Design, documentation & manufacturing
Before we get started we offer a complimentary one hour consultation either in person at our office or via the phone or Zoom (depending on your location). This meeting will allow you to get to know us and establish a broad design brief for your project. With this briefing information we can then provide costing, timing and design advice for your particular needs on your proposed site.
Fairweather Homes will guide you through a four step design & fabrication process which will take you efficiently through to the completion of your new home with our approach to modular prefab construction. Once you are ready to proceed, the four-step process will commence.
Step 1:
Design, presentation & cost estimate
With MODUS Architects
Step 1A:
- Sign agreement to prepare Sketch Design & pay deposit
- Confirm the design brief and other requirements
- Discuss timing and budget
Step 1B:
- Meet on site to discuss building siting*
- Gather all information required to proceed with concept sketch plan
- Prepare concept sketch plan based on design brief information
Step 1C:
- Receive feedback on concept design
- Present final sketch plan, elevations and cost estimate
Step 1D**
- Presentation of town planning permit or report and consent documents if required
- Assist with lodgement of planning permit documents if required
Step 2:
Documents for building permit & construction
With MODUS Architects
Step 2A:
- Sign agreement to prepare Documents & pay deposit
- Selection of finishes & equipment for inclusion in detailed building plans
- Collation of site and authorities information documents
- Geotechnical investigation, structural certification, energy report
- Preparation of documents for building permit
- Preparation of documents for construction & finalise costings
Step 2B:
- Review and finalise construction documents
- Submit for authorities permissions
Step 3:
Purchase agreement
With Assemble Systems:
- Sign purchase agreement & pay purchase agreement deposit
- Coordinate documentation of all components to be manufactured & complete take off of all items to be supplied
Step 4:
Manufacture & delivery
With Assemble Systems:
- Coordinate the manufacture and delivery to the site of all supply items
- Make final payment
- A registered builder (or approved owner builder) will need to be engaged by the owner and a building permit obtained in order to commence construction & receive the prefabricated supply items
Cost information
Each project is unique and therefore will be costed differently by each builder depending on inclusions, specifications and scope of work.
In our experience, the cost of completed buildings which incorporate the prefabricated panelisation start at around $3,300 per square metre for an average 3 bedroom home on a flat site (updated January 2024).
Please note that 2020 to 2024 has seen escalations in the cost of building materials and supply shortages resulting in average 10% to 30% increase in the cost to build. These increases may continue so we are not able to make any confident long term projections of building cost at this time.
Final build cost will vary depending on type of building, finishes, complexity, site conditions, level of finish & detail, location & inclusions.
Manufacturing (Assemble Systems):
- Wall panels: Timber structural wall frames, sheathing, membrane, bracing, external wall sheet cladding, flashings, sealants & fasteners
- Windows & doors: Timber, UPVC or Aluminium framed windows & external doors, flyscreens, locks, trims, flashings, seals & fasteners
- Roof cassettes: Timber roof framing, bracing, membrane, brackets, sealants & fasteners
- Floor cassettes: Timber floor framing, floor structural lining, brackets, sealants & fasteners
Documents (MODUS Architects):
- Sketch plan drawings
- Town planning drawings**
- Architectural construction drawings and specifications
- Construction manual & kit components drawings
- Documents for building permit & structural certification
Services (MODUS Architects):
- Site visit & building siting*
- Architectural sketch design
- Sustainability advisory service
- Energy & water consultancy
- Colour & materials selection
- Architectural detailing & documentation
- Technical advice during construction
- Consultant coordination
Fine print:
* consulting site visits are charged at cost for distances greater than 50km from Melbourne CBD (negotiable)
** not all projects need planning approval however for those that do we seek additional fees to manage the town planning process
^ there may be additional costs associated with this item
^^ all prefabricated supply items must be received by the builder and incorporated into the construction work by the builder
Standard inclusions subject to change
Range of building types
Clients are able to select from a range of design series as the starting point for their new design. The Design, Metro, Micro, Core & Export Series focus on providing different types of building solutions for a wide variety of local and international situations.
Please enquire to find out which series is most suitable for you.
Design
The Design Series is the most popular series for customised family homes is the Design Series as it provides the most flexibility and adaptability. All of the features of the Fairweather Homes design system can be incorporated to provide housing solutions with unlimited single and multi-storey configurations.
Metro
The Metro Series provides an economical pre-fabricated solution for compact metropolitan sites with a focus on energy efficiency. Our range of designs provide an adaptable and affordable contemporary design for residential subdivisions, open plan living dining and kitchen with small home office studio or to build a compact two-storey residence.
Micro
The Micro Series is the heart of the Fairweather Homes design system. This compact and expandable self-contained unit is suitable for small and repetitive applications such as granny flats, holiday units, multiple serviced accommodation, the resources sector and resorts.
Core
The Core Series (formerly Freedom Series) is a single-storey home with the opportunity to expand and contract the house size around a centralised core zone of kitchen and bathrooms. This series is suitable for single or multiple housing, including applications such as institutional, government and mining settlement housing.
Export
The Export Series refers to our capacity to deliver to all areas outside Australia, particularly New Zealand, South East Asia and the Pacific regions.