With a stunning location in NSW’s Central Tablelands, the empty-nester owners wanted a home that would set the scene for the next chapter in their lives. “The style they wanted was ‘classic country’ and it was important that the home be fully self sufficient and off-the-grid without sacrificing comfort and luxury,” says Michael Christie, Housing Consultant, PAAL Kit Homes.

“Just as importantly, the home needed to be large enough to accommodate visiting adult children and members of their extended family; also, the owners wanted it oriented to take advantage of the spectacular views of Mount York and the surrounding Hartley Valley.

“We worked on plans with the clients for about two months before they settled on a design that worked with the steep site’s contours, maximised the view, and appealed to their sense of style,” explains Michael. “Plans were then drawn up for submission to Council and within three months the clients were able to get underway with the construction using a local builder.”

This is a home designed for the local conditions, so it has a high-tensile steel frame and is wind rated to N3 (159 km/h). The cladding, while being of traditional weatherboard style, is designed for BAL 40 fire conditions (the second highest fire rating) and the roof is of durable Colorbond. With an eye to sustainability, the house has hydronic in-slab heating and solar power with battery storage.

“We offer full customisation of all our designs and this home was no exception,” adds Michael. “Not only was the design adapted to meet the site conditions and bushfire requirements, just about every part of the standard design was altered in some way to meet the clients’ needs. The kitchen, bathrooms and living areas were all changed during the initial design consultation process.

“The resulting kitchen is warm, inviting and perfectly designed for large-scale entertaining. In fact, the owners recently hosted a wedding for their son and 100 guests. As for the family and meals area, this has a vaulted ceiling and large doors opening onto an expansive covered alfresco area looking out over the valley to the mountains, which in turn offers easy access to the adjacent lawn area.”

In summing up, Michael says, “A kit home was the ideal choice for the couple because it allowed them to build a fully self sufficient customised home for the cost of a standard project home. They achieved this by keeping the builder and materials supplier separate, a strategy that ensured they stayed in control of the budget.”

For more information, 

Paal Kit Homes

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With a stunning location in NSW’s Central Tablelands, the empty-nester owners wanted a home that would set the scene for the next chapter in their lives. “The style they wanted was ‘classic country’ and it was important that the home be fully self-sufficient and off-the-grid without sacrificing comfort and luxury,” says Michael Christie, Housing Consultant, PAAL Kit Homes.

“Just as importantly, the home needed to be large enough to accommodate visiting adult children and members of their extended family; also, the owners wanted it oriented to take advantage of the spectacular views of Mount York and the surrounding Hartley Valley.

“We worked on plans with the clients for about two months before they settled on a design that worked with the steep site’s contours, maximised the view, and appealed to their sense of style,” explains Michael. “Plans were then drawn up for submission to Council and within three months the clients were able to get underway with the construction using a local builder.”

This is a home designed for the local conditions, so it has a high-tensile steel frame and is wind rated to N3 (159 km/h). The cladding, while being a traditional weatherboard style, is designed for BAL 40 fire conditions (the second highest fire rating) and the roof is of durable Colorbond. With an eye to sustainability, the house has hydronic in-slab heating and solar power with battery storage.

“We offer full customisation of all our designs and this home was no exception,” adds Michael. “Not only was the design adapted to meet the site conditions and bushfire requirements, just about every part of the standard design was altered in some way to meet the clients’ needs. The kitchen, bathrooms and living areas were all changed during the initial design consultation process.

“The resulting kitchen is warm, inviting and perfectly designed for large-scale entertaining. In fact, the owners recently hosted a wedding for their son and 100 guests. As for the family and meals area, this has a vaulted ceiling with large doors opening onto an expansive covered alfresco area looking out over the valley to the mountains and offering easy access to the adjacent lawn area.”

In summing up, Michael says, “A kit home was the ideal choice for the couple because it allowed them to build a fully customised home for the cost of a standard project home. They achieved this by keeping the builder and materials supplier separate, a strategy that ensured they stayed in control of the budget.”

