Rapid timber-frame builds speed up social housing delivery

  • Six timber-frame houses nearing completion for social housing in Perth’s north
  • The timber-frame homes will be constructed in less than five months
  • Timber-frame homes can be built faster than brick homes in the current heated construction market
  • The six homes will help meet demand for social housing in Perth’s northern suburbs  
  • Six new social housing properties in Banksia Grove are nearing completion less than five months after construction began.

    The homes have been delivered using rapid timber-frame builds, an alternative construction method allowing faster turnaround times in Western Australia’s heated construction market.

    The homes, which are being built by Dale Alcock Homes, each have three-bedrooms, one bathroom and parking for two cars.

    Construction on the homes started in June this year with completion originally forecast for January 2022. However, construction has been ahead of schedule, with all six homes due for completion later this month.

    Once the homes are completed, families will be allocated from the Department of Communities’ (Communities) housing waitlist and tenants will be able to move in as soon as possible.

    Timber-frame homes are faster than building brick homes, mainly because of the current high demand on the bricklaying trade. They also have a range of benefits including the sustainability and environmental properties of timber, providing flexibility for future modifications and an appealing aesthetic variation to traditional brick homes. 

    The six homes were part of the Communities land development project in Banksia Grove in partnership with LWP Property Group Ltd.

    As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:

    “As the Minister for Housing, I have been reforming our program of works to ensure homes are being delivered as fast as possible, and in our heated construction market that means looking outside the box at new and innovative construction methods.

    “Alongside our significant investments in modular housing, rapid timber-frame construction is another way we can get housing delivered as fast as possible.

    “In the case of these six homes, we’ve seen that despite the high demand for trades and supplies, construction time-frames of less than five months can still be achieved.

    “Not only are they faster to build, but timber-frame builds are more environmentally sustainable, can be modified easily in the future and provide an appealing aesthetic alternative.

    “The construction of timber-frame homes also reduces the number of on-site tradies, freeing them up for other jobs. 

    “These three-bedroom homes are a great solution for increased demand for social housing – especially for families – in Perth’s booming northern suburbs.

    “Our priority is to see as many Western Australians as possible in safe, secure and sustainable homes.  

    “The State Government is investing $2.1 billion into social housing over the next four years, which includes the recently announced record investment of $875 million as part of the 2021-22 State Budget.

    “Through this investment, we will deliver up to 3,300 new social housing properties and carry out refurbishment and maintenance work to many thousands more.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.