This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
ILLAWARRA-based builder, Unique Style Homes, has completed a duplex build in Matraville in Sydney’s east to lock up stage in just 10 days using NSW innovation Panelup, proving a cost effective sustainable family home can be ready for its new owners to move in three to four months earlier when compared to traditional construction methods.
The architecturally designed open plan living homes comprise a two-storey duplex totalling 540 sqm with four bedrooms, two living areas, four bathrooms and three outdoor areas.
Developed over seven years, the PanelUp Prefab System combines Bondor’s SolarSpan® roof panels and InsulWall® wall panels with 3D BIM computer technology and custom-made machinery to speed up construction by more than 50%.
Currently, Unique Style Homes builds around 15 prefab homes a year but the company says it has capacity to do one a week in its factory.
“We have evolved and all the technology around us, so should the way we build homes,” director Sasha Veselinovic said.
Veselinovic who also owns an offsite manufacturing company Panelup Systems said his prefab system is the fastest panelised house construction system in Australia.
“We can complete a two-storey house to lock-up from the slab up to the roof in just seven days with the Panelup prefab system,” he said. “A family home can be ready for its new owners to move in three to four months ahead of traditional construction methods,”
Veselinovic said the company uses 3D BIM software to model each project and manufacture every house component offsite at the North Wollongong factory, from external and internal walls to prefabricated floor cassettes, steel fabrications, bathroom pods, timber frames and insulated roofing panels.
“Everything is then trucked to the site, fits together perfectly and can be erected by virtually any carpenter. It is a great alternative to traditional construction methods and can especially provide savings due to reduced labour costs.
“A Panelup Prefab home is built twice as fast, offers twice as much benefits but costs less than a traditional home. We also offer a lockup stage only to owner builders and other trade professionals.
“Our system also offers a huge return on energy savings over the life of a home, as InsulWall® and SolarSpan® panels form a complete thermal shell to that significantly exceeds current Australian requirements for Energy Ratings,” he continued.
Bondor NSW state manager Paul Adams said the Panelup Prefab System is a significant leap forward for residential prefabricated construction in Australia and one of the most exciting milestones that the Australian building industry has seen.
“This is important given the current high demand for affordable housing, especially given the need for the rapid rebuild of our recently bush fire ravaged regional communities, with families unable to build for extended periods, forced to live in sheds and portable homes,” Adams said.
More importantly, Veselinovic said their building system is also reducing the environmental footprint of Australian homes.
“We are presently 99% paper free and all material off-cuts in the factory are fully recycled,” he concluded.
