Australian Standards
Australian Standards are produced by Standards Australia. They can become legally enforceable when referenced by the National Construction Code, state legislation, a contract, a permit condition or another regulatory instrument. We name standards for orientation, not clause-level legal advice. Ask the licensed contractor to confirm the work will comply with current AS/NZS requirements and any state or territory requirements that apply to your job.
Most standards apply across several trades. The “often relevant to” tags below are a map of where each one tends to show up — not a statement that it applies only to those trades.
Sets the wind force every Australian building must be engineered to resist. Cyclone zones (categories C and D) use the most stringent ratings.
Ask this: “Has the design been engineered for the wind / cyclone category at my address?”
Defines safe glass thickness, type (toughened, laminated) and installation for windows, splashbacks, balustrades and pool fences.
Ask this: “Will the glass used meet AS 1288 for this location (e.g. safety glass where required)?”
Technical requirements for scaffold components, loading capacity, ties and erection.
Ask this: “Who erects and inspects the scaffold, and is it tagged before use?”
The framing bible. Specifies member sizes, fixings, bracing and wind ratings for timber-framed Australian homes.
Ask this: “Is the framing sized and braced to AS 1684 for my wind rating?”
Installation practice for resilient sheet and tile flooring (vinyl, vinyl plank, linoleum) — subfloor preparation, moisture limits and laying.
Ask this: “Has the subfloor moisture been checked and prepared before the flooring goes down?”
Safe-use guidance for elevating work platforms (EWPs / cherry pickers) and cranes — referenced wherever roof, facade, tree or two-storey work occurs above ~2m.
Ask this: “If an EWP or cherry picker is used, is the operator licensed and is the plant rated for the job?”
Installation, fixing pattern, jointing and finishing levels (Levels 1–5) for plasterboard walls and ceilings.
Ask this: “What finish level (1–5) is quoted for the visible walls and ceilings?”
The core demolition standard — safe sequencing, hazard control, and protection of adjoining property and the public during a demolition.
Ask this: “Will the demolition follow AS 2601, with a hazardous-materials check and adjoining-property protection first?”
Soil classification (A, S, M, H1, H2, E, P) and the footing design required for each. Drives excavation depth and slab cost.
Ask this: “What soil class was the slab designed to, and is there a soil report?”
The electrical installation standard every Australian electrician works to. Switchboard layout, circuit protection, earthing, RCDs.
Ask this: “Will I receive the electrical compliance certificate for the work (CCEW in NSW, CoES in VIC)?”
The national plumbing and drainage standard set: water services, sanitary plumbing and drainage, stormwater, and heated water. Part 3 covers stormwater (gutter sizing, downpipes, connections).
Ask this: “Which parts of AS/NZS 3500 apply to my work, and what compliance paperwork will I get?”
Engineering standard for concrete slabs, beams and columns. Specifies reinforcement, cover and curing.
Ask this: “Is the reinforcement and concrete grade to the engineer's spec?”
Bricklaying and blockwork engineering. Mortar grades, tie placement, control joints, wind-rated walls.
Ask this: “Are wall ties and control joints specified to AS 3700 for this wall?”
Subgrade preparation, slab thickness, joint spacing and finish for driveways and paths.
Ask this: “What slab thickness and joint spacing is quoted for my driveway / path?”
The bathroom & laundry standard. Membrane types, falls, flange requirements at penetrations, junction details.
Ask this: “Who is responsible for waterproofing, and what written confirmation or certificate will I receive?”
Compaction testing, fill placement and verification for site cuts and engineered fill.
Ask this: “Will compaction be tested and documented before the slab goes down?”
Sets the construction requirements for each Bushfire Attack Level (BAL). Dictates materials, screening and detailing for homes in designated bushfire-prone land.
Ask this: “Is my property bushfire-prone, and what BAL has the work been designed to?”
The termite-protection standard for new and existing buildings — chemical barriers, physical barriers, or both. The pest controller or builder documents the system installed.
Ask this: “What termite management system is installed, and do I get the durable notice / certificate?”
The locksets and door-hardware standard — performance, security and durability grading for locks, deadlocks and door hardware.
Ask this: “Do the locks meet AS 4145 for security, and are they keyed or restricted the way I asked?”
Safety and construction standard for garage doors and other large access doors — including entrapment protection and, in cyclonic areas, wind ratings.
Ask this: “Does the door meet AS/NZS 4505, and the wind rating for my area if it is cyclonic?”
Pre-1970 homes likely contain lead paint. Specifies containment, removal method and disposal.
Ask this: “How will lead paint be contained and disposed of if the home is pre-1970?”
Companion to AS 1576 — safe-use practices, inspection intervals and scafftag requirements.
Ask this: “How often is the scaffold inspected, and is the scafftag current?”
Balconies, terraces, planter boxes, retaining walls. Differs from AS 3740 because it covers exposure to UV and weather.
Ask this: “Is the balcony / external area waterproofed to AS 4654, with falls to drainage?”
Insulation product performance specs (R-value, fire rating, vapour permeability) for batts, blow-in and foam.
Ask this: “What R-value and product is being installed, and does it meet my climate-zone target?”
The installation standard for rooftop and ground-mount solar PV — array wiring, isolation, mounting and labelling. Sits alongside the Wiring Rules.
Ask this: “Is the installer SAA-accredited, and will the array be installed and certified to AS/NZS 5033?”
Safety standard for installing home battery systems — location, separation, ventilation and fire risk.
Ask this: “Where will the battery be located, and does the install meet AS/NZS 5139 separation and fire rules?”
The gas installation standard for domestic gas appliances, lines and flues. Gas work is licensed and notifiable — ask for the compliance documentation.
Ask this: “Is the gasfitter licensed for gas work, and what gas compliance paperwork will I receive?”
Covers mechanical ventilation and air-handling systems — relevant to exhaust, fresh-air and ducted systems in homes and fitouts.
Ask this: “Is the ventilation / exhaust sized and installed to the relevant standard for the room?”
The umbrella code that incorporates many of the standards above. Replaced the Building Code of Australia (BCA) in name but the same underlying framework. Adopted (sometimes with variations) by each state and territory.
Ask this: “Will the work comply with the current NCC and any state variations that apply here?”