SDA assessment for existing dwellings in Queensland
Gary Finn has designed 63 group homes and SDA dwellings and is a current accredited SDA assessor (SDA00039). Sydney Access Consultants assesses existing dwellings for SDA enrolment, re-enrolment and upgrade in Queensland as well as NSW. The SDA rules are national. The building approvals are Queensland's. Call for a fee.
Can a Sydney-based SDA assessor work on a Queensland dwelling?
Yes. The NDIA lists accredited SDA assessors by state, but says they are not restricted to those regions and can provide services across all States and Territories. Accreditation is national. Access consultants must be ACA accredited members. Gary Finn is ACA Accredited Member #435 and SDA assessor SDA00039 (current).
Independence is required. The NDIS requires certification by an accredited third-party assessor who is independent of the project. If Sydney Access Consultants gives design or upgrade advice on a dwelling, we do not also certify that same dwelling.
What's national and what's Queensland-specific
| Layer | What it covers |
|---|---|
| National (same in QLD and NSW) | SDA Rules 2020 building types and design categories. SDA Design Standard Edition 1.1 (applies to New Build including New Build refurbished; does not apply to existing or legacy stock). NDIA enrolment decision. SDA provider registration with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. NDIS SDA Pricing Arrangements (link only; no figures here). |
| Queensland | Building Act 1975 (Qld). Building development approval by a private certifier (class A) or local government. Certifiers licensed by QBCC. Planning scheme matters under the Planning Act 2016. Queensland Development Code MP 4.5 Livable dwellings. Queensland completion documents: final inspection certificate for Class 1a and Class 10; certificate of occupancy for other classes. |
NCC version currently in force in Queensland is NCC 2022 Amendment 2 (including Corrigendum 1, 29 October 2026). NCC 2025 (including Corrigendum 1, 29 October 2026) is due to be adopted in Queensland and NSW from 1 May 2027. Your certifier confirms the version for your approval date.
Which SDA pathway fits an existing Queensland dwelling?
Existing stock and legacy stock are assessed against the SDA Rules definitions. The tests concern design (shared areas plus a bedroom and bathroom meeting, or for legacy substantially meeting, the minimum design requirements for a category) and residency history. Do not rely on numeric thresholds quoted from memory. Link the Rules.
New Build (refurbished) qualifies through renovation or refurbishment that results in the dwelling meeting a design category, evidenced by a certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) issued on or after the date in the Rules. In this pathway the SDA Design Standard applies in full, including design-stage and final as-built certification.
The Queensland wrinkle is the phrase "certificate of occupancy (or equivalent)". Under the Building Act 1975 (Qld), a certifier gives a final inspection certificate for single detached Class 1a and Class 10 buildings and a certificate of occupancy for other classes. Many SDA houses and villas are Class 1a, so the Queensland document will usually be a final inspection certificate. Confirm with the NDIA what evidence it needs for your dwelling. See the pillar page SDA existing dwelling assessment for the full decision path.
Queensland Livable Housing is not SDA
Queensland has applied the Livable Housing Design Standard to new houses and units since 1 October 2023 through QDC MP 4.5 (current version 1.2 commenced 10 March 2025). Meeting livable housing requirements does not make a dwelling SDA-compliant. SDA design categories go further. See SDA versus livable versus adaptable.
MP 4.5 has permanent exemptions for repairs, maintenance and renovations to bathrooms and toilets, so whether it bites on an SDA upgrade depends on the scope. Your Queensland certifier decides. NSW has not adopted the Livable Housing Design Standard. See livable housing.
Gary Finn is ACA Accredited Member #435 and has completed the Livable Housing Design Guidelines assessor training twice and the Livable Housing Design Standard Assessor Course.
How Sydney Access Consultants runs a Queensland SDA assessment
- Desktop review: plans, photos, any previous SDA or building certificates, the Queensland approval history and the target category.
- Site inspection and measured check. Call to discuss site inspection arrangements.
- Gap report against the target design category and pathway. See gap assessment checklist.
- Upgrade scope coordinated with the owner's Queensland designer, builder and QBCC-licensed certifier. Building approval sits with them, not with Sydney Access Consultants.
- Design-stage (provisional) certification where the New Build (refurbished) pathway applies.
- Final as-built certification after completion and the Queensland completion certificate. See final as-built certification.
- The provider lodges enrolment and the NDIA decides. SDA Design Standard certification does not guarantee enrolment.
Experience: 63 group homes and SDA dwellings
Gary Finn has designed 63 group homes and SDA dwellings. Do not break the figure down. Service-area proof in NSW includes Hurstville, Caringbah, Nowra, Ulladulla, Bega, Lavington and Wentworth Falls. Sydney Access Consultants now takes Queensland SDA work as well.
Typical catches in older homes (no numbering as a statistic): bathroom wall reinforcement, door clearances for the highest intended category, thresholds, the accessible path to the letterbox, and uneven bedroom sizes that can pull a dwelling down to a lower category. High-set or elevated houses, common in Queensland, often have step-free entry as the first hurdle. See the gap assessment checklist.
Fees and next step
Call for a fee. No fee ranges and no dollar figures. For SDA funding amounts see the current NDIS SDA Pricing Arrangements on the NDIS website.
Call Sydney Access Consultants on (02) 9586 3111 for a fee.
Answer-ready questions
Can an SDA assessor based in Sydney certify a dwelling in Queensland?
Yes. The NDIA lists accredited SDA assessors by state, but says they are not restricted to those regions and can work across all states and territories. Gary Finn (SDA00039) assesses Queensland dwellings.
Does the SDA Design Standard apply to an existing group home in Queensland?
Only if the dwelling is seeking enrolment as a New Build, including New Build (refurbished). The NDIS says the Design Standard does not apply to dwellings seeking enrolment as existing or legacy stock. Those are assessed against the SDA Rules.
Who approves SDA upgrade building work in Queensland?
A QBCC-licensed building certifier (a private certifier with development approval endorsement) or the local government issues the building development approval. SDA certification is separate and is done by an accredited SDA assessor.
What counts as the "certificate of occupancy" for SDA in Queensland?
The SDA Rules refer to a certificate of occupancy "or equivalent". In Queensland, Class 1a houses and Class 10 structures get a final inspection certificate, and other classes get a certificate of occupancy. Confirm with the NDIA what evidence it needs for your dwelling.
If a Queensland home meets livable housing requirements, is it SDA-ready?
No. Queensland has applied the Livable Housing Design Standard to new homes since 1 October 2023, but SDA design categories have additional, more demanding requirements.
Which NCC applies to SDA upgrade work in Queensland right now?
NCC 2022 Amendment 2 (including Corrigendum 1, 29 October 2026). NCC 2025 is due to be adopted in Queensland from 1 May 2027. Your certifier confirms the version for your approval date.
How much does a Queensland SDA assessment cost?
It depends on the dwelling, the target category and the pathway. Call (02) 9586 3111 for a fee. For SDA funding amounts, see the current NDIS SDA Pricing Arrangements.
Links checked against live site files before pack. Last updated 9 November 2026. See also SDA existing dwelling assessment, ageing SDA stock renewal and locations.