For more information, 

PAAL Kit Homes 

The post A off the grid home is perfect for a pair of empty nesters appeared first on Completehome.

Huddled in the hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and set in the midst of 300 acres of rainforest, is a unique development – The Ridge at Maleny. It’s not just the opportunity to feel like you own a mountain acreage property that attracts people to The Ridge, it’s the quality of the award-winning, luxury two- and three-bedroom Scandinavian inspired homes built by Queensland’s Saltair Modular.

The initial design of the development was a collaborative approach between the landowner and DM2 Architecture, with developer Magnus Olsen and Saltair then tailoring the development to the site and making refinements to optimise the benefits of modular building. The result is 12 modern mountain cabin-style modular homes and a community centre that offer a relaxed, alternative lifestyle and to-die-for views.

“The site is in a stunning part of the hinterland but the terrain was challenging and the location remote,” says Saltair Modular owner Steve Bridger. “Because of these challenges, modular construction, where the need for ground and civil works is greatly reduced, made the most sense. The developers were also attracted by the quality control off-site construction brings, the time savings, and the ease of staging the development.”

Each cabin was built at Saltair’s manufacturing centre in the Sunshine Coast town of Coolum Beach, was transported by truck to the site and craned into position. This resulted in minimal site disruption and allowed the development to have a very light footprint on the land. All up, Saltair constructed and installed 12 homes in stages, with each stage taking approximately 12 weeks to complete.

“The design of the homes emphasises open-plan living with each featuring raked ceilings which add to the sense of space and openness,” says Steve. “We also wanted the homes to be warm – literally and visually – so timber floors are a feature throughout and each living area has a fireplace. To maximise the amazing Maleny hinterland views, all homes have 2400mm-high glass doors and windows. The large windows have also been carefully placed to provide unobstructed views from the back.”

The external cladding system was created in-house using 405mm Scyon Stria. These boards have deep grooves which give the facade of each home a strong horizontal line detail and a modern, rendered look. This contemporary aesthetic is softened by the warmth of the external timber accents and spacious timber decks.

“For Saltair, the ability of the homes to blend in with the environment and capture the stunning surrounding views is what makes our job so rewarding,” says Steve. “As this project proves, modular home construction is not just about standard designs. We can customise existing designs, or create a design from scratch, to suit all kinds of sites, to capitalise on views and suit the aesthetic requirements of a boutique development like this one or an individual home.”
Undeniably impressive, the project won for Saltair the Innovation in Housing Award in the 2019 HIA-CSR Queensland Housing Awards, making it five years in a row that the company has been the recipient of the honour.

Having won the award multiples times is a testament to Saltair’s outstanding modular designs, its experience and workmanship; it’s also an indication that modular building is being recognised as a versatile, high-quality method of home construction and changing the way people build. “The benefits of modular home building are many,” says Steve. “There’s speed of delivery, better quality control through the build process and it’s a far more cost-effective build method for sloping and unforgiving sites, and of course it allows for innovation, too.”

Photography: Glenn Weiss

For more information visit Saltair Modular

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Prefabricated building methods are being embraced for myriad reasons: reduced build times, cost-effectiveness, quality control and environmental benefits, to name a few. And while prefabricated building is by no means new, with advances in technology and an influx of design-led, sustainably-aware modular and kit homes companies, the range of choice in terms of style and size — and the degree of customisation — has never been so broad, or exciting.

In recognition of this growth in the industry, and to advance the prefabricated building sector, in June the federal government announced it will spend up to $2 million to kick-start a new collaborative lab. The goal? To foster innovation in the design of prefabricated buildings, produce more eco-friendly and affordable prefabricated buildings, and achieve even quicker turnarounds.

The new lab will focus on a wide range of buildings, including tiny homes and larger houses, and help to strengthen Australia’s position in the global prefabricated building market. The funding will go the the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre which will undertake a feasibility study and establish the lab. The government is already supporting research in this area, having allocated $4 million to the Australian Research Council Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing, all of which all augurs well for the future of the industry.

