Livable housing design in a new SA home

Does livable housing design apply in South Australia?

Clause 2.2.5 of MBS 007 (Amendment 6, April 2026, the version quoted throughout this note) inserts a South Australian note into Part H8: "Part H8 of NCC 2022 takes effect in South Australia on 1 October 2024." The national note on the ABCB site gives an earlier date; clause 1.6 of MBS 007 says its modifications "must be read as if they are consolidated into the Building Code." These South Australian variations sit in MBS 007, not in the ABCB’s South Australian schedule to Volume Two, which has no Part H8 entry.

Part H8 applies to Class 1a buildings. Clause A6G2 of NCC 2022 defines Class 1a to include "a detached house" and "one of a group of two or more attached dwellings, each being a building, separated by a fire-resisting wall, including a row house, terrace house, town house or villa unit."

Clause 1.5 of MBS 007 states: "NCC 2025 will be adopted in South Australia on 1 May 2027, with NCC 2022 (and NCC 2019 – Amendment 1 in some cases) remaining in force until 30 April 2027." This note quotes the NCC 2022 edition. Which edition, and which concession, applies to an application is decided by the relevant authority assessing it.

• NCC 2025 in South Australia: which edition applies

What Part H8 and the Livable Housing Design Standard ask for

Performance Requirement H8P1 lists six features for a Class 1a building: a step-free path to an entrance door; a level, step-free entrance door; internal doors and corridors "which facilitate unimpeded movement between spaces"; an entry-level sanitary compartment and a shower that each facilitate independent access and use; and walls "constructed so as to facilitate future installation of grabrails".

Clause H8D2(1) makes the Deemed-to-Satisfy route compliance with the ABCB Standard for Livable Housing Design, whose six Parts follow the same order.

Step-free entry: the path and the front door

Clause 1.1(1) of the Standard requires a continuous path to an entrance door from the pedestrian entry at the allotment boundary, an appurtenant garage or carport, or a car parking space for the exclusive use of the occupants. Under clause 1.1(2), access is either "via a pathway" or "provided directly from an attached Class 10a garage or carport, via a door complying with the requirements of Section 2, other than Clause 2.3." A pathway must have no steps, a maximum gradient of 1:14 in the direction of travel, any crossfall not more than 1:40, and a minimum width of 1000 mm. Ramping is capped at an aggregate 9 m at 1:14 or 15 m at 1:20, and one step ramp of not more than 190 mm is allowed.

At the door, clause 2.1 requires a minimum clear opening width of 820 mm; the Standard’s information note says this "can generally be achieved using an 870 mm door leaf". Clause 2.3 asks for a level 1200 mm × 1200 mm landing on the arrival side; its Applications state that it does not apply to a dwelling exempt from Clause 1.1 or to an entrance door serving an appurtenant garage or carport under 1.1(b).

In South Australia the threshold clause is replaced. H8D2(5), inserted by clause 2.2.6 of MBS 007, provides that the threshold of an entrance door subject to Clause 2.1 must "(a) be level; or (b) have a sill height not more than 5 mm if the lip is rounded or bevelled; or (c) have a ramped threshold that— (i) does not extend internally beyond the depth of the door jamb; and (ii) has a gradient not steeper than 1:8; and (iii) is at least as wide as the minimum clear opening width of the entrance door; and (iv) does not intrude into the minimum dimensions of a landing area that is required by Clause 2.3; or (d) where the requirements of (a), (b) or (c) cannot meet the weatherproofing requirements of the NCC, for external entrance doors containing a raised door or sill— (i) have no lip or upstand greater than 15 mm within the sill profile; and (ii) have no more than 5 mm height difference between the edge of the top surface of the sill and the adjoining finished surface."

The entrance does not have to be the front door. Whether a step-free route is achievable on a block depends on site levels, the floor level and the setout, which are set during design.

