Canterbury at a glance
Mostly units
At the 2021 Census, 62.8% of occupied homes were flats or apartments, 29.3% separate houses and 6.3% semis or townhouses.
Close to half rented
47.9% of occupied homes were rented.
Warm summers, cool nights
Bureau of Meteorology figures for Canterbury, as tabled on Wikipedia, give a January mean maximum of 27.6 degrees and a July mean minimum of 5.8. The records are 45.9 and minus 1.6.
Heritage nearby
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown says most of its heritage items date from early suburban development between the 1870s and the 1940s. Its conservation areas include the Ashbury area and six in Hurlstone Park, Canterbury's neighbours.
Climate zone 5
The ABCB's map puts Canterbury-Bankstown in zone 5 (warm temperate).
In a newer apartment block
Ask the building manager or strata first. A new reverse cycle unit is a minor renovation under NSW strata rules, approved by more than 50% of votes at a meeting unless a by-law lets the committee decide. If the outdoor unit would change the building's outside or sit on common property, expect a special resolution or a by-law change.
Balcony units need air around them and room for a technician to work. Ask where the condensate drain (the small pipe that carries water from the indoor unit) will empty, so it doesn't drip on the balcony below.
In an older house
Council says heritage listing doesn't prevent changes, but changes to a heritage-listed property normally need development consent, and minor works need council's written advice before you start. If your house is listed or in a conservation area, ring council's heritage adviser before booking. If it isn't, the job is simpler: one or two splits, or a multi-split for several rooms.
What we'd do
If it were our Canterbury home
In a unit, we'd go to the strata with the installer's plan before anything else, and if we rented, to the landlord at the same time. In a house, we'd check the heritage map, then pick the rooms that matter most. Licence-checked installers near Canterbury who fit splits in apartments and houses can see your job. The one who takes it is the only one who gets your contact details, and if no installer near Canterbury has taken it after 48 hours, it may be shown to installers elsewhere in NSW too.
