affordable modular homes
Home ownership is a challenge in Australia today - what used to be a given is increasingly difficult to achieve for many - the combination of expense to build coupled with difficulty in obtaining finance (particularly in regional areas such as Kangaroo Island, where it is not unusual for banks to demand 20%+ deposits) makes owning and building seem out of reach for many.
In addition, we have the challenges of rebuilding 65+ year-old (and largely under-insured properties) destroyed in the bush fire that devastated the western half of our island in early 2020.
Here at Kauppila, we have been grappling with the challenges involved with both affordable entry to the housing market and quickly and effectively replacing properties lost as a result of the fires and, after substantial research and development, looking at the burgeoning tiny home market, innovative designs, building techniques and materials from all around the world, we believe that we have realistic options to offer our community on Kangaroo Island.
With three key modular, fully self-contained, accommodation units and connector modules, based around either a 6x4.2m or a 6x3m footprint, you have the ability to configure your home the way you need it.
Choose your colours, wall and floor finishes to suit needs and budget - create your home.
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The Basic Tiny Home Module - 25.2sqm (6x4.2m) Air-conditioned Living/Bed, Bathroom / Laundry (complete with laundry tub and washer/drier), Kitchenette (module supplied complete with cooker/range-hood, sink, storage drawers/cupboards, 13,600lt water-tank, water pump, gas-fired, on demand water heater) - connect and move in.
Building on the Island has always been challenging with pretty much everything having to come from the Mainland - this has naturally added cost and time to the construction equation - you can build cheap but you get what you pay for and, with increasing compliance, it isnt really possible to build cheap either now.
Pricing is currently extremely dynamic ....generally heading upwards unfortunately - contact us with your needs and we can discuss......
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Bedroom Module - Air-conditioned 2 bedrooms - for those needing additional beds.
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Master Bedroom & En-suite - Air-conditioned large bedroom & en-suite bathroom - for those needing a little more space.
Fully compliant with Class 1a Building Regulations for Residential Buildings and achieving a Bush-fire Attack Level (BAL) rating of 29 as standard and able to achieve BAL40 with different windows, our Base Tiny Home and the bedroom option modules are built to order and transported to site. Whether intended to be a temporary installation or planned for potential expansion in the future - modules are established on a low-impact footing system, minimising site-work.
With all electrical and plumbing fitted and tested prior to delivery, service trades are on site for hook-up to (existing) approved potable and waste-water systems and to mains power, if available.
Up or down skillion roof lines to create veranda options (up shown below) and a wide range of external finishes are available for you to choose from, together with decking units also available to add on.
A quick, effective, attractive and affordable way of getting onto your land.
6x4.2 Tiny Home in Woodland Grey Maxline
If your intent is to use these as interim accommodation, then you will be able to pick these up and re-purpose / position them when ready to in the future. Simply disconnect services, unbolt from footings and move.
From little things, big things can grow
Now the clever bit:
Scaling for the future, whether cash-flow dependent or future family demands, these modules have been designed to be connected together in flexible units that create usable, enclosed open plan living spaces that take individual modules and make them into a proper user-friendly home.
2 Bed - Weatherboard
Utilising smart design, we connect the Tiny Home - Bath / Living / Kitchen Module - with a Floor Module and the 2 Bedroom Module and enclose the ends as required to create an additional 18 sqm of indoor / outdoor open plan space - effectively creating a home of 61.2 sqm in total.
The design shown above includes all bathroom & laundry fixtures and fittings (incl. a washer / drier), a fully functioning kitchenette with gas cooker, rangehood, single drain stainless sink, under & overhead drawer / cupboard storage; external 13,600lt water tank, gas-fired, on-demand water heater. An air conditioner is fitted in the living module and another shared between the 2 bedrooms - all you need to move in is your clothes and furniture!
Pricing is currently extremely dynamic ....generally heading upwards unfortunately - contact us with your needs and we can discuss....
2 Bed - Custom Orb
2 Bed - Weathertex
2 Bed - Maxline + Timber
For those needing more space:
We have a 3-bedroom option as well - adding the master bedroom / en-suite unit and connecting with a floor modules we create a fit-for-purpose 79.2 sqm home with 18sqm of indoor/outdoor open plan space linking the living modules.
Pricing is currently extremely dynamic ....generally heading upwards unfortunately - contact us with your needs and we can discuss...
Again, choose your colours from Colorbond roof/wall cladding range and customise your internal wall/floor finishes to suit your needs and budget.
You create your home, we build it
We are also developing a more traditional, affordable house offer with these new materials - where we pre-cut / prepare your house in our dedicated facilities in Kingscote and then come to site and erect the house - going from bare site to lock-up in as little as 5-7 days.. With internal linings fitted, plumbing and electrical services are installed, the outside clad and finished and then internal flooring, painting and joinery finalised. Talk to us about your building needs and we can see if this is appropriate.
Important things to consider before you commit
Site conditions vary greatly, therefore it is impossible to provide an installed price on your site without specifically visiting and quoting based on your conditions and needs. A budget guide only for delivery, site works, footings installation and certification, services connection on a cleared (brown-field) site adjacent to a functioning wastewater treatment system and assuming mains power connection would be in the region of $15-25,000.
Wastewater (septic water) treatment is another important component of an approved compliant development. If you have a functioning wastewater system on site and it is certified by a qualified plumber as "fit-for-purpose" then it may be possible to hook up to this. Have the system inspected before you proceed - do not assume that all will be well!! A new aerobic wastewater treatment system which will produce a treated water suitable for above-ground non-edible plant irrigation will cost in the region of $15-22,000 installed and we can offer solutions should you either not have one or your old system is not deemed "fit-for-purpose".
Power to site can be another under-budgeted for expense on the Island - Our modules are ready to be wired into the mains supply, with multiple modules linking together for an efficient distribution of power and we can assist with obtaining quotes from SA Power Networks for service to be supplied to your land if not already at the boundary.
Should you wish to go off-grid with a solar/ battery/generator hybrid power system, then this can be accommodated and we can work with local electricians to specify and integrate this into our designs.
One of the biggest influencers of cost to build is the need to appreciate and accommodate the Bushfire Building Code Requirements. The Island has been broadly assessed into General, Low, Medium and High Fire Risk areas. A Medium Risk Area is one assessed as having a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Rating of 12.5 and our modules meet this rating without issue. High Fire Risk assessed areas then have to be individually assessed by the CFS as part of the Planning Consent Process - they will then be assessed as either BAL 19, 29, 40 or Flame Zone. Our modules - with the mandated glazing and other features required - can attain BAL 40 comfortably. Building in Flame Zone requires significant building modification and protection and each site's needs will be different. An important first step is finding out which risk rating your land has been allocated and - if high risk - then getting the Planning process started so that the CFS can provide you with their formal assessment.
Planning is a process that can seem daunting and we offer design and planning services to get you through the important first step of getting Planning Consent for what you want to build on your land - something you will need to do before building anything. We can run the planning process for you and at the end of this you still can decide whether you wish to proceed to build - this is an affordable and relatively quick process for most people and you do get to learn a lot about you building needs during the process. After Planning Consent is obtained we will have sufficient information to provide much firmer costings and you can then decide if you wish to progress further and move through formal design, certification and Building Rules Approval process - again we can take you through this.
With formal design drawings, engineering certification in place we can provide a firm price. With Building Rules Approval in place you are then able to proceed with construction.
This concept is developing daily. If you have any questions or would like to see one of our modules, then please contact us through the website or ring Sharon on 0439 687 155.