Building new homes that promote mobility - new voluntary code released today
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Bill Shorten, the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, will release a voluntary building code to improve homes for Australians with mobility issues - helping the aged as well as mums wanting better safety for toddlers and easier pram access to their homes.
US research says that 90% of homes will have someone with a mobility disability living there at a point in time, and most homes are not suitable for this purpose. The code includes items like step free showers, clear entry access and a toilet on the ground floor as well as wider corridors and reinforced bathroom walls (for railings if they need to be retrofitted).
The voluntary code is expected to boost house value (logical, given that more people will like the property) and also extends the value of a home as people can remain in their home for longer before going into an aged care facility. But I'm wondering how much this voluntary building code will be adopted? I can see the benefits of builders adopting the code given that it's expected to boost home prices but it's still voluntary, so building a new home according to the code seems more a marketing strategy than anything else. Should the government legislate this code, or is the voluntary nature of the code more likely to encourage positive action without stunting the building sector's growth?
Building Quotes
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