Homes built in days a game changer for those in need

Supply blockages, material costs and construction blowouts are fuelling a surge in demand for rapid-build prefabricated homes that are also being used as emergency housing for flood and bushfire victims.

Australian company Wild Modular has just designed and delivered 55 dwellings for residents left without shelter when flood waters hit NSW’s Northern Rivers region a year ago.

The pods, which are also bushfire-compliant, were constructed and fitted out at Smithfield in Sydney’s west and trucked more than 700 kilometres upstate.

“Some people in the Northern Rivers have been living in caravans,” said company co-founder Tahi Merrilees.

“Effectively, they’ve been camping while they wait for an insurance payout or to learn whether they will qualify for the government’s buyback scheme.”

Given the current construction climate and location, Mr Merrilees fears some landholders could be facing a lengthy wait to fully rebuild using traditional methods.

“The average build time now for a traditional home has blown out to 12 months for those in the cities, longer for regional areas,” he said.

Stepping into the void, Wild Modular’s use of new technology is producing multi-room homes in under 12 days at a rate of 40 per month.

The builds are high quality and cost effective, according to company co-founder Alex Tattle.

“Additionally, knowing that the modules can be repurposed later aligns with our commitment to reducing our environmental impact,” he added.

Marcus and Leonie Bebb lost everything when a torrent of water swept through their South Lismore home in February 2022.

They then spent months in caravans before transferring to emergency pods where they say they’ve finally been able to breathe and work out their next step.

“We will never be able to go back home; even just mentally we can’t do it,” Mr Bebb said.

“This pod village is our little community and it’s a lot more room than a caravan. We are so grateful to have this and yet at the same time there’s a feeling of guilt because we know there are still hundreds more people waiting for help.”

Modular buildings have long been popular in Europe where bricklayers and other tradies can’t work in snow, and countries like Japan where space is scarce.

In Sweden and Norway at least half of all newly constructed homes are prefabricated.

“In Australia modular buildings account for as little as three per cent but that’s expected to triple to 15 per cent within the next 24 months and as land sizes continue to shrink, alternatives to traditional construction methods and emergency housing will spike in demand,” Mr Tattle said.

– BY JOHN KIDMAN/ AAP