Habitable rooms are defined by a Construction Code in Queensland, and it is important to know what this definition is before you buy a property – particularly if you’re looking to rent out the property as a whole or any rooms within. The specifications required in Queensland will determine what the rooms can be used for and can even affect the overall value of your home, so this sort of information is crucial.
To get all the insider information you need to make an informed decision, you’ll need to book a knowledgeable inspector, and that’s where Action Property Inspections comes in!
What are the definitions of a habitable room?
According to the National Construction Code of Australia, a habitable room is a room used for normal domestic activities, so a bedroom, a living room, dining room, kitchen, study, playroom, or similar, but not a bathroom, laundry, pantry, hallway, or any other space of a specified nature.
For buildings of classes 1, 2, or 3 (or residential houses, apartments, or other long-term residences), a habitable room excluding a kitchen must have a minimum height of 2.4 metres, while a kitchen, laundry or the like must have a minimum height of 2.1 metres.
How might this affect a sale?
There are a number of implications for a property with habitable rooms that do not fit the Queensland Building Code requirements. The property owner could be left with rooms that can’t be used as they were intended.
Firstly, you can’t rent out a room as a separate residence if it doesn’t meet the necessary specifications. If you do use one of these rooms as a bedroom or a dining room, for example, and you find you need to make an insurance claim, you may experience problems with collecting on your claim. The local council may even force you to rectify any issues with the room so that it conforms with the building code, which could set you back thousands. It will make any future sales harder, and the value of the property may decrease.
If you are concerned that certain rooms of a property might not meet the legal height requirements, you need to book a pre-purchase property inspector and determine what your next steps are.
Has the property you’ve recently inspected
got a space that doesn’t seem to meet habitable room requirements?
Contact Action Property Inspections to book an inspection today!
