Hi Esmerelda,
Are you in NSW? (My answer relates to NSW. I’m not sure about other states).
Was it a new strata management company, or just a different person managing within the same company?
1. To change strata management companies, there needs to be a vote at a general meeting of the owner’s corporation.
2. Any major works, as well as changes to common property also need to be voted on at a general meeting of the owners corporation.
Check minutes of previous meetings to see if any of these works were on the agenda, in the budget, voted on/ approved at an earlier time.
Unless your strata manager is a compulsory one, this all sounds very irregular.
The owners corporation has to maintain the common property, however they should get to vote on choice of contractors, costs and timing of works, as well as how things will be funded, eg. Through existing budget, special levy, loan etc.