What is the Process to Get a Home Lifemark Certified?
What is the Process to Get a Home Lifemark Certified?
We regularly get asked whether a home that has used our Design Standards can be self-certified Lifemark by just following a checklist and how to achieve a Lifemark® rating.
A Lifemark-certified home can only be confirmed via an independent review and assurance process undertaken by the Lifemark team, which also confirms the level of performance (also known as the Lifemark rating) of a home.
An established review and assurance process, to establish a Lifemark performance, starts whilst the dwelling is in the early design stage. This independently reviews and guides outcomes that ensure the best possible results with respect to; accessibility, usability, safety, and future adaptability meet the needs to be achieved.
Stage 1
We encourage designers and builders to send through concept layouts to our office team for an initial Lifemark review. This early review will check the proposed layout and provisions for parking or drop-off areas will support Lifemark outcomes.
“These early-stage plans are critical to ensure the design supports baseline accessibility outcomes as well as any specific Lifemark performance requirements that might be needed for the project. Potential issues picked up at this stage can generally be resolved easily and cost-effectively as the design hasn’t progressed too far which makes it a great time for us to provide input.”
Stage 2
Prior to detailed working drawings being lodged for Building Consent, the Lifemark team will review the plans again.
Along with a final review of the layout, this will also include details such as electrical plans, door threshold construction details, door and hardware schedules, flooring specifications, and notation regarding reinforcing walls for installation (or future installation) of grab rails, etc.
“Checking all the design details included in the plans allows us to establish reasonably accurately the level of performance and Lifemark rating the home is likely to achieve once it’s built. We confirm this with a provisional Lifemark certificate before the plans are lodged for consent. Increasingly it’s great to see both clients and some councils asking to see this provisional documentation to ensure accessibility performance levels will be delivered and there are no surprises post-build”
Stage 3
This stage is undertaken once the home is built. A Lifemark Producer Statement is completed by a key project stakeholder and submitted along with some photos for review of the final build, requested by the Lifemark Accessibility Advisor. This allows us to confirm a final Lifemark rating for the home and issue a final certificate.
