Home modifications are custom-built changes to a participant’s home to help them access and use areas of their home.

Home modifications can be minor changes or they can be more complex.

Minor home modifications are home modifications that don’t change the structural parts of the home or cost more than $20,000. They have 2 categories:

  • Category A minor home modifications cost under $10,000.
  • Category B minor home modifications cost between $10,000 and $20,000, or they involve minor modifications to a bathroom floor. These are funded using a set NDIS budget  based on current market costs in MMM1 locations using the Modified Monash Model (MMM). 

Complex home modifications usually need building approvals or permissions, and certification of work such as plumbing and electrical works. They may involve highly complex or technical works, or impact several areas of a participant’s home. 

View Our Guideline – Home modifications  to find out more.

Home modification (HM) assessments

The NDIA needs sufficient evidence to decide which home modification supports are reasonable and necessary to include in a participant’s plan.

Plans include funding for a home modification assessment and should also include advice on the scope of the home modification to be assessed (for example, improved access to the bathroom).

Home modifications assessors

A home modifications assessor is an occupational therapist with skills to provide detailed and complex home modifications assessments.

The NDIA expects that a home modifications assessor required for Category B minor home modifications and complex home modifications should demonstrate:

  • Professional qualifications and meet the registration requirements as an occupational therapist
  • A good understanding of the scope and purpose of the NDIS, particularly as it relates to the goals and use of supports in a participant’s plan to achieve agreed outcomes
  • Successful completion of post graduate education and/or training specifically on the assessment, specification and implementation of complex home modifications that may include at least one of the following:
    • Occupational Therapy Australia peer reviewed education and/or training on Complex Home Modification
    • Associate Member or above of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA) – professional credential
    • Successful completion of Nationally Recognised Training modules CPPACC4020 and CPPACC5016
    • Employment at Senior Clinician level specifically responsible for Complex Home Modification assessment.
    • NDIS registered providers who successfully completed NDIA-authorised training in Complex Home Modification assessment during the trial phase of the NDIS prior to 30 June 2016.

Guidance for home modifications assessors

Assessment template

Using the correct home modification assessment template ensures the NDIA has the information needed for planning and approval.

This helps avoids delays with approving funding.

Participants must provide their permission before the NDIA can discuss the assessment and/or quotes with the provider(s) directly concerned. The consent section in the assessment template is ideal to capture this consent.

Participants will follow different processes, depending on the scope and complexity of the proposed home modifications.

Refer to the NDIS Home modifications classifications table (DOCX 45KB)  for more information.

Minor home modification budget levels

The NDIA will use a table of current industry informed budgets to set the level of funding typically provided for each type of minor home modification approved.

Home modifications guidance for builders and designers

The Home modifications guidance for builders and designers is a technical guide which helps explain the typical reasonable and necessary scope of works for home modifications.

Builder consultation

For complex home modifications and in some minor home modifications (those in Category B), a building construction practitioner will be funded to work with the participant and home modification assessor to help plan the recommended scope of works. 

Participants should confirm:

  • that there is sufficient appropriate funding available in the home modifications category budget to pay for the consultation with a building construction practitioner
  • use of funding for this purpose has been agreed by the NDIA.

All NDIS-funded building works must comply with relevant laws and regulatory frameworks.

This includes the National Construction Code and Australian Standards applicable in the state or territory of construction, which regulate home modifications.

Complex home modification works often take longer to complete.

All parties should be clearly informed and aware of requirements to provide an efficient process for participants.

Providing home modification quotes

The NDIA does not require participants to provide quotes from a builder for minor home modifications (non-structural works under $20,000).

However in remote Australia, a quote helps the NDIA to set the most appropriate budget because the costs can be quite variable.

For complex home modifications, 2 quotes are usually required.

Where builders’ quotes are obtained, they must provide sufficient detail to establish:

  • the dimensions of the area being modified (for example length, width and height of walls to be tiled)
  • a separate costing for each stage of the job (for example demolition, plumbing and electrical work in separate stages)
  • a description of any fixtures or items provided by the builder (including make, model and cost)
  • an overall quote for the job, inclusive of GST (where applicable).

Pricing and payments for home modification providers

Providers should work closely with participants to understand their needs and how they will be paid for supports and services they will provide.

State and territory building contract and payment regulations apply to all NDIS funded home modifications. In all cases, the final Practical Completion payment cannot be claimed until work is complete (including certifications if required).

If providers are working with participants with NDIA-managed or plan-managed funding, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits outline the appropriate support items they should be claiming payments against.

Self-managed participants pay providers directly for Home Modification supports and services.

Other information to support providers is available, including:

More home modifications resources

This page current as of
5 May 2023