do I need permission?
Unlike a freehold or single-family home, many types of renovations may not be done without obtaining Board approval.
- Common elements, including windows, balconies, any concrete columns or other concrete elements, demising walls between units, plumbing that passes through your unit, are not owned by you.
- If you wish to make renovations or additions that affect any common elements, you must first contact your Board of Directors for permission. The Board must be confident that such changes will not adversely affect other owners or the building.
- Changes solely of a decorative nature, such as painting or installing cabinetry are allowed without requiring Board permission. The Condominium Declaration defines what constitutes "decorative" and what constitutes "structural" changes.
- Any other changes inside your unit, including but not limited to any work involving electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems, requires Board permission.
- The Board strongly encourages everyone to consult the Property Manager before making any changes in case they are seen as structural or affecting Common Elements. Getting written permission from the Board is usually a quick and easy matter, and protects you if any questions arise down the road.
changing locks
In case of an emergency or urgent situation in the building, the property manager needs to be able to access your unit. If you change the lock to your unit, please ensure that a key is provided to your property manager.
installing an alarm
Likewise, if you install an alarm system, please ensure that the code is provided to the property manager. Please be assured that the property manager will keep these secure.
when painting
When painting, it is important that you do not remove, even temporarily, the wall mounted fire alarm plate (pictured to the right). Doing so can cause trigger a false alarm or fault in the system, the cost of which will be your responsibility. Unused paint is considered hazardous waste, and may not be disposed of using the waste facilities in the building. Try not to purchase more paint than needed. If you end up with more paint than you expected, painting an extra coat is a good way to use the extra paint, while maximizing the life of your paint job.
noise
When having any renovations done, please remember that such noise can easily disturb your neighbors. The rules and regulations of the condo require that all such renovations and repairs be limited to daytime hours. Check also the Ottawa Noise Bylaw also with respect to equipment and construction noise.
combining units
Sometimes, people will purchase a neighboring unit to combine two units into a single, larger home. Some neighboring units in The East Market lend themselves quite well to being combined, while others have structural, mechanical or other constraints that makes this difficult or impractical. The
unit combinations page provides more information on which neighboring units are potentially well suited to be combined. In all cases, the necessary modifications to combine two units requires board approval. If you are interested in the possibility of combining two units, we encourage you to speak to your board of directors as early as possible during the process.