Renovating and improving
You may want to consider renovating or improving your home before you put it up for sale. Think about how much money you would spend and whether it’s likely to improve your sale price.
Think about your home’s safety devices. By law, your home should already have certain types of safety devices. You may need to replace or repair old devices, or install anything that’s missing.
Safety switches
A safety switch:
- detects certain forms of faults in electric devices
- shuts off power through those circuits.
Any home built after 1992 must have safety switches.
Older homes may not have them, but you might still consider installing one because the buyer will have to install one within 3 months anyway.
Do not attempt to do electrical work yourself. Always use a licensed electrician.
Learn more about safety switches
Smoke alarms law
On 1 January 2017, a new law about smoke alarms started in Queensland.
Requirements for smoke alarms in residential dwellings will change progressively over the next 10 years.
All new and substantially renovated homes that are subject to a building application submitted on or after 1 January 2017, must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms (compliant with Australian Standard 3786:2014) installed.
The smoke alarms must be:
- in every bedroom
- in hallways that connect bedrooms
- on each level of the home.
From 1 January 2022, these requirements will apply to all houses leased and sold, and from 1 January 2027, they will apply to all homes.
In the meantime, if a homeowner replaces a legally required smoke alarm in an existing dwelling, it must be replaced with a photoelectric smoke alarm that complies with Australian Standard 3786:2014. If that smoke alarm is powered by 240 volts, it must be replaced with a 240-volt smoke alarm. If the smoke alarm is not powered by 240 volts, it may be replaced with tamper-proof, 10-year battery smoke alarm.