Window Replacement in BC Stratas: Who Pays and How to Coordinate

Windows are one of the most contentious common-property questions in BC strata life. Owners often think the windows in their unit are "theirs." Councils often think windows are someone else's problem. The Strata Property Act has a clear default, and it's usually the opposite of what owners assume. This post walks through how strata window replacement actually works in BC: what the law says, what bylaws can change, who pays, and why coordinated building-wide replacement almost always beats letting owners replace their own. We've run window programs for Sea-to-Sky stratas ranging from 12 to 80 units, and the same questions come up every time.

The default rule: windows are common property

Under the Strata Property Act and the standard strata plan, the exterior walls, roof, and the building envelope (including the windows installed in that envelope) are common property. The strata corporation owns them, maintains them, and pays to replace them when they fail. Strata Property Act s. 71 governs how common property is used, and the maintenance duty falls under s. 4 corporation duties.

This applies even though the windows are installed in walls that bound individual units. The owner has the right to use them (open them, look through them, lean against them). The strata owns them and pays for them.

This default catches owners off guard. They've been cleaning their own windows, decorating around them, maybe even getting quotes to replace them, and they assume the windows are theirs. Then a building-wide program is announced and they discover the strata is paying via special levy that comes out of every owner's pocket.

The exception: limited common property windows

Some strata plans designate the windows as limited common property (LCP) allocated to the unit they serve. LCP is common property that's reserved for the exclusive use of one or more units. Under Strata Property Act s. 72, a strata can assign cost responsibility for LCP repair to the benefiting owners, but only if the bylaws explicitly do so.

This means there are actually three configurations possible:

1. Windows are common property → strata pays, full stop
2. Windows are LCP, bylaws are silent or assign cost to strata → strata pays
3. Windows are LCP, bylaws assign cost to the benefiting owner → owner pays

The first scenario is the most common in BC condos and townhomes. The third is rare but not unheard of, often in older buildings with developer-drafted bylaws designed to limit corporation exposure.

Council should know which configuration your strata uses before announcing any window program. The wrong assumption creates owner anger and potential CRT exposure.

What a typical program costs

Costs vary widely by:

• Window product (vinyl vs fiberglass vs aluminum)
• Glazing (dual-pane vs triple-pane)
• Size and configuration (fixed vs casement vs slider)
• Building size and complexity (high-rise vs low-rise, balcony access vs ground)
• BC Energy Step Code requirements (newer projects must meet higher performance standards)
• Installation method (interior vs exterior, swing-stage requirements)

A mid-size Sea-to-Sky strata replacing all windows is a significant capital project, typically a meaningful special levy event, but well within the range of properly planned strata capital work. Get current quotes from qualified contractors to size your specific program.

Why piecemeal replacement is a mistake

We see this regularly: a strata can't agree on a building-wide program, individual owners get tired of waiting, and they start replacing their windows one unit at a time. The problems compound:

• Cost. Piecemeal replacement runs meaningfully more per unit than coordinated programs.
• Sealant junctions. New windows meet old window sealants and the junctions become leak points.
• Inconsistent specs. Owner A picks vinyl, owner B picks fiberglass, owner C picks aluminum. Building looks chaotic.
• Aesthetic mismatch. Different colors, grids, or profiles hurt resale value across the whole strata.
• Envelope performance. New high-performance windows in old building paper create thermal bridges and condensation problems.
• Warranty complications. Each installer claims the others' work caused any leak.

A coordinated program solves all of this. Single mobilization, single product, single warranty, single sealant strategy, single project closeout.

How to coordinate the program

The playbook follows the standard major project process:

1. Inspection and scoping by a building envelope consultant. Confirms windows are end-of-life and not just sealant issues. Determines if envelope work needs to happen alongside.
2. Product selection based on consultant recommendation. BC Energy Step Code compliance, building aesthetics, lifecycle cost. Owners typically get to weigh in on color, not on product or spec.
3. Tender to 3–5 qualified window contractors. Pre-qualified for strata work, with crew references.
4. Funding vote. 3/4 special levy vote at a general meeting per s. 99. Notice must include total amount, basis of apportionment, schedule.
5. Owner coordination. Each owner notified of installation window, prep requirements, access protocols.
6. Installation. Phased by elevation or by floor. Each unit typically 1–3 days.
7. Closeout. Deficiency walks, warranty documents, completion certificate.

The consultant runs the program; council approves; owners participate. A clean window program is a much-loved capital project, once it's done, every owner experiences the benefit daily.

Coordinating with envelope work

If your strata is also looking at potential envelope issues, the window program should be sequenced with envelope work, not before it. Replacing windows and then doing envelope remediation a year later means the new windows get re-flashed and re-sealed at significant additional cost. Where envelope remediation is needed, windows are typically replaced as part of the same project.

CRT decisions in this area have reinforced that strata corporations can enforce consistent window specifications under their bylaws even when individual owners prefer alternatives, provided the bylaw was properly passed.

Communicating with owners

The communications plan is half the work. Here's the cadence that works:

• 18 months out: First mention in council minutes that the program is being scoped
• 12 months out: Owner town hall to present consultant findings and product options
• 9 months out: Special general meeting notice, funding vote
• 6 months out: Confirmed contractor, schedule, unit-by-unit installation calendar
• 3 months out: Detailed prep instructions to each owner
• 1 month out: Final reminders, access logistics, contact info
• During install: Daily progress emails, problem-resolution channel
• After: Completion summary, warranty info, photos

Programs that fail are almost always communication failures, not technical failures.

Connecting to the broader maintenance picture

Windows are part of the envelope, and the envelope is the most expensive thing your strata maintains. The right context:

• Your depreciation report should flag windows at end-of-life
• Your building envelope assessment considers windows as part of the system
• Your maintenance schedule includes annual sealant inspections at window perimeters
• The major project playbook is the right operating model

Common owner objections and how to answer them

A handful of objections come up at every window program owner meeting. Council and manager should have answers ready:

• "My windows are fine, I don't want new ones." Council can require building-wide replacement under common-property authority. Individual owner preference doesn't override corporation decisions. This often signals broader trust issues that need separate work.
• "I just replaced my windows two years ago." Confirm specs against the new program. If they match, exempt that unit. If they don't, the owner may be required to re-replace at their own cost.
• "Why can't I pick my own product?" Building-envelope performance requires consistency. The product is a strata decision, not an owner decision.
• "Can I pay less because my unit is smaller?" The funding apportionment is typically by unit entitlement (Schedule of Unit Entitlement), not by window count. This is the SPA default and is rarely worth fighting.
• "What about my balcony door?" Balcony doors are usually included in the program scope. Confirm with the consultant.

Anticipating these and addressing them in writing before the funding vote prevents most of the meeting drama.

Energy and sound performance benefits

A modern triple-glazed window with low-e coating delivers measurably better performance than the dual-glazed assemblies from the 1990s and 2000s. Owners typically report:

• Significant reduction in heat loss through windows
• Noticeable reduction in interior noise (especially in buildings near busy roads)
• Elimination of cold drafts in winter
• Significant reduction in condensation issues
• Better summer cooling retention

These benefits show up in utility bills (a meaningful reduction in heating for the average unit) and in quality of life. Worth communicating to owners as part of the program rollout. The levy is easier to vote for when owners understand what they're getting.

Windows don't have to be a fight. With the right scoping, communication, and coordination, a window program is one of the most satisfying capital projects a strata does: better light, better thermal performance, lower utility bills, and a refreshed building. If your strata is approaching a window decision and isn't sure where to start, reach out to our team. We've run a dozen of these in the past five years and can help council scope, communicate, and execute without the drama.