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Renovations are regulated by several by-laws at Urban Edge. Please familiarise yourself with them and reach out to our Body Corporate Manager, The Community Co, if you have any questions.
EV Charging
Installation of EV chargers concurrently with the backbone infrastructure works
Applications are now open for the initial rollout as part of the backbone upgrade. Interested owners should read the proposal linked below and contact Origin 360 to arrange installation. The application period closes at the end of September 2025.
Installations from 2026
Future installations will follow a similar process; however, due to the cost, a motion needs to be passed at a General Meeting. The committee is investigating options to simplify this for all parties.
EV charging is regulated by by-laws 7 Parking and Vehicles, & 9 Electric Vehicles.
Flooring
Flooring renovation is one of the most common requests at Urban Edge. It's also where the most problems occur. It's important to understand what your obligations are before beginning any work.
What is the flooring acoustic standard at Urban Edge?
All units:
LnTw < 55 on a slab 180mm thick with no suspended or insulated ceiling. This value was selected based upon advice: Urban Edge flooring acoustic report.
Ground floor units:
Ground floor units are subject to the same standards as all other units, however, testing when required is performed using an adjacent apartment.
In the by-laws, the above appropriate value is the Body Corporate Advice in section 8(d) of the by-laws.
Why does Urban Edge have a flooring acoustic standard?
Acoustic standards are in place to ensure residents have a reasonable level of noise protection between apartments. While the national building code sets minimum requirements, our Body Corporate has adopted a higher standard of LnTw < 55 to better support comfort, privacy, and quality of living in the complex. This standard must be met when renovating to reduce impact noise, such as footsteps, from travelling between units.
Palmer Acoustic Consultants recommended the Body Corporate adopt this standard, and the Committee formally approved it in April 2025 after the new by-laws were adopted. This standard may be revised from time to time as standards improve.
You can read the Palmer Acoustic report here: Urban Edge flooring acoustic report
What kind of flooring needs approval?
Any Hard Flooring as defined in the by-laws (section 1). The definition is "timber, tiles, vinyl, marble or any other equivalent material". This includes hybrid and laminate flooring, and may also include carpet if it is thin or firm.
Essentially, any flooring that has the potential to transmit sound to your neighbours. Soft, plush carpet with underlays is typically not considered Hard Flooring, and its acoustic properties are likely to exceed the standard required at Urban Edge. We recommend always checking with the Building Manager and Body Corporate Manager as part of your planning and before making any purchases.
How to demonstrate a proposed floor meets the standard
The by-laws, section 8(d) details how the standard can be met. This looks complicated because lawyers... We'll try to simplify this for you below, and if you have any questions, please contact the Body Corporate Manager before making any purchases or booking any trades. Over half of all flooring applications are delayed, sometimes by weeks to months, because documents are missing or incorrect.
There are two ways to determine the minimum acoustic standard:
Engage a recognised acoustic consultant to assess your property and the proposed flooring and provide a report detailing whether the proposal is of a high enough standard that it meets the objective of improved noise insulation at Urban Edge. This is the Initial Advice in section 8(d) of the by-laws, OR,
Use the Body Corporate Advice specified above.
Your application must specify which of these you are using, and it must demonstrate how the proposed flooring meets or exceeds the standard.
You can demonstrate the proposed floor meets the standard by providing:
A report from a recognised acoustic consultant specifying the proposed flooring meets the standard, OR,
Product data sheets showing the product/s have been tested to perform at or better than the standard under the same conditions (slab thickness = 180mm with no drop ceiling and no insulation)
Application checklist & apply
Discussed your plans with the Building Manager
Discussed your plans with the Body Corporate Manager
Floor plan indicating location of flooring work
Flooring quote/s
Trade/s license/registration (must be current)
Trade/s insurance (must be current)
Acoustic standard (Body Corporate Advice or Initial Advice)
Flooring acoustic report (this must match the product/s being installed^, and the test environment must match Urban Edge's 180mm slab with no drop ceiling and no insulation)*
Proposed installation date/s
Apply: The Community Co
Application turnaround time: 2-4 weeks
* Special Circumstances
The new by-law was written to both strengthen the previous by-law standard and to provide flexibility where circumstances may be unusual. The Committee may accept a report or statement from an acoustic consultant stating how the standard is met in these special circumstances.
