Home Modifications Under SAH: What's Covered

Most older Australians, when asked, would prefer to age in their own home rather than transition to residential care. The biggest barrier to that is usually the home itself, bathrooms designed before grab rails were standard, doorways too narrow for walkers, kitchens with everything stored too high. Support at Home funds a substantial range of home modifications to address exactly these issues, and the funding sits in a separate budget pool from your standard Classification budget.

This guide explains what's covered, who decides, and what to expect at each step.

How home modification funding works

Under SAH, home modifications and assistive technology share a common funding pool that's separate from your annual Classification budget. The intuition: a one-off bathroom rebuild shouldn't compete with weekly personal care for the same money.

The pool is need-based, not lifetime-capped. Your eligibility depends on:

• An OT assessment confirming the modification is necessary
• The scale of the modification (small / medium / major)
• Your means-tested contribution rate (for larger items)

There's no fixed annual cap, but there is review oversight on larger items.

What's typically funded

The list below covers what we see funded most commonly. The exact catalogue varies by provider and OT recommendation, but these are the standards.

Minor modifications (typically fully funded, no co-payment)

• Grab rails, bathroom, toilet, hallway, bedside
• Hand-held shower hoses with sliding rail
• Non-slip mats and matting
• Lever-style tap fittings to replace round taps
• Bath transfer benches and shower chairs
• Raised toilet seats
• Door handle replacements (lever-style)
• Improved lighting (motion-sensing nightlights, brighter bulbs)
• Smoke alarm replacement (to wireless interconnected systems)

These are typically delivered within 2-6 weeks of OT recommendation and rarely require a co-payment.

Medium modifications (often partially co-funded)

• External ramps (timber or aluminium) for steps
• Internal ramps for level changes
• Removal of bath, replacement with walk-in shower
• Widening of bathroom or kitchen doorways to wheelchair-accessible width
• Accessible mailbox installation
• Stairlifts (straight-rail; curved rails fall into major)

Co-payments for medium modifications typically run 10-30% of cost, depending on means assessment.

Major modifications (typically co-funded; substantial planning involved)

• Full bathroom rebuilds (accessible toilet, hobless shower, grab rail integration)
• Kitchen accessibility upgrades (lower benches, accessible storage)
• Curved stairlifts and through-floor lifts
• Substantial doorway widening affecting structural elements
• Driveway or external pathway accessibility upgrades
• Garage door automation for mobility-limited residents

Major modifications can run $30,000-$100,000+. Co-payment rates vary, talk to your OT and care coordinator about the specific assessment.

What's not funded

A few common items that families ask about but aren't typically covered:

• General home renovations (e.g. modernising a kitchen for aesthetic reasons)
• Cosmetic improvements (paint, flooring not related to safety)
• Garden or landscape modifications beyond ramps and pathways
• Air conditioning or heating unless tied to a specific medical need
• Pool removal or repair
• Replacement of old but functional appliances
• Modifications to a property you don't own (rental homes have different rules, see below)

The line is "is this addressing a clinical or functional need?" If yes, it's likely fundable. If it's a quality-of-life upgrade unrelated to functional capacity, it's probably not.

The assessment process

Most modifications above $2,000 require an OT assessment. The process:

1. OT home visit

An occupational therapist visits your home, observes you in your usual activities, and identifies:

• What you struggle with currently (showering, transferring, mobility within the home)
• Where the home presents falls or accessibility risks
• What modifications would meaningfully reduce risk or restore independence

The visit usually takes 1-2 hours. The OT input is itself fully funded as a clinical service, it doesn't come out of any budget you manage.

2. Modification report

The OT writes a report listing recommended modifications, with priority order and cost estimates. The report is shared with your care coordinator and lodged with your provider.

3. Quote and approval

Your provider obtains quotes from accredited modifiers (typically requiring 2 quotes for items over $5,000). The modification request is submitted for approval.

4. Installation

Once approved, the work is scheduled. Most installations happen within 4-12 weeks of approval, depending on the scale.

5. Post-installation OT review

The OT typically returns after installation to confirm the modification is working as intended and to do any required adjustments.

Timing expectations

A practical timeline for a medium modification (e.g. bath-to-shower conversion):

• Week 1-2: OT assessment booked and conducted.
• Week 3-4: Report finalised and shared.
• Week 4-6: Quotes obtained.
• Week 6-8: Approval received.
• Week 8-14: Installation completed.
• Week 14-16: Post-installation review.

So roughly 3-4 months end-to-end. Major modifications can take 4-6 months. Minor items (grab rails, basic shower equipment) can sometimes be installed within 2-4 weeks of OT recommendation.

Co-payments: how they're calculated

For medium and major modifications, you may be asked to contribute. The contribution rate is set based on your means assessment, similar to how Independence and Everyday Living service contributions work.

Typical co-payment ranges:

• Full age pensioner: 0% co-payment for medium, 0-10% for major.
• Part-pensioner: 10-30% for medium, 30-50% for major.
• Self-funded retiree: 30-50% for medium, 50-70% for major.

For a $40,000 bathroom rebuild, a part-pensioner might contribute $8,000-$12,000, with the remainder covered by SAH funding.

Renting vs owning

If you don't own your home, modification rules are more nuanced:

• Permission required from landlord for any structural change.
• Removable modifications (e.g. portable ramps, free-standing grab rails on suction mounts) are easier to fund.
• Some modifications still possible if the landlord agrees (typically requiring a written commitment to restore or pay for restoration on departure).
• Public housing tenants generally have stronger entitlements; private renters more limited.

Talk to your OT and care coordinator before committing to anything. Renters often have to be more creative, for example, prioritising assistive technology (which moves with you) over fixed modifications.

Assistive technology vs home modifications

The funding pool covers both, but the distinction matters:

For renters or anyone who might relocate to residential care later, assistive technology is generally a better investment than fixed modifications.

Common mistakes

A few things we see go wrong:

• Skipping the OT assessment to "save time." Then the modification doesn't quite fit your needs and has to be redone. False economy.
• Choosing the cheapest installer. Major modifications must be done well, water-sealing, structural integration, electrical compliance. The cheap option is sometimes very expensive in 18 months.
• Modifying without thinking about future needs. A grab rail installed for current standing transfers may not be in the right place for future seated transfers. Plan for 3-5 years out.
• Ignoring complementary upgrades. A new walk-in shower without accessible flooring is half a job.
• Forgetting maintenance. Stairlifts, ramps, and accessible doorways have ongoing maintenance needs, typically funded annually from the same pool.

After installation: maintenance and replacement

Most modifications come with a 12-month installer warranty plus an ongoing maintenance arrangement. Stairlifts and similar mechanical equipment typically require annual servicing, which is usually funded from the same pool.

Replacement of worn or damaged equipment (e.g. shower chair seat replacement after several years) is also fundable through the same pool, with a fresh OT review if the underlying needs have changed.

Plan modifications strategically

Because the funding pool is shared between home modifications and assistive technology, strategic planning matters. A common mistake is to fund a major modification (e.g. a stairlift) when actually the participant would benefit more from a permanent move to a single-storey arrangement (e.g. converting a downstairs study into a bedroom).

A good OT will discuss these trade-offs explicitly. If your OT just delivers a list of products without a strategic discussion, ask for one.

Compare hourly rates and care management fees on Home Care Prices to ensure your provider is delivering modifications efficiently, providers vary substantially in turnaround time and quality on this work.