Painting Your Strata Titled Property – What You Need to Know
Painting is a key part of ensuring the proper upkeep of a premises, both in individual strata units as well as in common areas. With strata buildings consisting of multiple units and shared facilities, a painting project will require careful planning and cooperation from the body corporate, lot owners, and rental tenants.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking for guidance on painting regulations for your strata unit or a body corporate planning a refresh of the strata premises, here are the key considerations for painting a strata-titled property.
Allowances for painting in strata units
Residential strata units will usually come pre-painted to match the theme or look of the strata property as a whole. However, some homeowners may decide to paint the interior of their home to better suit their tastes. This is perfectly within their rights — owners are given the freedom to style their strata unit according to their preferences.
Painting is a cosmetic modification, meaning that repainting jobs for walls and other parts of the lot will not require owners to seek approval from the owner’s corporation. Tenants, on the other hand, do not own the unit and will need to seek approval from the owners if they wish to request for any painting work.
Painting is also commonly carried out as part of a renovation or other home improvement projects. In cases where these projects result in changes to the structural elements of the lot (such as removing a wall), approval may first need to be obtained from the body corporate.
Strata responsibilities for painting in common areas
The common areas and shared facilities of a strata property are looked after by the body corporate. Whether due to wear and tear or accidental property damage, these areas will require maintenance and repair work such as painting over time.
The body corporate is responsible for arranging any painting work necessary to keep common areas well-kept for the benefit of all owners and residents. For clarity, this applies to areas such as:
- Shared corridors
- Staircase and lobby areas
- Exterior walls of the building
- Common recreational areas (e.g. pools, gyms, tennis courts)
- Shared parking spaces
- Building entrances and foyers
Can owners paint the outside of the home?
A commonly asked question by owners is whether they are allowed to paint a small area outside their strata unit. This level of customisation for the home is not typically allowed without the approval of the body corporate through a special resolution. That being said, each strata property has its own set of articles or by-laws that may govern what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to painting for individually owned property.
Owners who wish to paint outside their home (such as around an external doorway) should seek clarification and approval from the body corporate before making any painting modifications on their own.
Best practices for painting in strata-titled properties
Painting work for strata-titled properties, whether within a unit or on external premises, has slightly more considerations due to the possible risk and inconvenience that it poses to other residents.
To avoid heated disputes and costly damage to surrounding lots, both owners and the body corporate should implement the following best practices when planning any painting projects in strata properties.
Obtain approval if necessary
Always check if approval for painting work is required from strata management (for owners) or the local council authority (for body corporate). Obtaining the necessary approval is the first step that should be carried out to avoid any legal consequences that could incur fines or penalties.
Plan ahead for possible disruptions
Painting work that may cause inconvenience or pose a safety hazard to other residents should be preceded by a notification. For owners, this is usually as simple as informing neighbours of when the painting work will commence and complete in order to pre-empt them of any equipment or personnel that will be present.
For the body corporate, there should be a planning committee overseeing the actions of the project, including the outsourcing of the painting services required, scheduling, cordoning off dangerous areas, as well as issuing formal notifications to the residents of the strata building about the painting work. With proper planning, the committee can minimise the incidence of complaints and safety hazards posed.
Consider professional painting services
To save on costs, owners may decide to carry our DIY painting in their unit. While this is certainly possible, inexperienced individuals may end up with a subpar painting result that can potentially lower the appeal and value of the property. As such, it is generally recommended that owners work with professional painting services for quick and favourable outcomes.
Painting projects for common areas and external walls of the strata building should always be carried out by qualified commercial painters to ensure a high-quality outcome that contributes to the appeal of the strata property. Another merit of using professional painting services is that they use high-quality paint that is both durable and long-lasting, providing better protection for the structure of the strata building and its spaces.
Maintenance tasks like painting can be tricky for body corporates to know how to carry out effectively, which is where strata management companies like Strata Data can help. We offer leading strata management services in Adelaide and across South Australia for body corporates, covering issues like maintenance, dispute resolution, legal advice, compliance, and more. Get in touch with us to find out how we can support your strata living!
