Contact the Architect?

There are serious inconsistencies in the building industry when it comes to accurately answering this question. As usual, someone is told something and that's interpreted and applied broadly without a thorough understanding of the intent.

So, following today's site inspection, I'm hoping to set the record straight, again.

TWO SALIENT POINTS

• There is no universal design response to this question. The "universal design" idea that it could suit everyone is a furphy, or else, we would all still be reading in Vitruvius for the answer. 

• Let's say, you set the switches at 1350 above the floor, as the electrician did today. That's great for me at 1830mm tall, fit and flexible. Though kids have a lot of trouble reaching those, and a person who uses their knee to toggle the switch is at full stretch. *scratch your head now.

So, how does Gary defect an electrician's work?

I apply the standard applicable to the project, for example:

1. The heights nominated in the Building Specification. Maybe it hasn't been stated by the owner or the design team. How is that even possible?
2. The height defaulting in NATSPEC, which, for switch/powerpoint is 1100/300 above floor level.
3. AS 1428.1 provides a touchpad height of between 900 and 1250mm, but doesn't specify the power point heights at all.
4. AS 1428.2 provides for both switches and powerpoints to be in the zone of reach between 700 and 1200mm. That seems very sensible to me.
5. AS 4299 provides for a switch height of between 900 and 1100mm, and a powerpoint height of greater than 600mm.
6. The NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing), requires heights of switches and power points to match those indicated in AS 1428.1 (noting that the AS 1428.1 standard does not specify a height for power points at all).
7. The Specialist Disability Accommodation Standard requires switches to be located between 900 and 1100mm above floor level, and power points to be located on the range between 600 and 1100mm above Floor level. But, it also requires the door handle to line up with the light switch, so the electrician, who comes along first, has to decide what height the door handles will be at, or otherwise, move his switches when the doors are installed.

Out of all of these options available to the construction team, none of them provide for the height to be determined by wherever the carpenter may or may not have positioned a nogging.

To my way of thinking, designers ought to be indicating the required heights so that these are sensibly located. If you are laying in bed, why position a light switch adjoining the bed at a height more than an arm's reach away from the bed and 1100 above the floor? 

Please get in touch if you've got any questions. It's always better to ask rather than to assume.

Kind regards



Gary Finn
0414414101
(Cert iv Access Consulting)
Architect Principal #5774 (NSW)
Builder #51908C (NSW)
Access Consultant #435
Principal Design Practitioner #PDP0000496
SDA Accredited Assessor #SDA00039

Sydney Access Consultants

https://sydneyaccessconsultants.com.au

Shop 7/438 Forest Road, Hurstville NSW 2220
Phone (02) 95863111 Mobile 0414 414101 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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