Building a new house can be daunting – especially with all the rooms you have to consider! One of the most important things you need to consider when building a home is the appropriate dimensions of the rooms, including the bedrooms. We spend a significant amount of time in our bedrooms, so building them to the correct size is essential for our comfort.
Today we’re looking at everything you need to know about the bedroom requirements you need to know about before finalising your new build plans. Keep reading to learn more.
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What are the bedroom requirements in Queensland?
The National Construction Code (NCC) has specific rules for the dimensions of every room in the house, including your bedroom. The NCC is Australia’s primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings, including those built in Queensland.
But what’s the standard bedroom size in Australia? While most planning permission gives you plenty of free reign to customise the design of your bedroom, there is a necessary threshold that your room needs to meet before it’s considered habitable.
Here are the strict guidelines the NCC sets for your room to qualify as a bedroom:
- The room needs a minimum ceiling height of 2.4 metres
- It should have at least 6.5 m2 of floor space
- The window needs to be 10% of the total area of the room
- It should meet natural ventilation requirements where the window must be 5% of the room’s total area
- In Queensland, smoke alarms are required in every bedroom in the house
If your bedroom meets the requirements of a habitable room, the NCC defines it as a room that you can use for regular domestic activities. Bedrooms need to have natural light and ventilation windows to make them liveable.
Average bedroom size in Queensland
The average bedroom size in Australia is 3.2 x 3 metres, which is slightly above the international standard. There are no specific details for an average bedroom size in Queensland specifically, but this average size is similar all over Australia.
While 3.2 x 3 metres is larger than average, you can make your room even larger. You can also make it smaller, as long as it still includes 6.5 m2 of floor space. If you’re hoping to add an en-suite, bear in mind that you’ll likely need quite a bit more space to accommodate the extra appliances.
Types of bedroom sizes in Australia
There are three main types of bedrooms for you to build, depending on how many bedrooms you’re planning on including in your new build. While a room should be at least 6.5 m2, it can be a lot larger depending on the types of bedroom you’re planning on including:
Master bedrooms
Master bedrooms are the largest bedrooms in the house by a large margin, and they’ll often include extra amenities such as en-suites and walk-in wardrobes. The average master bedroom in Australia is around 10 to 12 square metres, with the extra space being used to account for larger pieces of furniture, like a King bed. You may also choose to include extra design choices here, like higher ceilings and more floor space.
Guest bedrooms
Guest bedrooms tend to be smaller and are sometimes referred to as second bedrooms. As these aren’t always used constantly, they often only need to meet the minimum bedroom requirements. However, if you like to treat your guests, you could also make their room slightly bigger and include an en-suite for them to use, too.
Kids bedrooms
Kids’ rooms often vary in size depending on how old the children are and who is going to be using them. While kids’ bedrooms are often smaller than master bedrooms, it’s important to consider how long the child will be living in their room. For example, while the child might only be young at the time of building, and therefore not need too much space, if they’re going to grow into it over many years, you may want to start planning for the future now. Another thing to consider is how many kids are going to be sleeping in one room or if you’re going to include multiple kids’ rooms instead.
How do I make sure that my bedroom is compliant with QLD regulations?
The best way to make sure your bedroom is compliant with the QLD regulations is to work with your building inspector and have them check over your plans. Registered inspectors assess and determine applications for development certificates for building works, making sure your new build is safe and up to the standards set out by the Queensland government.
A certifier will be able to make sure your bedrooms are the correct size and abide by the current regulations, including windows, smoke alarms, and more.
Another thing you can do to make sure that your bedrooms are compliant with Queensland regulations is work with a trusted builder who works to the necessary regulations and who can help you with your plans. A qualified contractor should be aware of the bedroom requirements in Queensland and only approve plans that abide by them, keeping your new build-up to the correct standards.
How much will a building inspector cost to review my new build QLD?
There isn’t a flat rate for hiring a building inspector, as there are plenty of factors that can determine how much work they’ll need to do for your property. Most building inspectors charge around $200 to $300 for smaller properties and between $400 and $500 for larger homes. However, for metropolitan areas, you might even be expected to pay as much as $1,200 for each inspection.
The important thing to remember is that building inspectors don’t just check the size of your bedrooms! They also check the multiple stages of the building, such as the frame stage, lock-up stage, and more. So, don’t worry about paying this much for them just to check that your bedrooms meet the expected requirements – they do much more for your new build!
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