What Is Lifemark, and Why Does It Matter for Your Flooring?

If you're planning a new build or renovation in New Zealand, you may have come across the term Lifemark®. It's a name worth knowing — especially when it comes to choosing tiles that will keep your home safe and comfortable for years to come.

Lifemark in a nutshell

Lifemark® is an independent New Zealand certification for homes built around the principles of Universal Design. Established in 2008, it exists to make homes easy and safe to live in for people of all ages, stages and abilities — from young families to older people who want to stay in their own homes as they age.

Rather than designing for one moment in time, a Lifemark-rated home is future-proofed. Pregnancy, small children, injury, illness, ageing — a Lifemark home is ready for all of it from day one, without compromising on style.

How the rating works

Lifemark uses a star rating system (3, 4 and 5 stars) to assess new homes against Universal Design principles: adaptability, accessibility, usability, safety and lifetime value. Importantly, these standards sit above the New Zealand Building Code, so a Lifemark rating is a genuine mark of quality and thoughtful design.

It's increasingly relevant, too. By 2050, around one in four New Zealanders will be over 65 — so homes designed to grow and adapt with their occupants are becoming the smart choice, not just the considerate one.

Where tiles come in

This is where flooring plays a bigger role than most people realise. Slips and falls are one of the most common hazards in the home, particularly in wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and entranceways — exactly where tiles are most often used.

A safe home needs slip-resistant flooring, and that's why tiles matter so much to Universal Design. Choosing the right tile with the appropriate anti-slip rating for each room can make a real difference to how safe and usable a home is over a lifetime.

That's why Lifemark-approved tiles exist: a curated selection of floor tiles that meet recognised slip-resistance standards, giving designers, builders and homeowners confidence that their flooring is up to the job.

Choosing the right tiles for a Lifemark home

Whether or not you're formally pursuing a Lifemark rating, the same thinking applies to any home: the right tile in the right place keeps everyone safer. If you're not sure which tiles suit a bathroom floor versus a living area, or what slip rating you need for an outdoor patio, our team is happy to help you choose.

Come and talk to us about slip-resistant and Lifemark-suitable tiles for your project — we're here to help you get it right from the start.