Home Design Guides: Regulations

In most cases you'll have plenty of freedom to choose and arrange doors - but in some circumstances - particularly if your house is also a business or a rental property - regulations do apply.

Depending on the type of pergola you intend to build, you may need to apply for specific permission to build. Find out when you're likely to need permission, and how to go about submitting an application.

Decks constructed beyond a certain height need to be built with handrails. The construction of the handrails is also regulated, to further lower the risk of an accident. See what's required for your decks.

If you're planning on building a pergola in a cyclone prone part of Australia, it will need to comply with the cyclone code. Find out what sorts of cyclone proofing measures are required.

Regulations apply in bushfire prone areas which may affect how you're allowed to build a pergola. Find out what regulations apply, and how they affect your plans.

New energy efficiency legislation is designed to make suppliers more accountable for their actions, but does it go too far? And how does it affect you?

Lighting installers at any level should be aware of the need to comply with the requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) in both commercial and residential installations.

Find out what sorts of restrictions apply to the temperature of water coming out of any given tap in an Australian household, and how that can be controlled.

There are special laws and regulations in place in Australia that control to how gas appliances should be chosen, who can install them and who can maintain them. Here's what you need to know.

While you're not expected to know all of the regulations inside and out, understanding the basics can definitely help you ensure that your plumbing's what it's meant to be.

Just because water from the tap has been used, it doesn't mean it can't be used again. See how grey water systems can help reduce your water waste.

Find out what the law says about the installation and operation of water meters, how they work, and what you can and can't do with them.

See what the law says about water sub metering for apartment blocks, and using smart meters to assess and manage your water usage.

While insulation is vital to controlling the climate in your home, laws also exist to ensure that fresh air and light are available throughout new houses. Find out what these rules are, and how they relate to insulation.

The Building Code of Australia sets out specific rules about how houses need to be insulated. Find out more about what's required for your house, in your state or territory.

Depending on what the climate's like where you live in Australia, different regulations apply to the amount and type of insulation that needs to be installed.

There are a number of different regulations that affect how you may need to soundproof your home, including local noise pollution regulations, BCA requirements, and specific ventilation and lighting requirements.

Because they use both water and electricity, there are certain rules and regulations that apply to how a dishwasher can be installed in your house. These exist to prevent damage to your house, and to keep you safe.

How your oven, cooktop and rangehood are installed (and who they're installed by) are fairly strictly regulated in Australia, for obvious reasons. Here's a run-down of the kinds of considerations that need to be met.

There are some fairly well-defined rules when it comes to how kitchen benchtops should be installed. Read more about what these are.