Essential Renovations:
- Permission is required for kitchen or bathroom renovations and alterations to walls, floors, or ceilings.
- Cosmetic changes that don't impact the property's structure or require waterproofing generally do not need approval.

By-Law Check:
- Before commencing any renovations, review your scheme’s by-laws to understand the necessary approvals and the process to obtain them.
- Non-compliance might lead to financial liabilities to revert the property to its original state.

1. Cosmetic Work

- No approval necessary for changes that don’t affect the structure or exterior of your property, such as installing fixtures, painting interiors, or minor wall repairs.
- Your strata scheme might define additional cosmetic work types; refer to your by-laws for specifics.

2. Minor Renovations

- Approval required for minor renovations, including kitchen modifications, internal wall changes, and specific installations (flooring, wiring, etc.).
- To proceed, present plans, tradespeople details, and possibly an acoustic certificate to the owners corporation or managing agent.
- Approval generally requires more than 50% of votes at a strata meeting.

3. Major Renovations

- Solely approved by the owners corporation, necessitating a special resolution vote (less than 25% opposition) at an AGM or a general meeting.
- Structural changes, waterproofing, ceiling modifications, or alterations requiring external laws (e.g., council approvals) fall under major renovations.
- Advance written notice (14 days) to the owners corporation is mandatory for structural changes.

- Ensure compliance with building standards and safety by involving registered design and building practitioners, especially for major renovations.
- Unapproved renovations may lead to significant financial obligations to revert the property to its original state.

Contractor Consideration

- If engaging contractors or tradespeople, verify their valid contractor licenses to avoid complications.

Understanding these distinctions among cosmetic, minor, and major renovations within the strata framework is pivotal. It ensures compliance, a smoother approval process, and minimizes the risk of unexpected expenses or legal issues.