What are the accessibility requirements for a new home?

The construction code introduced minimum livability provisions for new dwellings, aimed at making homes usable as occupants age or their circumstances change. Adoption and timing has differed between states and territories, so what applies to your build depends on where and when.

What the provisions cover

• A step-free path from the street or parking to a step-free entry door.
• Doorways and corridors wide enough for a walking frame or a wheelchair.
• A ground floor toilet with clear space for assisted use.
• A shower without a hob, so it can be entered without stepping over anything.
• Reinforcement in bathroom walls so grab rails can be fitted later without opening the wall.

Why it is worth doing regardless

The reinforcement item in particular costs very little at framing stage and is expensive afterwards, because retrofitting means removing tiles and waterproofing. A hobless shower is also simply better waterproofing practice, and wider doorways make moving furniture possible. These are not concessions to a hypothetical future occupant so much as things most people eventually want.