The federal government wants all new homes to better accommodate people with disabilities and the elderly.
It will release a voluntary set of national building standards on Tuesday, aimed at improving the living standards of people with disabilities.
The standards include wider doorways, corridors and turning spaces for wheelchairs, as well as reinforced bathrooms.
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But they are not enforceable or extend to other buildings, as recommended by a federal parliamentary committee in 2009.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten says the guidelines won't put extra pressure on the cost of housing.
"These are homes which are easier to live in, can be adapted more cheaply, and will be easier to sell," he told AAP.
Mr Shorten hopes the standards will be adapted across the sector by 2020.
And he says key industry groups including Master Builders Australia and the Property Council are keen to work towards the target.
Property Council CEO Peter Verwer said the standards have "great potential for the future".
"It has low costs and huge returns both for homeowners and the broader community," he said in a statement.