Why a Modular Home?

Prefabricated modular homes, those that are constructed off-site in modules in a controlled factory setting and then later connected on site, are becoming the preferred choice for a variety of reasons. This method is generally more affordable and sustainable than traditional building methods, and as there is less waste produced and less intensive on-site construction involved, it’s good for the environment. Then there is the reduced completion time as well as the quality control and certainty that comes with the factory prefabrication process.

The benefits are many, agrees Jacky McDougall, co-owner of Parkwood Modular Buildings, a leading NSW modular home builder. “The prefabricated modular building method delivers economic, social, environmental and quality benefits,” she says. “The main economic benefits are the substantially reduced construction times, the ability to get into your home sooner and start paying the mortgage earlier, reduced wastage of materials, and less risk of vandalism and damage to materials.

“Also, not only does a factory setting allow for regular quality checks, it can provide access to high-quality tools that may not be accessible on-site — superior tools can allow smaller tolerances and improved finishes. And you can visit the home while it is being built so you can make sure of inclusions etc before the modules are delivered to the site.

“For most people, the cost savings, faster delivery times, improved quality and the reduction of a number of negative impacts associated with traditional on-site building methods is what appeals the most.”

A Matter of Choice

The number of companies offering contemporary, beautifully designed prefabricated modular homes — some designed by architects — is steadily growing. So, too, is the range of finishes and inclusions and the degree of customisation.

“The options really are endless,” says Ken Cornwall, director of Queensland-based Saltair Constructions. “We have built everything from offices and one-bed studios to five-bedroom, four-level houses and are currently looking into the multi-storey unit market. We have a range of clients and most say they really like the architectural difference of our modular homes. They also like the fact that we can customise nearly anything to suit their needs and that we finish off everything, they just need to supply the landscaping and furniture!”

Limitless, is how Jackie describes the range of choice. “The logistics, in terms of transport, may be limited by the size of the modules, but any number of modules can be used to achieve the required build, even multi-storied buildings. Modular homes can also be built on any site as long as the access is good. And what some people don’t realise is that the client has the flexibility to choose their own distinctive features and inclusions, to be added during the factory build or once on-site using their own contractors.”

Convenience and Cost

For many people, the convenience and predictability of the compressed and controlled time frame appeals. “A major benefit of modular construction is the ability to commence construction of prefabricated elements (modules) in the factory, while commencing construction of all on-site elements, such as driveways, slabs, footings, landscaping etc. The crossover can remove months from a typical build schedule and adds to the cost savings of modular construction,” says Gerard Goldsmith of Broadworth Modular, a NSW company that designs and builds custom modular homes.

Quality is another selling point. “We believe quality control is far better with modular construction,” continues Gerard. “Our factory environment has architects, builders, contractors and engineers all under the same roof with constant cross-checking and quality control measures in place throughout the build. A factory-build eliminates the restrictions of having resources and staff stretched over multiple construction sites.

“Modular builds definitely appeal to people on a budget and retirees, given the rise in land lease developments across Australia,” he adds. “We don’t see a lot of first home buyers as the financing of modular construction through mainstream banks can be complex. This is disappointing as people can get a much higher quality home for their money with a modular builder than they can with a project home.”

What About Kit Homes?

“A kit home can be defined as a home where most of the major components, such as wall frames and trusses, are prefabricated and then delivered to site where the home is then assembled in the traditional manner,” explains Emma O’Shea of Victoria-based Harkaway Homes.

“Components generally include the materials required to complete the shell of the home from the floor level up. After the floor is completed, the first delivery to site is the fully prefabricated, termite-resistant house frame ready to commence frame erection. Windows and doors also are delivered at this stage. Once house frame erection is complete, the next deliveries to site include wall claddings, roofing and trimmings, ready for the tradespeople, or owner-builder, to install and complete the lock-up stage.”

