SDA design categories explained
A plain-English guide to the four SDA design categories, who each is built for, and how your category is decided
The four SDA design categories at a glance
Improved Liveability: easier to see, understand and navigate
Fully Accessible: step-free living for significant physical needs
Robust: hard-wearing and safe
High Physical Support: the highest category
The SDA Design Standard and the types of SDA homes
How your SDA category is decided
Why your category matters when you search — and what to do next
Frequently asked questions
Which SDA category is right for me?
That depends on your individual, assessed needs, so no guide can tell you for certain. Your OT gathers the evidence and the NDIA decides which category best fits how you live. The four categories exist so a home can be matched to different needs — physical, sensory, cognitive or very high support.
Can I live in an SDA home of a different category than I'm approved for?
As a general guide, your SDA funding is tied to the category and building type you are approved for. Living in a higher-category home usually needs to be reflected in your plan, and a lower-category home may not meet your needs. Confirm your specific situation with the NDIA or your support coordinator before…
What is the SDA Design Standard?
It is the technical rulebook that sets out what a home must include to be enrolled and certified in each SDA category. Accredited assessors check homes against it, so a home listed under a category genuinely meets those requirements. Confirm current detail against the SDA Design Standard and the NDIS Home and Living…
Do all SDA homes have ceiling hoists?
No. Ceiling hoists (or provision for them) are a feature of the High Physical Support category, which is the most specialised. Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible and Robust homes are built for different needs and are not designed around hoists.
Is High Physical Support 'better' than the other categories?
No — the categories are not a ranking. Each is designed for a specific need, and the right home is the one that fits yours. A home with clinical-level features you do not need is not a better home for you.
What's the difference between the category and the building type?
The category (Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust or High Physical Support) is how a home is built and what it is designed to make possible. The building type (apartment, villa/townhouse, house or group home) is the form of the dwelling. You are approved for a combination of both.