Occupational Therapy
Home Modification Assessments in Brisbane
When a home no longer suits the person living in it, changing the home is often safer and more sustainable than adding more support hours. Our Occupational Therapists assess, recommend and document home modifications for NDIS participants and older adults across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
What an Occupational Therapist does in home modifications
An OT is the clinician who links the person to the building work. We assess how someone actually moves through their home, where the difficulty or the risk sits, and what change to the physical environment would fix it. Builders and access consultants then work from that clinical reasoning.
That distinction matters. A grab rail installed in the wrong place is not a small problem, it is a fall waiting to happen. Height, reach, transfer direction, weight-bearing side, floor surface and how the person will use the space on a bad day all change the recommendation.
We also look at whether a modification is the right answer at all. Sometimes a piece of equipment, a different technique, or a change to the routine solves the problem without touching the building.
Modifications we commonly assess
Every recommendation depends on the individual assessment and on the building itself, so this is a description of the areas we work across rather than a menu to choose from.
Grab rails and handrails
Placement, length, angle and fixing, worked out from how the person actually transfers rather than from a standard diagram.
Shower and bathroom access
Hobless and level-entry showers, shower screens, seating, tap and outlet positions, and turning space for equipment.
Toileting
Height, transfer space either side, rail configuration, and how the setup will work if function changes further.
Ramps and level access
Gradient, landings, surface, handrails and where a ramp genuinely fits the site versus where it does not.
Steps and thresholds
Internal and external steps, doorway thresholds, and the small height changes that cause most trips.
Doorways and circulation
Widening, door hardware, swing direction and clear turning space for a walker or wheelchair.
Kitchen and laundry
Bench and appliance heights, storage within reach, and safe access to the tasks a person wants to keep doing.
Lighting and contrast
Lighting levels, switch placement and visual contrast on edges and surfaces, which matters a great deal for low vision.
Equipment integration
Making sure prescribed equipment actually fits and can be used in the modified space, and that the two were planned together.
Completed work
Home modifications our OTs have prescribed
Real Brisbane homes, shared with our clients' permission. Drag the slider to see the change.
A step at the front door, now a ramp
Getting in and out meant managing a step at the edge of the porch. A gently graded ramp with a non-slip edge now runs from the path to the door, so a walker or wheelchair can come straight in.
A raised threshold, levelled out
The lip at the doorway was a trip hazard and a barrier for wheels. A low threshold ramp now bridges it, with the same non-slip surface carried across the entry.
An open hallway, now with something to hold
We measure the wall first, then set the rail height to the person using it. A continuous handrail gives a steady point of support along the whole hallway.
Modifications prescribed by our Occupational Therapists. Photos shared with client permission.
Minor and complex home modifications under the NDIS
The NDIS treats home modifications in two broad tiers, and the tier changes what evidence is required and how long the process takes. It is worth understanding the difference before you start.
Minor modifications
Smaller changes that do not alter the structure of the building. Grab rails, handrails, a shower screen removal, threshold ramps, tap or lever changes, and similar work. The evidence requirements are lighter and the work usually moves faster.
Complex modifications
Structural work such as a bathroom rebuild, widening doorways, external ramps or significant layout change. These need more detailed assessment, drawings, quotes and often a building certifier, and the NDIS applies a higher level of scrutiny. An OT with home modification experience should be involved from the start, not brought in at the end.
An assessment and a recommendation are not the same thing as an approval. Whether a modification is funded depends on the funder, the plan, the evidence and the property, and neither we nor any other provider can guarantee that outcome in advance. What we can do is make sure the clinical case is properly made and clearly documented.
How the process runs
Home visit and assessment
We watch how the person moves through the space and uses it, take measurements, and identify exactly where the barrier sits. Family and support workers are welcome to be there.
Recommendation and report
We document the clinical reasoning, the specific modification, and why alternatives were ruled out. For complex work this includes the detail a builder and a funder both need.
Quotes and coordination
We work alongside builders, access consultants and, where required, certifiers, so the work that gets quoted is the work that was actually prescribed.
Sign-off and review
Once the work is done we check it against the prescription and make sure it functions in practice, not just on paper.
Who this is for
NDIS participants whose home is limiting what they can do. Older adults who want to stay in their own home safely as things change. People coming home from hospital to a house that no longer fits them. Families who are lifting, hovering or supervising more than they can keep up.
If you rent, modifications are still possible but need the property owner on board early. We will tell you honestly where that is likely to be the sticking point.
We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, Support at Home and aged care clients, and private clients. We are not currently an NDIS-registered provider, so we cannot invoice the NDIA directly for agency-managed participants.
Frequently asked questions
What people usually want to know before they book a home modification assessment.
Do I need an OT report to get home modifications funded?
For NDIS home modifications, yes. The funder needs clinical evidence that the modification is reasonable and necessary, tied to the person functional needs. That evidence is what an Occupational Therapy assessment and report provides.
What is the difference between minor and complex home modifications?
Minor modifications do not change the structure of the building, such as grab rails or a threshold ramp. Complex modifications involve structural work such as a bathroom rebuild or widening a doorway, and carry heavier evidence, drawing and certification requirements.
Can you just install a grab rail?
We can assess and prescribe one, and placement is not a small detail. A rail in the wrong position gets used in the wrong way. The install itself is done by a suitably qualified tradesperson working to the prescription.
How long does the whole process take?
It depends heavily on the scope, the funder and the availability of builders, and we will not quote a figure we cannot control. Minor work is usually much faster than complex work. We will give you a realistic picture once we have seen the property.
Do you work with builders, or do we find our own?
Either. We can work alongside a builder or access consultant you already have, or point you toward tradespeople who are used to working from an OT prescription.
What if we rent the property?
Modifications are still possible, but the property owner needs to agree in writing before any work is planned. It is worth starting that conversation early, because it is the most common reason a plan stalls.
Is a home modification always the answer?
No, and we will say so. Sometimes equipment, a different technique or a change to the routine solves the problem without building work. Part of the assessment is testing that first.
Related pages
Where a broader functional picture is needed, not just the home environment.
The full range of OT support we provide across Brisbane.
NDIS, Support at Home and private referral forms.
What the research actually says about modifications and falls risk.
Ready to look at your home?
Send a referral, or contact us first if you want to talk through whether a modification is the right starting point.