^ What to do if the proposed flooring does not have an acoustic report
If the flooring you want to install doesn't have an acoustic report, or the acoustic report it does have is for a different slab thickness or has a drop ceiling or insulation, there are a couple of options:
Engage an acoustic consultant to provide a report stating the flooring meets the standard, OR
Provide a report from a similar product that does meet the standard. It is important to understand that the product must be very similar, use the same materials, and you can show that they use the same materials.
Common reasons flooring applications are not approved
Expired insurance. Check the dates.
Acoustic reports do not match the product or do not match Urban Edge's slab/ceiling. Please don't just accept a salesperson's word.
Not enough detail is provided to understand what will be installed where and when.
By-law
Hard flooring installation is regulated by by-law 8 Works, specifically 8 (d)
Garage Storage
The basement storage cages provide low security that can be overcome with simple wire cutters. If you would like to improve the security of your storage area, such as by replacing the current cage with a storage container or welded steel mesh, please first discuss your ideas plans with the Building Manager and then with the Body Corporate Manager to ensure your application has all the necessary documents.
Modification to common property may require an EGM to obtain Body Corporate approval, please factor this into your plans and proposal.
By-law
The garage storage area is regulated by by-law 36 Storage exclusive use area. Alteration to common property on a storage exclusive use area is regulated by by-law 8 Works.
Gas to Electric Cooktop
Procedure
To replace a gas cooktop with an electric cooktop, and to opt out of paying for gas cooking requires the following:
Apply to the Body Corporate and wait for approval (see Application check-list below)\
If approved:
Capping of the gas lines at the gas stove and outside the Lot - requires a licensed plumber
Removal of the gas cooktop
Installation of an electric cooktop - requires a licensed electrician, may require a stone mason
Documents:
Copy of the most recent Gas & Hot Water bill
Copy of the Body Corporate approval
Copy of the gas disconnection compliance certificate
Photo of the newly installed electric cooktop
Send the documents to Origin using the details provided in your Body Corporate approval letter and including the request:
We have replaced our gas cooktop with an electric cooktop in our Urban Edge unit:
[REPLACE WITH YOUR UNIT AND ADDRESS]
Please discontinue the charge for Unmetered Gas (Cooktop) and confirm by return email.
See attached –
Origin gas and hot water bill [REPLACE WITH YOUR BILL NUMBER]
Copy of the Body Corporate approval
Copy of the gas disconnection compliance certificate
Photo of the newly installed electric cooktop
Application check-list & apply
Please complete a renovation application and submit to the Body Corporate, supplying copies of:
Plumber's quote
Plumber's license
Plumber's insurance
Electricians quote
Electrician's license
Electricians insurance
Electric cooktop quote/invoice
Also supply if the bench-top will require cutting:
Stone mason's quote
Stone mason's license
Stone Mason's insurance
Apply: The Community Co
Application turnaround time: 2-4 weeks
By-law
This renovation is regulated by by-law 8 Works.
Other Renovations
Including any electrical or plumbing work (see above for gas to electric cooktop)
Applications should include
A quote from each trade or service
A license from each trade or service (where applicable, license must be current)
Professional insurance for each trade or service (insurance must be current)
Detail of the proposed work
A diagram of where in the lot the work is proposed
The proposed timing and duration of the work
Details of appliances etc that are proposed to be installed including quotes/invoices
Apply: The Community Co
Application turnaround time: 2-4 weeks
By-law
All renovation work is regulated by by-law 8 Works. Depending on the type of work proposed, there may be other by-laws that also apply.
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