Kit homes come in myriad styles but some companies specialise, as with Harkaway who focus on reproducing homes from the Victorian and early Federation eras. “As with all markets in the 21st century, there are many possibilities when looking to build a kit home, in terms of size and style,” says Emma. “Our homes offer the charm of yesteryear but the internal layout can be reconfigured for modern, open-plan living, and they sit just as proudly on an inner-suburban block as on a country property.”

Chance to be Hands-on

There are a lot of benefits to a kit home build, says Michael Christie of Paal Kit Homes, a company based in Victoria but with operations in NSW and Queensland. “Firstly, you have the ability to be hands-on involved in the construction process,” he says, “Then there are the savings that can be made if the buyer chooses to do the work themselves or owner-manage the process, thus eliminating the ‘middle man’ … the builder. This also leads to reduced build times because the owner-builder is in control of the project so can arrange trades for the construction when they are ready for them.

“The process usually starts with the customer choosing a standard design and making changes that suit their needs,” continues Michael. “They typically select a design from a company’s website or brochure then meet with an in-house design team member who works with the customer to finalise the plan. In my experience, at least 80 per cent of standard plans are customised in some way to suit the individual requirements of the homeowner. But kit homes can also be designed from scratch and kits can even be made to order from the customer’s own architectural plans, if they have them.”

As you can see, kit and modular homes offer a broad array of choice and a high degree of customisation, along with significant cost benefits and time savings — the complete package, you could say.

Words: Karen Booth

The post What do Modular and Kit Homes Have to Offer? appeared first on Completehome.

Built by Imagine Kit Homes, this home was designed for its location – a difficult place to build for many. However, by using a light touch approach, the build was not only able to be completed but fulfilled to an excellent standard.

This custom kit home presented its own set of unique challenges that made a kit build the perfect solution. The location called for off-grid power, and the brief required an approach that took sustainability into account to reduce the impact on the environment. A regular build on a steep site would have required excavation and retaining walls, but the elevated flooring system allowed the design minimise its environmental impact.

The finished product exceeds the owners’ brief; as an ultra-modern family home it offers three bedrooms, plenty of living space and large raked ceilings that give this custom kit home an impressive feeling of spaciousness.

For more information

Imagine Kit Homes

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The ECOBOX from Imagine Kit Homes has already started to attract attention for its portability and ease of installation, but these tiny homes are also ideal for Granny Flats or living studios. With 18 square metres of space. A separate living room, kitchen and bathroom provide for completely self-contained living. What’s more, it comes complete with its own solar system and water tanks.

Whether you are looking for extra space for relatives, a separate residence for AirBnB rental or just some extra living space – the ECOBOX can be set up quickly and suits a range of purposes.

For more information

Imagine Kit Homes

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Traditionally, when somebody mentions a ‘Granny Flat’, one imagines a smaller freestanding, fully self-contained residence that sits to the rear of a larger primary residence. And Clarendon Homes certainly builds popular one and two bedroom Granny Flats just like these, for people who are looking to have extra family space, additional income or simply a flexible multipurpose retreat.

However, Clarendon Homes has extended their Granny Flat range with something completely innovative and different – an Internal Granny Flat. So what is that exactly? Well, like a traditional Granny Flat, it’s a self-contained living space. However, this Granny Flat is under the same roof as the house (in this instance, Clarendon’s Internal Granny Flat is on display within the Bayside 41 at the Clarendon Super Centre at Parklea).

Currently, Internal Granny Flats are available on 14 Clarendon home designs, including some of their most popular designs like the Sheridan, the Madison and the Oceanside. An Internal Granny Flat is located on the ground floor of the two storey home design it’s built within. It includes a private kitchen with ample cupboard space, a bedroom with modern ensuite and an open-plan living area.

Importantly, these Internal Granny Flats have their own entrance, with a sliding door onto a patio area allowing for independence and privacy for whomever occupies the space. There is also a connecting inside door to the rest of the home allowing for the opportunity to bring the family together when desired.

