Completed in just 20 days from slab pour to building completion, the pilot marks one of the first times a major Australian volume home builder has tested how prefabricated construction can be successfully integrated into a mainstream volume-building model – bringing together the speed and precision of off-site manufacturing with the quality, design and customer experience expected.
Metricon CEO Brad Duggan said Australia needed to embrace new ways of building if it was to improve housing supply and affordability.
“Australia doesn’t have a demand problem, we have a housing supply challenge. If we’re serious about building more homes for Australians, we need to continually explore smarter and more productive ways to deliver them.
“As Australia’s largest home builder, we believe we have a responsibility to lead that conversation and to test new construction methods that have the potential to increase housing supply while maintaining the quality and design our customers expect.”
Remarkably, within the first four days of building, the homes progressed from slab to beyond lock-up, becoming weatherproof with fully functioning bathrooms before moving through the final stages of completion.
“This pilot is an important step in understanding where pre-fabricated construction can play a role within a volume-building environment. It’s not about replacing traditional construction, it’s about adding another pathway that could help us build more homes, faster and with greater certainty,” said Brad.
“In locations where the supply chain for conventional construction is constrained, offsite construction can bring more homes to market faster, and that’s a win for Australian home buyers.”
The two pilot homes at Mt Atkinson Estate in Truganina were delivered through a partnership between Metricon, Signex and Stockland. The collaboration combines Metricon’s expertise in delivering thousands of homes each year, Signex’s innovative pre-fabricated construction capability and Stockland’s leadership in creating masterplanned communities.
Everyone Homes, a dedicated division of Metricon Homes, specialising in projects to build social, affordable, and accessible houses, general manager Sam Gribble, said the pilot was designed to test how pre-fabricated construction could move beyond niche applications and become part of mainstream housing delivery.
“For a long time, pre-fabricated homes have been viewed as a niche solution. What makes this project significant is that we’re demonstrating how pre-fabricated construction can work within a volume-building model.
“The opportunity is particularly compelling in regional and growth areas where labour availability can constrain housing delivery. By manufacturing much of the home in a controlled environment, we’re able to reduce weather impacts, improve quality control and significantly streamline on-site construction.”
The homes were constructed using pre-fabricated wall panels manufactured off site in a controlled factory environment, enabling greater precision, improved quality control, reduced material waste and minimised weather-related delays. Approximately 90% of each home was manufactured off-site before being transported and assembled at Mt Atkinson.
Each home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and open-plan living spaces designed for modern Australian families while achieving a 7-star energy rating.
“Importantly, these homes are virtually indistinguishable from conventionally built homes. They’re built on traditional slab-on-ground foundations using high-quality, robust materials, delivering the same look, feel and liveability Australians expect,” said Sam.
While still a pilot, the project provides valuable insights into how pre-fabricated construction could complement traditional building methods and support future housing delivery across Australia.
Brad said innovation would continue to be critical if Australia was to meet its long-ter housing needs,
“There is no single solution to Australia’s housing challenge. It will take collaboration, investment and innovation across the entire industry. We’re proud to be testing new approaches that have the potential to make a meaningful difference.”
Jeff Xu, CEO of Signex, said: “We’re proud to collaborate with leading partners across Australia’s development and construction sectors to bring this initiative to life. Partnerships like this are essential to accelerating innovation and helping deliver more high-quality homes to meet Australia’s growing housing needs.”
Jackie Kent, Stockland development director, said: “Bringing together expertise from across the industry, this pilot provides valuable insights into how emerging construction approaches may complement traditional building methods while maintaining the quality, design and customer experience Australians expect.”
