Code Changes Push Up Prices New national home building codes are tipped to drive up the price of an average home by $30,000. Master Builders Queensland chief executive Paul Bidwell says the changes will be introduced from October 1 in Queensland, although other states have delayed their introduction. The changes are designed to ensure more livable housing and energy efficiency. Bidwell says the increases come on the back of a 42% increase in the cost to build a new home in the past three years.
About 1,000 builders have signed a petition opposing the reforms. Bidwell says Queensland needs 48,000 homes a year over the next five years to meet the national housing target but there are only 36,000 dwellings forecast to be built in FY2024. “We have supported inclusive, sustainable and affordable housing and been in discussions with government and stakeholders for years – however, in the face of a housing crisis and rising costs, do not believe now is the right time to introduce these changes.”