This clever floorplan option really allows a family to future-proof their new Clarendon home, because as we all know too well, families grow and needs change. If a family may potentially need a space for elderly parents, older kids still living at home, or just a separate living space for other relatives or perhaps overseas visitors, an Internal Granny Flat is as clever as it gets.

The Bayside 41 with its Internal Granny Flat is one of Clarendon’s newest display homes in the 13 home-strong ‘mini-neighbourhood’ they have created at their Super Centre at Parklea. Dressed toimpress with its coastal Pacific Facade and Sapphire level Inclusions, it’s a modern, bright and breezy home you’ll love.

The stats for the Bayside 41 are impressive too – 6 living areas, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a double garage for 2 family cars. There is a spacious alfresco with a BBQ and grand rumpus out the back for plenty of relaxed summertime family living. The Bayside 41 also features a study downstairs, while upstairs are 4 bedrooms and a leisure room. The Bayside 41 fits blocks from 14.5m wide and could be a perfect Knockdown Rebuild if you’re thinking of exploring this option.
Come and walk through the Bayside 41 with Internal Granny Flat at the Clarendon Super Centre, which is located on Clarendon Drive, Parklea, opposite Parklea Markets and open 7 days from 10am to 5pm. Clarendon also has another 9 display centres across NSW that can be found here: https://www.clarendon.com.au/nsw/display-home-locations. With over 40 home designs, there’s sure to be one that’s right for your family.

For more information

Clarendon Homes

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The Pine is a large open plan design with a range of different materials. . At 280 square metres, this home includes 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and living spaces and an outdoor entertaining area. It provided you a step to an affordable living.

The master bedroom is located on the lower level. This room is a comfortable size and includes both a walk in robe and an en-suite. Then among the kitchen and living space, you will find a 3 panel sliding door which opens out to a raised veranda. Also to provide shade and comfort in your affordable living, a pergola structure is built on top of the veranda.

Upstairs you will find the 3 additional bedrooms with built in wardrobes, including shelving and a hanging bar. A kids entertaining area is also included on the upper floor, with natural lighting and a street view.

To add some additional luxury, the home includes a 5.2 metre wide garage door, 2.5 metre high ceilings and a steel frame staircase.

The Pine is one of the top picks in the business and has quickly become a popular choice amongst consumers. At just $125,000 this is a dream buy.

Kit Details

Price:  $125,000
Total Area: 278m2
House length: 22.48m
House width: 12.69m
*These measurements are to be used as a guide only. Final setbacks are subject to site conditions, council and covenant requirements.

If you have any questions you can email enquiries@imaginekithomes.com.au or call Imagine Kit Homes on +61 738 065 100

Imagine Kit Homes: imaginekithomes.com.au

The post Affordable living has never been so easy appeared first on Completehome.

Philip Murphy is a true artist and lovable creative. A chef by trade, Philip made a somewhat bold decision to hang up his chef’s hat, move to Stanley in Tasmania, take on a luxury holiday retreat and, as if that wasn’t wild enough, build his own home.

 
Philip fell in love with Stanley — also affectionately known as the edge of the world. So much so that he was almost content residing in the rundown character-filled windmill, small timber-clad shed and old duck house that sat on the site. Almost content for many years.

 
The cluster of buildings had a certain charm for sure. Each small building had its own little piece of history wrapped up in it. And for Philip, who explains that this was the first place he had ever lived in that he enjoyed coming home to, he found something magical in both the town and the collection of buildings on the site.

 
For this reason, Philip wanted to retain as much of the bones in the old collection of buildings as he could in the new build. But perhaps without the dash from the bedroom to the kitchen that was unavoidably sprinkled with rainwater on wet days, and with the addition of a covered area to sit and relax in.

 
To work with him on this new home, Philip contacted his best friend and architect, Greg Prentice at karmatecture. And the two came together to bring a dream to fruition that had been many years in the making. Philip’s brief to Greg was fairly simple. He really just wanted to connect his kitchen and bedroom, create a small seating area to relax in and provide a sleeping space for short-term guests. Other things that were also very important to him included recycling and upcycling as much as possible, as well as wanting his home to have a voice. Philip wanted that voice to be playful, encourage interaction with the home and tell a bit of a story of the home’s history. These factors became a driving force in the build, with many, somewhat unorthodox, decisions being made in the name of celebrating history.

