Prefabricated second-storey additions are being craned on to existing homes within as little as half an hour, with the innovative technology helping to add space to some of Perth’s increasingly crowded houses.
The modules are part of the booming renovation market, as homeowners seek to expand their existing homes instead of battling the historically tight sales market. New figures from the Housing Industry Association show that in the first quarter of 2024, there were approvals for $244 million worth of renovations in WA, which is 55.7 per cent greater than the State’s decade-long average.
For the Banks family, attaching a prefabricated second storey to their Duncraig home they all loved was preferable to battling the listings market, or facing the disruption of traditional construction.
The family spent $357,000 for the second storey addition with Summit Homes. It was craned on to their home as two separate pods last week.
The second storey provides 67sqm of extra space for their growing brood, including a parent’s retreat with a master bedroom and ensuite, a lounge room and kitchenette.
Steve Banks said one of the great benefits for the family was that his daughters will eventually have their own bedrooms without having to leave their much-loved home. They were relieved at enduring minimal disruption during the renovation.
“We are glad we did not have to try to find a rental or hit the Airbnb market,” Mr Banks said.
The integrated modular system, also known as pods, are made from steel frames and usually involve insulated wall panels, with R2 insulation on the walls, and R1 insulation on the ceiling. Acoustic matting lays beneath the floor of the pod.
It takes about an hour to prepare the home to receive the pods. It then takes another 30 minutes to lift each pod on to the house, with a wait of between 30 and 45 minutes between each lift.
Tradesmen then spend the rest of the day securing the pod, and a further six to eight weeks connecting plumbing, tiling the roof, and completing the finishing touches.
But Mr Banks said the entire process — from signing the contracts, to the design, approvals, construction, and waiting for the right weather — took a total of 11 months.
Summit Renovations general manager Adrian Sutton said the $357,000 cost included a total fit-out for the bathroom and kitchenette, including upgrades, and the tradies, who spent about eight weeks onsite, but excluded flooring and painting.
It is more expensive than traditional construction methods for a similarly sized granny flat, which he said would have cost about $200,000 through Summit.
A traditional build would have taken a similar amount of time, though construction would have occurred in situ, which is usually more disruptive for residents.
But he said building up, while more expensive than building out, has the adding benefit of sparing the size of the back garden, which is good for resale value. It also ensures the entire family is under one roof — a comforting and preferable option for most clients.
Mr Sutton said the process started with a design consultant, who helped to custom design the addition based on the established home and the customer’s preferences.
This was followed by a 60 to 90 day approvals period with the local council and a further two weeks to get the building permit.
The pods were built in Summit’s Canning Vale factory over four months before being transported, attached and secured.