- What is a Strata scheme?
A Strata scheme is a building which is divided into individual lots that are bought and sold independently of each other (i.e. townhouses or apartments). The owners of the lots operate as a democracy to make decisions about common property and the core rules (or by-laws) of the building.
The owners collectively make up the owners corporation and are all responsible for paying money into various funds for the upkeep and maintenance of the building.
- Who do I need to speak to before painting starts?
The paint in a Strata scheme is usually common property, which means the owners’ corporation needs to approve any work to be done. While cosmetic work (retouching, for example) within individual lots is the job of the owner of that unit, external painting and the overall colour scheme needs to be approved.
This means that it can be very tricky for an individual unit owner to get a paint job approved, unless the whole building is being repainted at the same time.
Each Strata scheme will also have different regulations in place for painting jobs, as each owners’ corporation makes its own by-laws.
- Who pays for it?
This is the good news! Major paint jobs should be paid for from the Strata capital works fund while minor touch ups to common areas or the exterior will be covered by the administrative fund. If these funds don’t have enough cash to cover the job, all of the lot owners will evenly split the cost of the painting.
- Who is responsible for organising the painters?
The owners’ corporation as a whole is responsible for the works, although they may delegate a sub-committee to organise the painters and speak to the project manager on behalf of all the owners. All the owners collectively need to approve any changes to the initial painting plan, however.
- What impact will the painting have on residents?
Because a Strata scheme usually contains many units, repainting all of the common areas is a big job! There will inevitably be some inconvenience for the residents, especially when the lobby and stairs are being painted.
Outside of these areas your painters will try to do one corridor at a time, and paint that area as quickly as possible, in order to minimise the impact on individual residents. Because Strata schemes are so large, though, you are inevitably looking at a lot of disruption.
Exterior painting will also be disruptive, as it can be difficult for your painters to reach the whole outside wall without going through the inside of at least some lots. This is more likely if the lots have balconies blocking ladders from giving the painters access to upper levels, especially given the balconies often also need painting.
Minor retouching works, of course, can be done much faster if the paint is simply starting to look a little shabby in some spots.
- Who can do the painting?
Painting CML painters are able to fulfil any and all strata painting needs. We will provide a project manager to liaise daily with the owners and update them on any issues. Our experienced painters will get the job done fast and get the job done right.
