Brisbane Apartment Renovation Checklist: Before Work Starts

1. Collect the building instructions

Ask the body corporate manager or committee for current by-laws, renovation procedures and any forms used for proposed work. Describe the changes plainly: surfaces, fixtures, flooring, walls, plumbing and electrical work. Identify whether the plan could affect common property, even when the new finish sits inside your lot. Record the person who can answer questions and the time the building needs to review a proposal.

Queensland's body corporate guidance says lot owners should consider common-property effects and applicable by-laws. It also notes that some schemes have flooring approval rules. Approval depends on the work and the scheme; do not assume either that every internal renovation needs the same approval or that an internal room is automatically exempt. Obtain the relevant answer in writing for your plan.

2. Walk the delivery and waste route

Measure the path from loading area to apartment door. Check parking, lift dimensions and booking rules, stair access, protected surfaces, permitted delivery times and where materials can wait. Plan how old cabinetry, tiles and packaging leave the site. A short walk with the contractor often reveals a constraint that a floor plan cannot show.

Ask who books the lift, arranges any required protection and talks to building management. Agree where trades can enter and how they will secure the apartment. Keep a copy of access instructions with the job documents so deliveries and waste removal follow the same plan as the installation.

3. Trace services before redesigning

Locate the existing water shut-offs, drains, electrical points and ventilation route. Ask whether a proposed relocation touches shared services or needs access outside the lot. If a kitchen sink or bathroom fixture moves, have the relevant professional assess the actual plumbing scope. Brisbane City Council distinguishes minor, notifiable and permit plumbing work; the category should be checked for the proposed job.

For wet rooms, ask how the existing substrate and waterproofing will be inspected and how adjoining spaces will be protected. For kitchens, confirm appliance sizes, extraction options and electrical needs. Do not design around an assumed service location when a site check could change the layout.

4. Make a neighbour and work plan

Check the building's work hours and noise rules. Ask how notice should be given to nearby residents and who handles unexpected interruptions. Discuss dust containment, common-area cleaning and temporary water or power interruptions before the job is scheduled. If the apartment will be occupied, decide where daily essentials can remain and how the room will be separated from living space.

Create a small contact list: owner, contractor, building manager and an emergency contact. Agree who updates the building when deliveries, noisy work or access dates change. A clear process helps residents understand what is happening without promising an exact finish date before the scope and approvals are settled.

5. Assemble a pre-start pack

Put the proposed scope, room photos, marked-up layout, product choices, building instructions, written responses, access plan and contact list in one place. Flag unresolved decisions rather than hiding them in a quote. Ask the contractor to confirm what the scope includes, who supplies each item, and how changes will be agreed if site conditions differ. That pack makes the first inspection useful and gives everyone a shared reference before work begins.