Will the New Building Code add $10,000 to the Cost of Building?

For the last 12-18 months, the new building code (National Construction Code 2022) has been eased into effect. The most notable changes have been:

• requirement for a 1m clear walkway, (1050mm between frames to include plasterboard and skirting);

• larger door spaces requiring 870 doors;

• larger entry door spaces requiring 920 doors);

• no-step entry (doors and sliding glass doors flush with floor);

• 1200mm clear space in front of at least one toilet;

• falls to bathrooms...

The biggest change has been the requirements for 7 Star ratings and the new ABCB energy assessment requirements. In Zone 2 areas (SEQ), this includes shading devices and eaves or even verandas over high-set glass doors and windows, lighter colours on the exterior, less glazing area etc.

For most custom design builders, the changes won't make a huge difference, particularly for builders who already used tinted/Low E glazing and passive design principles.

For companies that build standard designs, the changes will be a huge cost to the company, with hundreds of plans needing to be re-designed, re-engineered and re-costed, which could easily equate to $10,000 per home design.

Currently a lot of builders still showcase plans that are not compliant with either the building code, or the energy requirements. Owners should enquire about any plan they are thinking about building from, to ensure variations are not added after contract.

What to look for:

Indications that a home design does not comply include (may differ for different areas):

• lots of glass, or tall windows exposed to the sun without a veranda, eaves or hoods;

• very dark colours, including black roofs and cladding;

• bathrooms that don't have a 1200mm clear space in front of the toilet, or have a door opening into this space;

• showers with no shower door (additional waterproofing is required). In fact, in many plans, the shower door cannot open at all!

• no outdoor covered area larger than 12sqm;

• no PV system or external fan;

• no ceiling batts included in the inclusions;

• 70mm external framing used...