SDA Price Guide Deep Dive: Reading Appendix H
SDA Price Guide Appendix H explained: how SDA payments are built from design category, building type and location — read the pricing with confidence.
The SDA Price Guide can look like a wall of numbers, but the logic underneath it is straightforward once you know what's driving each figure. Appendix H is the part that sets out SDA payment rates. This guide explains the mechanism — the factors that build a rate — so you understand how your home's funding is worked out, without getting lost in the dollars themselves.
What Appendix H actually is
The four factors that build a rate
Why design category moves the rate most
How building type and location interact
New, existing and legacy stock
What you contribute yourself
Using Appendix H when comparing homes
Frequently asked questions
What is Appendix H in the SDA Price Guide?
Appendix H is the schedule of SDA payment rates within the NDIS pricing arrangements. It's where the funding for a specific SDA dwelling is looked up, based on its design category, building type, location and how many residents it's enrolled for.
How is an SDA payment rate calculated?
A rate is built from four factors: the design category, the building type, a location factor tied to the SA4 region, and the number of residents. Combine those and you land on one line in Appendix H. Whether it's new or legacy stock also affects the rate.
Do I receive the SDA payment myself?
No. The SDA payment goes from your Capital budget to your housing provider for the specialist building. Separately, you contribute a Reasonable Rent Contribution from your own income, usually a portion of your pension plus Commonwealth Rent Assistance.
Why do the dollar figures in Appendix H change?
SDA prices are indexed and updated regularly to keep pace with building and land costs. That's why it's best to understand how a rate is built rather than memorise figures, and to check the current published SDA pricing arrangements for today's numbers.
Related guides
- SDA vs SIL: What Each One Actually Pays For
- Building or Buying Your Own SDA Home
- New, Existing and Legacy SDA Stock Explained
- SDA Building Types: Apartment, Villa, House, Group Home
- SDA Design Categories Explained: All Four, in Plain English
- SDA Eligibility: Who Qualifies for Specialist Disability Accommodation