• Construction setout and peg-out in Adelaide
• Design and planning services

Door and corridor widths

Clause 3.1 requires internal doorways to provide "a minimum clear opening width of 820 mm". Its Applications list doorways that connect to, or are in the path of travel to, a habitable room or laundry on the ground or entry level, an attached garage or carport on the required access path, a "sanitary compartment on the ground or entry level complying with Parts 4 and 6", and a room containing the qualifying shower.

Clause 3.3 requires corridors and hallways connected to those doors to have "a minimum clear width of 1000 mm, measured between the finished surfaces of opposing walls." Skirtings, architraves and door hardware may be disregarded.

Where can the qualifying toilet and step-free shower be?

Clause 4.1 of the Standard requires at least one sanitary compartment — a room or space containing a toilet — on the ground or entry level. In South Australia, H8D2(6), inserted by clause 2.2.6 of MBS 007, varies this: "There must be at least one compliant sanitary compartment located on either: (a) the ground or entry level; or (b) the lowest level containing a habitable room within a Class 1a building." Clause 4.2 asks for a clear 1200 mm by 900 mm space in front of the pan, clear of the door swing, and 900 mm between walls for a separate toilet.

For the shower, H8D2(7), also inserted by clause 2.2.6 of MBS 007, replaces clause 5.2 in South Australia: "(a) At least one shower must have a hobless and step-free entry. (b) An enclosed shower area that is hobless and step-free must have: (i) a water bar with a maximum height of 5 mm installed above and sealed to the waterstop at the shower area entry; or (ii) a linear drain at the shower area entry. (c) An unenclosed shower area that is hobless and step-free must comply with AS 3740 or Part 10.2 of the ABCB Housing Provisions." The Standard’s information note adds that this shower need not be on the entry level.

Reinforced bathroom walls for grabrails

Clause 6.1(1) of the Standard requires reinforcement to "(a) sanitary compartment that is subject to Part 4; and (b) bathroom containing a— (i) shower that is subject to Part 5; or (ii) bath (if provided), other than a freestanding bath where the bath is located in a room that also contains a shower that is subject to Part 5." Its stated intent is a fixing surface for grabrails "if needed"; the Standard says it "does not require the installation of grabrails at the time of construction."

Clause 6.2(3) lists the materials: structural grade plywood of at least 12 mm, timber noggings of at least 25 mm, or light gauge steel noggings or metal plate in accordance with the NASH Standard. Clause 6.1(2) lifts the requirement where walls are concrete, masonry or another material able to support grabrails without added reinforcement. The reinforcement is concealed once the wall is lined; Figures 6.2a to 6.2g of the Standard show where it goes.

Exemptions for steep sites, and SA concessions

Clause H8D2(2) of NCC 2022 provides that clause 1.1, the access path, "need not be complied with if" step-free access via a garage, carport or parking space is not provided and a listed site condition exists, such as average ground slope over 1:14 or insufficient space. Both limbs must apply, and under H8D2(4) the rest of the Standard still applies.

South Australia’s concessions in clause 2.2.5(1) of MBS 007 are separate. Under them Part H8 does not apply to a Class 1a building that was the subject of a development application lodged before 1 October 2024; that is to be built on a small or irregular allotment for which a land division application was lodged prior to 1 May 2027, or on an allotment that was small or irregular "as of 1 May 2027"; that is manufactured off site with a floor area of 70 sqm or less; or that is used as workers’ or tourist accommodation. Nor does it apply to an alteration or addition "for which a development application is lodged prior to 1 May 2030." Under clause 2.2.5(2), the allotment, off-site and accommodation cases "must still comply with Part 6", the grabrail reinforcement.

MBS 007 defines a small allotment as "an allotment with the primary street frontage less than or equal to 10m", and an irregular allotment as one "with an area less than 300sqm and which is unable to contain a minimum 9m x 15m rectangle beyond the primary street setback." These dates are those in Amendment 6; MBS 007 has been amended more than once. Whether an exemption or concession applies to a particular house is for the relevant authority — the council or a private building certifier — to decide.

• Feasibility and schematic design in Adelaide
• New build services