Upgrading an Existing House to Specialist Disability Accommodation

Photo of house at framing stage

NDIA Advice What can be included within the Minimum Spend 8 March 2024  We have received the following advice from the NDIA All costs usually associated with a dwelling refurbishment (modification) form the basis of the minimum refurbishment cost requirements as outlined in the SDA Pricing arrangements, previously the SDA Price Guide. The costs are inclusive of planning and development application/approval costs, engineering design certification, construction costs, as well as dwelling design and certification. This includes consultancy costs such as architectural design, engineering design, accessibility design and certifications. The costs include kitchen and/or laundry appliances that would usually be installed....

Introducing the Turtle Tough TV enclosure—the perfect protection for your TV in Robust Specialist Disability Accommodation

Turtle Tough robust television enclosure for Robust Specialist Disability Accommodation

When it comes to safety and style, you can’t beat our Turtle Tough TV enclosure. It’s durable, has a modern design and reduces the risk of injury for high-risk areas, including Robust Specialist Disability Accommodation.   What is the Tough Turtle TV enclosure? Made from 3mm steel with an unbreakable 12mm polycarbonate screen, the Tough Turtle TV enclosure is built to last. It’s the perfect way to protect your TV, suitable for indoor and outdoor spaces. With built-in ventilation, gas struts for easy lifting, handy mounting brackets, anti-tamper screws and, all corners and edges are rounded so you can rest....

How much money will I earn investing in Desirable SDA Specialist Disability Accommodation?

Specialist Disability Accommodation Investment Returns

What Financial Returns Should I Expect with SDA One of the most asked questions from people wanting to invest in SDA or Specialist Disability Accommodation is, 'How much money will I make? I have heard it is a lot". This is followed by, "I heard the payments are Government guaranteed," and then "Where should I build an SDA?" All three questions miss the point of providing SDA that is Desirable™️ to participants.   Where Should I Build SDA This is one question we will not answer. It is not a case of building SDA; participants will queue up to move....

Why the SIL, STA or MTA Accommodation you’re Providing may be Operating Illegally

House fire with fire engine in the foreground

Have you confirmed before trading within your SIL, STA or MTA house that it has the correct building classification? Is it a Class 1a, Class 1b or Class 3? All approved dwellings will have an occupancy permit (OP), and on that OP it will state what the approved use of that dwelling will be in the form of a classification. If the building classification is Class 1a, It may not be fit for purpose. We have often been asked to manage SIL, STA or MTA properties with an OP for Class 1a, which we decline. It is not a simple....

Town Planning Concession for SDA Developments Victoria

SDA Town Planning Changes Victoria

Update 7 June 2023 Councils are accepting our statements that compliance can be achieved as detailed in the update 29 November 2022 below. Town Planning Exemption Additionally, some of our clients who are not registered providers have had projects approved without needing town planning approvals by nominating SDA Consulting as the SDA Provider and stating we are under a head lease.   Update 29 November 2022 We have issued to-date statements advising that the designs can achieve compliance at the provisional certification stage for three town planning applications. We await confirmation these will be accepted by councils in the interim.....

Can you have multiple categories of SDA on different stories within the same house or villa without a passenger lift?

Photo of a woman in a wheelchair entering a lift

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) was implemented by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to assist with housing for people with a disability. SDA is split into four design categories that cater to participants under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and includes Improved Liveability (IL), Robust (RO), Fully Accessible (FA) and High Physical Support (HPS). As SDA Accredited Assessors, we come across many floorplans daily with multiple design categories of SDA in one dwelling. Such as, a bedroom or two for a Fully Accessible/ High Physical Support or a Robust category is proposed on the Ground Floor with an Improved....

Assistive technology ready & home automation for Specialist Disability Accommodation

Photo of a mobile phone with images radiating from it including air conditioner, light, fountain, pump, oven, coffee machine, car charger and TV

Independent Living Made Easy Assisted living and Smart Home Automation technology is enabling people with disabilities to live fuller and more rewarding independent lives. New home automation technology maximises the ability of those with disabilities to live independently by enabling control of their home through smart devices and voice control. The technology is seamless in its simplicity of use and is designed for use by people with disabilities in mind.  There are endless scenarios where smart home technology can help everyday living... Building Specialist Disability Accommodation that is Assistive technology ready with home automation allows users to live with a....

SDAs Must Have Sprinklers

Photo of newspaper header with words Death of 9 innocents

. Spanish philosopher George Santayana stated, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” It appears with the rollout of specialist disability accommodation we have learnt nothing from the past in how to keep people with disability safe.   Are we building fire traps for SDA Participants?   The History of the Kew Cottages Tragedy?   View the Kew Cottages history in brief   In April 1996 nine men were killed in a fire that swiftly and violently engulfed their unit at Kew Cottages, a residential institution for people with intellectual disability. But are the SDAs we are....

What Size Block Of Land or Apartment Size Do I Need To Build SDA?

SDA Specialist Disability Accommodation Concept Design

This is one of the most common questions we get asked along with, "I have a block of land this size or an apartment, what can I build on it?" These are both open-ended questions due to the number of variables involved such as: How flat is the land? What category are you going to build? Robust and Improved Livability land size is similar, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support are identical, How many dwellings are proposed? How many occupants are being considered within each dwelling? For apartments, how big is the net floor area? Mark Krause, Senior SDA Consultant....

The Failures of SDA and Fire Safety

Failure of Emergency Planning in SDA

Following on from my previous posts about the safety of participants in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) I thought I would again challenge the status quo of what is perceived to be permitted building classifications vs safe building classifications. How difficult is it to evacuate one SDA participant from a home in a fire? Now ask yourself, how you would evacuate 10, 20 or even 30 participants in an emergency? We have an SDA development on the books with 34 participants housed above ground level, how will they be evacuated? We already know based on the SDA Pricing Arrangements for Specialist....

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