Factory-built homes ready to roll into regions

More than 100 factory-built modular homes will be rolled out across regional Queensland in a bid to tackle the state’s housing crisis.

More than 100 factory-built modular homes will be rolled out across regional Queensland in a bid to tackle the state’s housing crisis.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon visited Volo Modular’s Yatala factory on Friday to inspect some of the homes which would soon be used for social housing – with eleven headed for Gympie and seven for Eidsvold.

Collectively 53 homes will be used to house vulnerable Queenslanders, with an additional 64 to be built for frontline workers including teachers, police officers and health staff in the regions.

Ms Scanlon said with the construction industry facing numerous pressures, the state government had been searching for “creative” ways to get more homes in the market.

Housing Minister Meghan Scanlon with Adam Brockhurst from the Department of Housing and Rick Bell from VOLO at the Yatala factory.

“Looking at modern ways of manufacturing is one of the ways that we’re trying to scale up supply quickly,” she said.

“We’re looking at different ways that we can scale up supply, whether that be prefabricated homes or tiny homes or traditional homes.”

Volo Modular Rick Bell said the homes take about six weeks to build – far less than a traditional construction project – with the added benefit of being protected from weather.

“We’ll be delivering them to site prior to Christmas,” he said, adding they would take between one and two days to install.

“Then they’ll be ready to move in,” he said.

“People now are realising they can have an amazing home manufactured in a factory in a quarter of the time frame it takes for a traditional build – that’s the beauty of Modular.”

Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni said the production of homes was ramping up, with houses beginning to roll out from factories.

“We’re also close to finalising a site for another QBuild Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeships Centre in Cairns and that will be a huge benefit for remote communities,” he said.

“Importantly, QBuild is future-proofing construction workforces right across Queensland – they are training 1,000 tradies and apprentices by 2026 to be our local skilled carpenters, painters, electricians, and plumbers of tomorrow.”