly. Never endingly.

Again, it all depends on the bylaws. If they have a monthly fining system in place for those who break the bylaws, then you'd be hooped.

So again, check the bylaws and see where you are after that.

[kaput]

.

[GTI_Fahrenheit]

Owners can be evicted from a building for repeated infractions (or serious infractions) of by-laws; it is common belief that owners are “exempt from by-laws” and evictions, but Alberta courts have ruled that owners can be evicted. They (condo corp.) can fine you. While you don't have to pay since a fine can't hold up a sale (you can still get evicted for by-law breaches) until they assess your specific unit (which is allowed under a "good" set of by-laws and a unique way to force fine payment when an eviction could be weak or a waste of time). If you don't pay the assessment, and in some cases when you are evicted, your unit goes to foreclosure (not the technical word for this, but it is a very similar process) and the banks have to pay out the assessment (if a mortgage exists) - eitherway, condo wins. Unfortunately, most condo boards don’t take a firm stance with owners, when they should.

Mazdavirgin: Send a letter to the management company and/or condo corp. requesting approval – check your by-laws and if they have guidelines then include all the details for the reno. At the condo I live in, the corp. tends to approve all requests if they provide proper details and have proper underlay (that is a must, depending on the building if you install a floor without proper underlay and it results in excessive noise… see the eviction blurb from above). While you could probably get away with the install, the condo corp. needs to know – if you have an insurance claim that involved the condo corp. for something in your unit and you didn’t advise them, you could be out of pocket for some of the claim. If they say no and you really want the hardwood then contact a solicitor that does condo law (or PM if you want a recommendation).

Just remember... the courts tend to side with the Condo Corp., unless they are acting like kids. Better safe then sorry, because if they do go after you and win, you can expect to pay for your lawyer and the condo corp. lawyer.