 
The duck shed and many timber features including windows and doors were the first to be upcycled. Philip wanted to salvage as much as possible, much to the frustration of the builders who felt the work could have been recreated cheaper, stronger and better from scratch. Philip stuck to his guns as much as he could, though, digging in his heels and hammering home his vision for an upcycled home that carried in its bones a story. Hats off to him for his dedication and for seeing potential in something others would quickly throw away.

 
On only a couple of occasions did this plan not work out for Philip. The windows had to be replaced twice, due to the fact that the old ones simply could not fit. And much to Philip’s dismay, the salvaged timber from the previous shed could not be used as cladding as originally planned.

 
Not defeated, however, Philip — ever resourceful, creative and far from fussy — still made the most of these timbers as artworks in the living space. Taking his creativity a step further, he also laid them as floorboards, on an angle no less, just to reiterate his carefree attitude to traditional building techniques. While the upcycled floorboards aren’t necessarily straight, they are a piece of art and they are intriguing. And, most importantly, they tell a story. Perhaps even more so given their abstract positioning in the home and the fact they couldn’t be used as originally intended.

 
As architect Greg explains, the resulting home does a fine job of crafting an “Alice in Wonderland” experience. It features fun spaces filled with art, colour and an upcycled selection of mishmashed items. It also encourages curiosity and exploration at every turn.

 
The space that achieves this the most is the piggly-wiggly room. Guests must duck to enter and must lie on the bed to enjoy the view. Also, the entry to the home deserves mention. It serves as a seating area with a wardrobe and bookcase and it follows through to Philip’s bedroom. The ceiling lowers and forces a slower pace as you journey through it. And, lastly, the ceiling is lit up with backlit artworks that sit flush with the ceiling.

 
The budget ran out during the build, putting it on hold for some time. This did not stop Philip, though, who explains that there’s no need to rush through anything in life. The work slowed on the project, but soon began to gather moss again at the hand of a few good local handymen, this time as a labour of love, and of course in exchange for the odd meal cooked by the town’s newest chef: Philip.

 
This is a labour-of-love project — a cubby house if you will — built on the passion of joie de vivre and a lust for life. Philip carves his own path, not interested in flashy marble benchtops and squeaky clean bathrooms. He has his feet firmly on the ground, connected to life’s stories, but his head up in the clouds, where he is free to dream.

The post Upcycled Labour of Love: Stanley Windmill appeared first on Completehome.

Casafico builds homes. The company create innovative building products that allow you to construct quickly with a reduced environmental impact. Developed by Casafico, Polystat prefabricated walls are an all-in-one product – combining the frame and insulation with cavities for services and a finished coat.

Polystat is made from waste materials including newspaper, carpet, polystyrene and glass. These materials are saved from landfill. They are then transformed into composite walls, ready for on-site building and strong enough to be used as load-bearing walls.

The result is a pre-built, user-friendly, lightweight wall with good thermal and fire-rating properties. The polystyrene core’s thermal efficiency provides great insulation, saving energy to heat and cool the building. Also, the recycled materials forming the coatings and panelling account for the fire-rating requirements.

Conscious of the impact the manufacturing, building and construction industries have on people and the planet, Casafico is also partnering with industry and academia to foster greater awareness and take-up of the need and opportunity to develop more sustainable construction solutions.

Features and benefits:

• Lightweight
• Built-in steel frame
• Insulated
• Clear cavity access for services
• Fire-rated
• Pre-coated or pre-finished
• Coharo premium “green” coatings — designer solutions for any level of finish
• One installation team
• Made to measure, no waste on-site
• Reduces time, money and environmental impact
• Australian owned and made, patented building concept

For more information

Casafico

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