When you move from your home to a condo, you do not always get what you idealize. Maybe you made some compromises when buying a condo just to get one near to your work location in the city, and now you want to make some changes in order to make it more personal looking. However, remodeling a condo is very different from a home remodel (vice versa is also true). You need to be aware of all the challenges that will be presented to you when renovating a condo or a house. There are several compliance issues that you will need to know before renovating a condo.

To make things simpler to understand for you, here are some of the key differences between a condo remodel and a detached house remodel.

The Ownership Difference

Ownership of both the house and condos are different from each other. In the case of a detached house, you are the sole owner and you are responsible for its maintenance from both the outside and inside. However, the concept of ownership in a condo is somewhat different.

Before you start any remodeling work, you will need to learn about the different types of ownerships in condos and which one applies in your case. The most common type of condo ownership is the one which starts from inside the walls of your condo, and everything else is owned jointly by all the condo owners combined. There are other types of ownership as well, so, understand what type of ownership you have and what its limits are.

Permitting And Logistics

There is a standard procedure that one must go through before renovating his property. In the case of a detached house, you have to usually avail some management plan in order to proceed. Doing this is necessary because you will have to coordinate with various vendors and builders in order to successfully complete the process.

However, this works a bit differently in condo remold. You might need approval from the Condo board of directors. There might also be limits on the working hours. Setting up and cleaning the area afterwards are also necessary, and can reduce the working hours even further. Same goes for parking and elevator access. When it is restricted, your renovation might take a bit longer than it takes in a detached house. This might also cost you extra. These factors can actually increase the total cost of your condo renovation project.

Know The Limitations

Design companies and home improvement contractors would not pass a home renovation project unless they have no time in their schedule. However, the same can’t be said for condo renovations.

This happens due to the obvious restrictions (like parking and elevator restrictions) and having to do more hassle to transport the materials to the renovation site. This is the primary reason why the list of qualified renovation companies willing to take up your condo renovation project will be smaller as compared to a house renovation project.

Home improvement is more flexible. If you want more indoor living space, you can add to the existing structure. If the contractor is having an issue reaching an electrical outlet or plumbing system, it can be relocated. You can add more windows, and even add an additional room if you so wish.

You do not have this luxury in a condo renovation project. You can basically replace or remove the internal walls that are not load bearing. But keep in mind that you can’t remove or replace the plumbing, electrical and heating systems since they are owned by all the condo owners combined.

Making Your Lifestyle Better

Condos are usually placed in the center of big cities near facilities and office buildings. For many people, the ease of maintenance in a condo is a big factor on why they chose condo living. There is no concept of outside/ yard maintenance when you are living in a condo. Also, a condo near your workplace can help you save up on car fuel costs, and a big driving distance every day. So, moving into a condo is an upgrade to your lifestyle. Now, you can hire condo remodeling DC architects and invest a bit on your condo to get it in the shape you want.