Modular homes enable multi-generational living as Australia’s housing crunch deepens
Sheena Carter and Barry Flentjar moved into a factory-built modular house on their daughter’s land, highlighting a rise in multi-generational households amid soaring housing costs in Australia.
Eight years ago, Sheena Carter and Barry Flentjar sold their Central Victorian home and had a modular house delivered to their daughter Jacqui’s 8-hectare block near Hanging Rock, creating a three-generation living setup that preserves independence. They praise the affordability and rapid construction, with the home arriving on a truck and being ready within months. Census figures reveal a 22 % increase in multi-generational households since the previous count, a shift demographers link to rising housing and living costs.
Similar solutions are emerging: Michael St Vincent is retrofitting his long-standing home for adult grandchildren, while Ellen McNeice welcomed her adult sons back after her husband’s death to reduce rent burdens. Planning reforms in New South Wales have lifted approvals for secondary dwellings by 24 %, and industry bodies call for national legislation to ease granny-flat construction. Experts note modular construction still accounts for only 3-5 % of Australia’s building market, but could add up to 25 000 homes annually if demand and confidence grow.
Why it matters
It shows how affordable, fast-built homes can help families cope with Australia’s housing shortage and rising living costs.
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