In a Chatswood apartment, a kitchen renovation that replaces cupboards and benchtops is usually a minor renovation under NSW strata law, approved by ordinary resolution of the owners corporation. In a house, it is normally internal work that doesn't need approval from Willoughby City Council.
What is a Chatswood kitchen renovation usually like?
Most apartment kitchens in Chatswood's towers are compact, in a fixed spot on a shared plumbing riser, with electric cooking and a recirculating rangehood. The usual job is new cabinetry, benchtops and appliances in the same layout. Older blocks around the town centre may also need wiring and plumbing updated.
Away from the centre, Chatswood has Federation and interwar houses, many in the North Chatswood and South Chatswood heritage conservation areas, plus post-war and later homes. Their kitchens often sit at the back and are opened to a family room or deck.
| Home type | Where you often find it | Usual scope |
|---|---|---|
| High-rise apartment | Town centre, near the station and Victoria Avenue | Replace cabinetry, benchtop and appliances in the same layout; strata approval |
| Older apartment block | Streets around the town centre | Full rebuild; check old wiring and plumbing; strata approval |
| Federation or interwar house | North and South Chatswood conservation areas | Rebuild the rear kitchen and open it to a family room or deck |
| Post-war or later house | Residential streets east and west of the centre | Open up to the dining room; new cabinetry and benchtops |
A general guide only. Chatswood West is a separate suburb, split between Willoughby and Ryde councils.
What strata approval does an apartment kitchen need?
NSW strata law sorts renovations into three types. Kitchen work such as installing or removing cupboards is a minor renovation. It needs owners corporation approval by ordinary resolution, meaning more than half of the votes cast, or the strata committee can approve it if a by-law allows. The owners corporation can set reasonable conditions but can't unreasonably refuse.
Moving a structural wall, waterproofing or changing the outside of the building is a major renovation that needs a special resolution. Most towers also have rules on working hours, lift bookings, loading dock use and protecting common areas.
New tiles or timber in the kitchen? Under NSW strata rules, hard flooring is a minor renovation that needs approval and an acoustic certificate, because hard floors carry more noise to the apartment below.
What about houses, rangehoods and benchtops?
Willoughby City Council covers all of Chatswood. A kitchen renovation inside an existing house usually doesn't need a development application, even in a heritage conservation area. Approval comes in for new external doors or windows in a conservation area, a rear extension, or structural changes inside an individually listed heritage item. Complying development isn't available in heritage conservation areas, so those changes generally go through a development application.
- Rangehoods. If you cook with high heat, such as wok cooking, a ducted rangehood that vents outside works far better than a recirculating one. In an apartment, a new duct through the wall changes common property, so it needs approval.
- Benchtops. Engineered stone has been banned in Australia since 1 July 2024.
What should you tell the crew?
Say whether it's an apartment or a house, and for apartments, the floor, the lift and loading dock arrangements, the building's working hours and who manages the strata. Mention parking, because town centre street parking is limited. For houses, say whether you're in a heritage conservation area and which walls or doors you want to change.
We don't publish suburb prices. Our Sydney kitchen renovation cost guide explains what drives the cost, and the kitchen renovations page covers licences and contracts. See also trades in Chatswood and the wider North Shore. When you're ready, describe the job to MyTradeCrew and we'll send it to up to three vetted local trades from our crew, who quote you directly.
Common questions
Do I need strata approval for a kitchen renovation in my Chatswood apartment?
Usually, yes. Replacing cupboards and other kitchen work is a minor renovation under NSW strata law, which needs owners corporation approval by ordinary resolution, or strata committee approval if a by-law allows it. If the work moves a structural wall, involves waterproofing or changes the outside, it's a major renovation that needs a special resolution. Ask your strata manager for the building's renovation by-law.
Can I put tiles or timber floors in my apartment kitchen?
Often, yes, with approval. NSW strata rules treat hard flooring as a minor renovation that needs owners corporation approval and an acoustic certificate. Many buildings also have a by-law setting a minimum acoustic rating and requiring an underlay. Check the by-law before choosing your flooring, and ask the installer to supply the certificate.
Can I install a ducted rangehood in my apartment?
Sometimes. Many apartments only allow a recirculating rangehood because there's no duct to the outside. Cutting a new duct through an external wall or slab changes common property, so it needs owners corporation approval and often an engineer's input. Ask your building manager whether there's an existing exhaust riser you can connect to first.
Can I renovate the kitchen in a Chatswood heritage house?
Yes. Heritage conservation area controls mainly protect what can be seen from the street, so a new kitchen inside the house is usually fine without a development application. New external doors or windows, a rear extension, or structural changes inside an individually listed heritage item need approval. Willoughby City Council's duty planner can confirm what applies to your property.
More on kitchen renovations
Scope checklists, price drivers and quote comparisons are on the main Kitchen renovations in Sydney page. For costs, read Kitchen Renovation Cost Sydney: 2026 Price Guide.