House foundations will crack, pipes burst and roads buckle as climate change magnifies natural movements in the ground.
That is according to research by the University of South Australia showing the expansion and contraction of certain clay soils during wet and dry spells is becoming more severe and widespread.
Climate variability must be factored more directly into building standards and long-term planning, research co-author Simon Beecham said.
There were a variety of simple ways to strengthen concrete slabs "but obviously it involves slightly more expense because you need more concrete", he said.
The phenomenon is caused by prolonged rainfall linked to La Nina events, according to the research published in the Journal of Environmental Management.
Two previous studies indicate between 1000 and 4000 properties sustained structural damage after the millennium drought, "which was effectively just one climate change event" causing damage costing many millions of dollars.
Insurance companies would ultimately require engineers and consenting authorities to update their standards, Professor Beecham said.
"They will not accept having to pay out for something that's predictable," he said.
Separate research released on Thursday shows the increasing frequency of extreme weather and the high costs of rebuilding and reinsurance mean Australians are paying more for home and contents insurance.
Canstar.com.au said the average annual home and contents premium had jumped by 14 per cent, or as much as $343, in the past 12 months.
Prof Beecham said Adelaide had the biggest problem with very reactive soils, but these were present in all the capital cities.
Builders were "only interested in meeting requirements, to minimise their costs, which is understandable".
He believes the engineering profession and development industry accepted the reality of climate change.
"All they want to do is mitigate their risks," he said.
"I hope that this research spurs people into thinking about this because it's not rocket science in terms of how you change the codes ... the actual end-design changes are quite simple."
