Do wardrobes and kitchen renovations need approval in Sydney?
Start with the work you are proposing, not a blanket assumption that every internal renovation is approval-free. A replacement wardrobe, new kitchen cabinetry and structural alterations can involve different requirements.
For Sydney homeowners, council planning and strata permission are separate checks. This guide helps you prepare questions for the relevant authority and your joinery quote. It is general planning information, not a determination that your particular property or design is approved.
Council approval: check the conditions for your work
NSW allows some low-impact work as exempt development when it meets the applicable standards and property conditions. Exempt status is conditional; a project that falls outside those requirements needs an appropriate approval pathway. Check the proposed scope with your council or certifier before work starts.
A joinery quote describes the work being priced. It does not replace a planning assessment. Tell the person checking approval if you intend to move walls, change the building layout or combine cabinetry with other renovation work.
Strata: a wardrobe and a kitchen are different cases
NSW Government guidance lists installing or replacing built-in wardrobes as cosmetic work when it does not affect the structure or exterior and does not require waterproofing. Check the scheme's by-laws and the actual work involved.
Kitchen renovations, including installing or removing cupboards, are listed as minor renovations needing permission. Structural, exterior or waterproofing work can require a different process. Ask your strata manager or owners corporation to confirm the requirements for the whole project before you book installation.
Blacktown and the Hills District: use your property's authority
Blacktown City Council directs owners to the exempt-development standards and explains that proposals outside those requirements need approval through a complying development certificate or development application. The Hills Shire Council also distinguishes exempt, complying and DA pathways. Neither makes every kitchen or wardrobe project automatically exempt.
Use the council responsible for the property address. A service-area name or a neighbour's renovation is not an approval for your home. The links below are a starting point for checking the current process.
Prepare a useful scope before asking for a quote
You can make the design discussion more useful by separating the storage you want from the building work surrounding it. Mark what stays, what is removed and what changes position. A simple labelled sketch is more useful than a collection of unrelated inspiration images.
- Photograph the existing room and note approximate dimensions for discussion, with final measurements checked on site.
- List the doors, cabinets, appliances and services you want to retain or move.
- Bring any written approval conditions, building access arrangements and permitted work hours.
- Ask which removal, plumbing, electrical, appliance and benchtop work is included or separately arranged.
Keep permission and installation scope in writing
Before accepting a design, confirm who is responsible for obtaining approvals and coordinating any separate trades. Keep the approved plans and the measured joinery scope together so a later design change can be checked against both. If approval is unresolved, identify that dependency before committing to an installation date.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a joinery quote mean my renovation is approved?
- No. The quote sets out the proposed commercial scope. Council, strata and any other applicable permission need to be checked separately for the property and work.
- Can I assume the same approval rules apply across every Sydney suburb?
- Do not assume that. NSW standards, property conditions and the relevant council or strata scheme need to be checked together. Start with the official links and your exact scope.