Engaging a disability access consultant early can prevent accessibility issues from becoming expensive redesigns, approval delays or difficult construction rectifications. The right time depends on the project, but for most new buildings, fit-outs and significant upgrades, access input should begin during concept or design development and continue at key review points through to completion.
A disability access consultant helps the project team interpret and apply the accessibility requirements that affect a particular building, use and scope of work. This may include the National Construction Code (NCC), the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards 2010, referenced Australian Standards and other project-specific obligations.
This article explains when to engage an access consultant, what they can review at each project stage and why timing matters.
What does a disability access consultant do?
A disability access consultant reviews how people with disability will approach, enter, move through and use a building or facility. Depending on the scope, the consultant may assess drawings, specifications, existing conditions, proposed alternative solutions and completed building work.
The NCC access provisions cover much more than ramps. For example, NCC Volume One Part D4 addresses matters including which buildings and areas must be accessible, accessible carparking, braille and tactile signage, hearing augmentation, tactile ground surface indicators, assembly-building seating and access to certain swimming pools.
A consultant’s work may therefore consider:
- continuous accessible paths of travel;
- building entrances, doorways and circulation spaces;
- ramps, walkways, stairs and handrails;
- passenger lifts and other vertical transport;
- accessible and ambulant sanitary facilities;
- accessible carparking and the route from parking to the entrance;
- signage, hearing augmentation and tactile information;
- luminance contrast and tactile ground surface indicators;
- rooms, facilities and common areas that must be accessible; and
- Performance Solutions where a Deemed-to-Satisfy provision is not proposed.
The exact requirements are affected by factors such as building classification, use, project scope, applicable law and the edition of the NCC adopted in the relevant jurisdiction. General guidance should never replace a project-specific assessment.
When should you engage a disability access consultant?
1. Site selection and feasibility
Early feasibility advice can identify access constraints before the project team commits to a design direction. On a sloping site, for example, the location of parking, entrances, lifts and external paths can influence whether an accessible route is practical and how much space it requires.
At this stage, an access consultant may help identify high-level risks, likely access obligations and areas requiring further investigation. The advice can inform project budgets and reduce the chance of accessibility being treated as a late addition.
2. Concept design
Concept design is often the most valuable time to obtain access advice. Changes to circulation, levels, core locations and room layouts are usually easier to make before the design has been coordinated across multiple disciplines.
A concept review may consider the proposed principal entrance, accessible paths, lift strategy, sanitary facilities, carparking, key room relationships and the broad extent of access required for the building classification. The aim is to establish a workable access strategy before detailed documentation begins.
3. Design development
During design development, the consultant can review the dimensions and interfaces that turn an access strategy into a coordinated design. This is where apparently small decisions can have significant consequences.
Door swings may affect circulation spaces. A ramp may need additional length, landings and handrails. Sanitary-facility layouts may be compromised by services or structural elements. Fixtures, glazing, signage and finishes can introduce contrast or usability issues if they are not coordinated.
A structured desktop access audit can give the design team a documented list of non-conformances, observations and recommended actions before those issues move into construction documents.
4. Planning, building approval and construction documentation
Before documentation is issued for approval, tender or construction, the drawings should be reviewed at the level of detail needed to support the intended outcome. The Premises Standards state that building certifiers, developers and managers have responsibilities to ensure relevant buildings comply with the Access Code. Accessibility should therefore be resolved as part of the project’s approval and documentation process, not left solely to the end.
A detailed review may cover architectural drawings, schedules, specifications, landscape information and relevant consultant documents. The access consultant can also respond to queries from the architect, building surveyor or other project participants within the agreed scope.
Where a design does not follow a Deemed-to-Satisfy provision, the team may need to consider a Performance Solution. This requires a defined assessment process and suitable evidence; it should not be treated as a casual waiver from a prescriptive requirement.
5. During construction
Construction-stage access reviews help identify departures from the approved or reviewed documentation while there is still an opportunity to correct them. Shop drawings, substitutions and site conditions can all affect accessibility.
Common examples include changes to ramp geometry, door hardware, threshold details, sanitary fixtures, handrail fabrication, signage, tactile indicators, lighting or surface finishes. A product that appears similar may not provide the same dimensions, operation, contrast or performance.
The appropriate review points depend on the project. They may include sample or shop-drawing reviews, inspections before finishes conceal important work, and targeted inspections of complex access features.
6. Practical completion and existing buildings
An onsite access audit assesses the constructed or existing environment rather than relying only on drawings. It may include measurements, photographs and a prioritised record of observed non-conformances or access barriers.
For a new project, a completion-stage inspection is most useful when it complements earlier design and construction reviews. Finding a major circulation, ramp or sanitary-facility issue only at handover can limit the available solutions and increase rectification costs.
For an existing building, an audit can support maintenance planning, refurbishment scoping, due diligence or an accessibility improvement program. The scope should clearly distinguish mandatory project requirements from broader advisory recommendations.
Who benefits from early access advice?
Access consulting is relevant to more than the building surveyor or architect. Early advice can help:
- owners and developers understand project risks, space implications and likely coordination needs;
- architects and building designers integrate accessibility into the design rather than revise it late;
- building surveyors and certifiers receive clearer project documentation and supporting analysis;
- facility managers identify and prioritise barriers in existing buildings;
- builders and subcontractors understand details where small installation differences matter; and
- schools, councils, health facilities, workplaces and public venues improve access and usability for occupants and visitors.
What should you provide for an access review?
The consultant can provide better advice when the project information and required outcome are clear. Useful information may include:
- the site address and jurisdiction;
- building classification and proposed use;
- the scope of new work, alterations or change of use;
- current architectural drawings and relevant schedules;
- existing-building drawings or survey information, where available;
- advice or requests already received from the building surveyor or authority;
- project stage, approval pathway and key dates; and
- any known access constraints or proposed Performance Solutions.
It is also important to define whether the review is a preliminary advisory assessment, a detailed desktop audit, an onsite inspection or another agreed service. Different stages require different levels of information and assurance.
How often should the design be reviewed?
A single review is not always enough. Designs develop, consultant information is coordinated and products change. For many projects, a practical review pathway includes:
- a concept or early design review;
- a detailed review before building approval or tender;
- targeted construction-stage advice or inspections; and
- an onsite review before completion, where required.
The review schedule should reflect the project’s complexity and risk. A small fit-out may need a different approach from a new hospital, school, apartment development or public venue.
Early advice is usually the most economical advice
Accessibility is connected to planning, structure, services, landscape, interiors and construction. Engaging a disability access consultant while these elements can still be coordinated gives the team more options. Waiting until approval or completion may turn a straightforward drawing change into a costly physical alteration.
ASN provides disability access consulting for projects in Melbourne, Victoria and across Australia, including desktop access audits, onsite access audits and Performance Solution reports. To discuss the appropriate review stage and scope for your project, contact ASN or request a quote.