Out with the old, in with the new! It’s springtime in Toronto and people are starting to think about their summer projects. This year, give your older condo a much-needed face-lift, including updating your plumbing and fixing any condo plumbing repairs.
Like the budding of new leaves, new ideas spring forth as the city erupts in renovations and construction. There’s so much you can do! New sinks to put in, new showers, new drainage systems! While there are all kinds of things that you can do to bring your condo plumbing into the 21st century, there are some things you should be aware of. For example, there’s a big difference between condo renovating and house renovating, specifically in these areas:
Condo Rules and Regulations
A lot of the time homeowners don’t realize just how renovating a condo home differs from renovating a single-family home. There are some glaring discrepancies between the rules, and often a condominium may have more guidelines about how work can be done. Our Toronto plumbers have worked on a lot of condos, and have seen quite a number of misunderstandings and upsets as a result of people not fully comprehending the
You need to be aware of these rules and restrictions. If you make changes that the condominium prohibits, you can be ordered to “redo” your renovations and put everything back to how it was originally, for which you will be financially responsible.
There may also be additional regulations that apply to how your renovations need to be carried out. For example, disposing of the garbage, parking for your contractors, and time of day that the work can be done—just to name a few. There are also certain “common” areas that aren’t allowed to be touched like plumbing or electrical. Changing the location of things like sinks and toilets can be a new kind of challenge when you’re not allowed to touch the plumbing behind the walls.
Time Restrictions
Some more complex tasks may take more time than you anticipated. Many condominiums have rules about when work can be carried out, and this can affect your schedule dramatically. If workers get behind on something, time restrictions can mean the difference between working an hour or two later versus adding on additional days to get the work done.
Disposing of Waste
When you do any kind of renovations on a single-family home, you’re bound to have one of those large industrial dumpsters nearby to deal with all the waste. That changes when you live in a condo. Getting rid of materials and debris from your unit could be a challenge. Some condominiums might allow you to have a dumpster onsite for a day or perhaps (if you’re lucky), a couple of days. What that means is your construction team will have to work around keeping the waste inside until they have access to a dumpster.
Giving your condo a face-lift can be really different from renovating the single-family homes, but it isn’t so challenging that you should not attempt to do so. Bring in a qualified plumber who specializes in condominium work and has the experience necessary to handle the work for you. Since common elements in the condo may not undergo renovations (things like windows, doors, plumbing and electrical), it’s important that you’re flexible and works with a contractor that you can trust.
