Making alterations to your home in public housing

As a Homes NSW tenant, you can make changes to your home. However, you need approval for major alterations. Here's what you need to know and do.

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Minor alterations

You can make minor changes to your home without written permission from Homes NSW as long as there are no Headleasing or Strata Title restrictions. You’re responsible for the cost of these changes.

Minor alterations include:

gardens, shrubs and lawns (discuss extensive landscaping or planting tall trees with your Client Service Officer)
installing garden sheds, telephones or picture hooks.

Major alterations

To make major alterations, you will need to:

Apply for “in principle” approval from Homes NSW.

Obtain Local Council or Heritage NSW approval where required. This includes confirmation that no Headleasing or Strata Title restrictions apply.

Provide a copy of the approval to your client service officer.

Receive final written permission from Homes NSW.

Provide a copy of the Alterations to a Home Standards to the builder carrying out the alterations.

Once the work is complete, we will complete a property inspection to make sure the work complies with the Alterations to a Home Standards. We can refuse to accept any alteration work that does not meet the standards. We can also request that you remove, at your expense, any unauthorised work that has been carried out.

Alterations to accommodate a disability or health condition

Tenants and applicants with modification requirements are also able to undertake self or third party funded modifications e.g. through the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) or by another support organisation.

Tenants or applicants who do not have their own or alternative funding may apply for funded home modifications.

For further information go to the Home modifications page.

Alterations to a Home Standards

The Alterations to a Home Standards are outlined below.

1. Kitchen cupboards

You must use licensed electricians and plumbers for any electrical and plumbing work. Ensure you record their licence numbers.

Use only high moisture resistant (HMR) materials in cupboard construction.

Standards for kitchen cupboards

Benchtops

Minimum 32 mm thick HMR particleboard, laminated with high pressure decorative laminate for high resistance to surface wear, impact and scratching.

Doors and drawer fronts

Minimum 16 mm thick HMR particleboard or HMR medium density fibreboard (MDF), laminated with high pressure decorative laminate having medium resistance to surface wear, impact and scratching.
Provide a 2 mm PVC plastic edge strip to all doors and drawers.

Drawers

13 mm thick (bottom 16 mm), of either HMR particleboard or medium-density HMR fibreboard (MDF), finished with white melamine.
Completely integrated drawer slide system, comprising a high-quality epoxy coated white steel self-closing feature runner 30-kg load capacity.

Carcass

Minimum 16 mm thick HMR particleboard with white melamine finish to all internal surfaces, including edge of frame, carcass, backboard and shelves.

Kickboard

Minimum 16 mm thick HMR particleboard, with 2 mm black vinyl or high-pressure high-resistance laminate finish, including any edges.

Cupboard doors

Use concealed side wall-mounted hinges with 170° swing.

Kitchen assemblies

Must carry a compliance label to current Australian Standards.

2. Bathroom alterations

Due to the potential for leaks, work that could damage the waterproofing of the bathroom is not allowed, such as retiling the floor or walls, relocating the bath or toilet, or installing a new shower. The following fittings, however, can be installed:

new washbasins
wall cupboards
towel rails, grab rails
toilet roll holders
shower screens.

3. New fixed appliances units, built-in heaters

You must have council approval before installing an air-conditioning unit. Air-conditioning units and built-in heaters must be installed by licensed tradespeople to meet the equipment manufacturer’s instructions.

4. New carpet

Carpets are not to be glued to the floor (No direct-stick).

Information for carpet suppliers or laying contractors

Carpet type

100 percent bulked continuous filament (bcf), solution dyed nylon
Loop pile tufted carpet
Level pile surface or with slight modulation
One-tenth or one-eighth inch gauge
678 g/m2 (20oz/yd2) total pile mass
5 mm maximum pile height
“Actionbac”, woven polypropylene secondary backing
Fire rating to BCA
ACCS rating for Residential Extra Heavy Duty (Stairs)
ACCS registration number on back to a minimum of four times across the width at one-metre lengths
Colour as approved by Homes NSW

5. Floor and wall tiles

Floor and wall tiles standards

Ceramic floor tiles

First Quality to ISO 13006
Comply to AS 4586
Vitrified or Porcelain
Warpage not exceeding 0.5mm
Surface Hardness to MOHS Min 6
Water absorption to ISO10545-3
Chemical resistance to ISO10545-13
Slip resistance to Australian Standard AS4586
Tile thickness ≥ 7.0mm
Tile Thickness ≥ Min 5.5mm
Full glaze over face ceramic tile
Ceramic biscuit (Bisque) must be engobed
Surface Hardness min MOHS Min 3

6. Security grilles

Security grilles should suit the building and locality in which you live. They must have keyless, quick-release type locking to open the grille in an emergency.

7. Security shutters

Shutters should suit the building and locality in which you live. They must have keyless, quick-release type locking to open the shutter in an emergency. Install manual shutter controls only (electrically-operated systems fail in a fire).

8. Pergolas and gazebos

The proposed pergola/gazebo must have Homes NSW and local council approval before work starts, and can only be built on land controlled by you. The proposed structure should match the existing dwelling in materials and look, be structurally sound, freestanding and not be attached to any other structure.

9. Paving

All paving must be laid with falls to allow any water to run away from the dwelling. Paving levels should never be formed higher than the adjoining dwelling’s damp-proof course (DPC) and brick weep-holes.

10. Rainwater tanks

Rainwater tanks must be installed by a licensed plumber and comply with any council or water authority requirements. Rainwater tanks must not be connected to the internal plumbing of the property.

11. Solar photovoltaic systems

Solar PV systems can be installed by tenants only on single dwellings (cottages or villas/townhouses with their own roof space) and written approval must be obtained. We do not recommend installing the systems on dwellings with old roofs or significant shading from trees or other buildings. Installers must hold a Clean Energy Council Solar PV accreditation. Tenants must pay all installation and maintenance costs. We will usually not reimburse a tenant if they choose to leave the system at the property when they move out.

12. Swimming Pool

A swimming pool must comply with the Swimming Pools Act 1992. In-ground swimming pools are not permitted. A swimming pool must be approved by Homes NSW and your local council prior to installation.

For more information regarding the installation of a swimming pool, go to the swimming pools in public housing page.

Moving out

If you move out, you may have to remove the alterations. If allowed to stay, you may be reimbursed at the current depreciated value. Unauthorised or unapproved alterations will not be reimbursed.