If you're building your first home, your contract will say the work must comply with the National Construction Code (NCC) and the relevant Australian Standards. That sounds reassuring, but it only helps you if you know roughly what those standards cover and what proof of compliance to ask for. Here's the short version.

Who writes the standards, and when they're law

Australian Standards are written by Standards Australia, an independent, non-government body. On their own, they're voluntary.

They become compulsory when the NCC or a law calls them up. The NCC, written by the Australian Building Codes Board and adopted by each state, references dozens of standards for things like footings, framing, waterproofing, glazing and termite protection. Electrical and plumbing laws do the same for the wiring rules and plumbing standards.

Your contract can also make a standard binding. If the specification says "tiling to AS 3958", the builder has agreed to it even if the NCC doesn't require it.

In Queensland, the QBCC's Standards and Tolerances Guide is also worth knowing. It's what the QBCC uses as a first reference when deciding whether finished work is defective, and it points back to many of these standards.

The standards that matter most on a new home

You don't need to read them (they're long and they're not free). You just need to know what they cover so you can ask sensible questions.

Structure

  • AS 2870: residential slabs and footings. How the slab and footings are designed for your site's soil classification.
  • AS 3600: concrete structures. Concrete design and construction where the slab or other elements are engineered.
  • AS 1684: residential timber-framed construction. Timber sizes, spans, bracing and tie-downs for most house frames.
  • AS 4055: wind loads for housing. Sets your site's wind classification, which drives tie-downs, bracing and roof fixings.

Keeping water and pests out

  • AS 3740: waterproofing of domestic wet areas. Showers, bathrooms and laundries.
  • AS 4654: waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use. Balconies and decks over living spaces.
  • AS 3660.1: termite management for new building work. The barrier system protecting your frame.

Safety

  • AS/NZS 3000: the wiring rules. How electrical installations are designed, installed and tested.
  • AS/NZS 3500: plumbing and drainage. Water supply, sanitary drainage, stormwater and hot water.
  • AS 1288: glass in buildings. Where safety glass is required, such as doors, low windows, shower screens and balustrades.
  • AS 3786: smoke alarms. In Queensland, new homes need hardwired, interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in every bedroom, in hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the house, and on every storey.
  • AS 1926.1: pool safety barriers. If you're putting in a pool: fences at least 1.2 m high, gaps no bigger than 100 mm, and self-closing, self-latching gates. Queensland has its own pool safety laws built on this standard.

The paperwork to ask for

Before you make the final payment at practical completion, ask for:

  • Form 21 final inspection certificate from the building certifier, confirming the building work has passed final inspection.
  • Electrical certificate of testing and safety from the licensed electrician.
  • Plumbing and drainage compliance paperwork, including any final plumbing inspection by council.
  • Waterproofing certificate for the wet areas.
  • Termite management details, including the durable notice in the meter box.
  • Energy rating certificate showing the home's NatHERS star rating. Under NCC 2022, most new Queensland homes have needed 7 stars since 1 May 2024.
  • Warranties and manuals for appliances, hot water, air conditioning, windows and roofing.

Keep all of it. You'll need it if anything goes wrong, and when you sell.

Check it yourself, then get help

At your practical completion walk-through, check:

  • Handrails and balustrades are solid and at the right height.
  • Smoke alarms are where they should be, and test them.
  • There are no obvious cracks in walls, ceilings or the slab.
  • Power points, switches and lights all work.
  • Taps, toilets and showers work with no leaks or dripping, and showers drain properly.
  • Windows and doors open, close and lock properly.
  • The hot water system works.
  • There are no stains on ceilings that could mean a roof leak.

Then book an independent building inspector before practical completion. They'll pick up defects and non-compliance you'd likely miss, and the builder can fix them before you pay the final claim. Our C16 Practical Completion Inspection checklist gives you the full list, and you'll find it on our checklists page.

After you move in

Under the QBCC standard new home contract, you have a 12-month defects period from practical completion. Your builder must fix defects that show up in that time. Statutory home warranty insurance also covers non-structural defects that appear within 6 months (lodge within 7 months) and structural defects for longer. Write down anything you notice as it happens, and report it in writing.

Buying an existing home instead?

If you're buying rather than building, get a pre-purchase inspection done to AS 4349.1. That standard sets out how the inspection should be carried out and what the report should cover, so you know what you're getting for your money. Our C21 Pre-Purchase Inspection checklist will help you walk through a home before you make an offer.