An apartment kitchen renovation starts well before the old cupboards come out. Alongside choosing cabinetry and finishes, you need to understand your building’s renovation rules, existing services and delivery access. Checking these details early helps you develop a design that can actually be installed within your apartment.
If you are considering kitchen renovations in Sydney, start with the constraints of your property and the improvements you want to make. A successful renovation should make cooking, storage and everyday movement easier while working within the building’s requirements.
Check Your Strata Requirements Before Booking Work
Owning an apartment does not mean every renovation decision is yours alone. In NSW strata properties, kitchen renovations require approval. The approval pathway depends on the scope: structural changes, waterproofing and work affecting common property can involve additional requirements.
Read the NSW Government’s strata renovation guidance, then speak with your strata manager or owners corporation about your specific proposal.
Ask what you need to submit, who can approve the work and which building rules apply. Your application may need plans, the proposed work schedule and details of the tradespeople involved. Confirm the approval requirements before committing to demolition or installation dates.
Find Out Which Services Can Stay Where They Are
Moving a sink or cooktop may look straightforward on a floor plan, but apartments can have service locations that limit your options. Shared plumbing, concrete slabs, service ducts and existing ventilation routes all need to be considered before the layout is finalised.
Have the relevant trades assess:
- Existing water supply and drainage locations
- Electrical capacity and appliance connection requirements
- Gas connections, where applicable
- Rangehood ducting and ventilation options
- Any proposed work affecting shared services or common property
Keeping sensible existing service positions may help control the scope of the renovation. However, do not retain an awkward arrangement without first checking whether a better solution is practical.
Solve the Problems With Your Current Kitchen
Before collecting design ideas, write down what makes your kitchen difficult to use. Perhaps the dishwasher blocks the walkway, the fridge door cannot open fully or there is nowhere to put groceries while unpacking them.
These specific frustrations give your designer something useful to solve. Prioritise them over a general wish for “more space”.
For example, if your benchtop is crowded, the answer might be better small-appliance storage rather than a larger kitchen. If two people cannot cook comfortably, changing the position of a tall cabinet may matter more than adding another cupboard.
Our guide to planning a practical kitchen layout explains how movement, storage and work zones fit together.
Test the Layout With Doors and Drawers Open
An apartment kitchen needs to work beyond its neat appearance on a plan. Check what happens when appliances and cabinetry are in use.
Can someone walk past while the dishwasher is open? Does the oven door interrupt the main route through the apartment? Can you open the fridge properly beside a wall? Will island seating leave enough room for cooking and circulation?
An island is worth including only when the room can accommodate it comfortably. In some apartments, a peninsula or a well-planned galley arrangement makes better use of the available footprint.
Ask your designer to show door swings, drawer access and appliance clearances on the proposed layout before you approve it.
Choose Appliances Before Cabinetry Is Finalised
Appliance specifications affect much more than the width of a cabinet opening. Installation allowances, ventilation, connections and door movement can all influence the design.
Confirm the actual models of your fridge, dishwasher, oven, cooktop and rangehood before cabinetry goes into production. Integrated appliances also need compatible cabinetry and hardware.
For a compact apartment kitchen, consider whether each appliance suits the way you live. A larger fridge or an extra oven may be useful, but it also takes space from preparation areas and storage. Make those trade-offs deliberately.
Confirm How Materials Will Reach Your Apartment
The delivery route can affect what is practical to manufacture and install. A tall cabinet or long benchtop section must fit through more than your front door.
Check the route from the delivery vehicle to the kitchen, including:
- Loading areas and parking restrictions
- Lift dimensions, door openings and booking requirements
- Stairwells, landings and tight corners
- Corridor access and protection requirements
- Suitable locations for temporary material storage
Discuss access with your installer and benchtop supplier before final specifications are approved. If larger components cannot pass through the building, the design or installation method may need to change.
Allow for Flooring, Noise and Neighbouring Apartments
A flooring change deserves attention early in the project. Your building may have acoustic requirements, and NSW strata guidance identifies an acoustic certificate as part of the information required when applying to install flooring.
Ask about the proposed flooring system and its supporting documentation before making a purchase. Also confirm permitted work hours, noisy-work restrictions, rubbish removal arrangements and any required notice to neighbours.
If shared services need to be interrupted, establish who will arrange the shutdown and notify affected residents. Build these arrangements into the work schedule.
Make the Quote Reflect Apartment Conditions
Compare quotations against the actual work involved in your apartment. Check whether demolition, waste removal, delivery, access arrangements, installation and trade coordination are included or separately priced.
Also clarify who is responsible for approvals, building bookings, common-area protection and any specialist assessments needed for the proposed work.
Keep an allowance for issues that cannot be fully assessed until the old kitchen is removed. Ask how additional work will be documented and approved before it proceeds. For broader budgeting considerations, read our luxury kitchen renovation cost guide.
Plan for the Time Your Kitchen Will Be Unavailable
Confirm when the existing kitchen will be removed and which stages must finish before the sink and cooking appliances can be used again. Avoid assuming that cabinet installation marks the end of the project; benchtops, connections and finishing work may follow.
Arrange a temporary food preparation area outside the work zone and discuss access arrangements if you will be away during working hours. Your kitchen renovation schedule should allow for the building’s working hours as well as manufacturing and installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need strata approval to renovate an apartment kitchen?
Yes, kitchen renovations in NSW strata properties require approval. The scope determines the approval pathway. Check your scheme’s by-laws and confirm the requirements with your strata manager or owners corporation before work starts.
Can I move the sink in my apartment kitchen?
Possibly, but it depends on drainage, water connections, the building’s construction and any effect on common property. Ask a qualified plumber to assess the proposal before you finalise the layout.
Can I remove a wall to create an open-plan kitchen?
Do not assume a wall can be removed. Its structural role and any services within it need to be assessed. Structural work requires the appropriate approval process and professional advice before it is included in the renovation.
Can I add an island to a small apartment kitchen?
Only if there is enough room for safe, comfortable movement and appliance operation. Test the layout with seating, doors and drawers in use. A peninsula may be more practical where a separate island would restrict circulation.
Should I order appliances before the kitchen design is complete?
Select models early and provide their specifications to your designer. Coordinate purchase and delivery dates with the project team so appliances are available when needed without creating storage problems in the apartment.
Can I stay in my apartment during the renovation?
It may be practical, depending on the scope, access and your tolerance for disruption. Discuss dust control, work-zone separation and the time without a usable kitchen before deciding.
What should I bring to an apartment kitchen consultation?
Bring photographs, an existing floor plan if available, approximate measurements, your appliance preferences and a list of current problems. Include any strata renovation guidelines or access information you already have. Final dimensions should be professionally checked before manufacturing.
Start With a Kitchen Plan That Fits Your Apartment
Eurolife plans custom kitchens around the way you use your home, with guidance on layouts, cabinetry, materials and installation. Visit the Drummoyne showroom to compare finishes and discuss your renovation with Boris and the team.
To talk through your apartment kitchen, contact Eurolife or call 02 9719 8977 to arrange a design consultation.