Coordinate Poly-B Work Across Units and Common Property
A strata repipe is both a plumbing project and a governance project. Define property boundaries, decision authority and access before treating a unit estimate as a building-wide scope.
1
Start with the strata plan and bylaws
Collect the registered strata plan, current bylaws, rules and any alteration agreement that may apply. These records help frame whether piping, chases, ceilings or service areas may be strata lot, common property or limited common property. Do not assign responsibility from pipe location alone. The Province of BC explains these property categories, while the Strata Property Act and the corporation's own records govern the actual property. Note each unresolved boundary and obtain appropriate strata or legal guidance before approving work that crosses it.
Review the registered plan and current bylawsMark unresolved property boundariesDo not infer ownership from physical location
2
Define the project decision authority
Identify which decisions belong to an owner, strata council, property manager or broader ownership vote. A unit owner may be able to request an estimate without having authority to alter common property or direct a building-wide shutdown. Record who can approve investigation, access, plumbing work, restoration and changes. If more than one resolution or agreement may be needed, place those gates on the project schedule. This keeps a contractor from relying on an informal request that does not cover all affected property or responsibilities.
Name approval authority for each work stageSeparate estimate access from construction approvalDocument required resolutions or agreements
3
Map vertical stacks, branches and affected units
Build a unit and common-area map that shows known supply branches, shutoffs, chases and the fixtures served. Include ceilings or walls in neighbouring units where access may be required. Record which routes are confirmed, which are inferred from drawings and which remain unknown. A single unit inspection cannot establish building-wide completeness. Ask the qualified team how representative investigation will be chosen and how discoveries will be incorporated into the final scope without assuming every floor or unit has identical piping and renovation history.
Separate observed and drawing-based routesIdentify potentially affected neighbouring unitsRecord variation from prior renovations
4
Plan access, notice and water shutdowns
Create an access schedule for units, mechanical spaces and common areas, then assign notice delivery, key or escort arrangements and missed-access procedures. Water shutdowns need clear boundaries, expected duration, emergency contacts and restoration of service checks. Coordinate vulnerable occupants, commercial units and any life-safety considerations through the responsible parties. The schedule should show whether work is performed by stack, floor, phase or unit. These operational details belong in the estimate because they affect labour and risk even when the replacement piping itself is similar.
Set notice and access proceduresDefine shutdown area and service checksInclude missed-access and emergency contacts
5
Separate costs by responsibility and phase
Build a cost table for investigation, plumbing, common-area protection, unit protection, hazardous-material work, drywall, painting, permits, inspection and project coordination. Then identify whether each cost is expected to be paid by the corporation, an owner or another party, subject to confirmed legal and insurance guidance. The Province of BC publishes general information about strata repair and maintenance costs, but it cannot decide a specific building's allocation. Keep contingencies and optional phases visible so owners understand what a vote or budget is intended to fund.
Separate plumbing, access and restoration costsLabel provisional and optional amountsConfirm allocations from governing records
6
Coordinate municipal and insurance records
Confirm the municipality for the building and ask the applicable authority about permits and inspections for the proposed scope. Keep insurer and broker communication in writing, including what information was requested and what evidence may be needed after completion. Do not promise coverage, premium changes or acceptance. The strata should also identify who retains permits, inspection results, product details, warranties, photographs and change approvals. A centralized record prevents important documents from remaining only in an individual unit owner's email.
Use the building address to identify the authorityRecord insurer questions without predicting outcomesAssign custody of the closeout file
7
Create a building-wide closeout package
The final package should map completed routes and affected units, document applicable inspections, list approved changes and preserve restoration sign-offs. Include any units or branches that were excluded, inaccessible or deferred. Council minutes or resolutions, owner notices and alteration agreements should be filed with the technical records where appropriate. Use the identification, whole-home, access, permit-record and quote-comparison pages to keep each decision connected to evidence. The aim is a usable building record, not a claim that every concealed condition has been eliminated.
List completed and deferred units separatelyRetain approvals with technical recordsDocument remaining concealed limits