Embarking on a new approach to a housing development, Allam Property Group looked to BlueScope to help guide the use of BlueScope steel products in a whole-of-house and community solution for the Monterey Estate.
Used in this project
For a new housing development in Kendall near Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast, Allam Property Group faced unique challenges. As a land lease offering – meaning that consumers buy the dwelling but not the land it stands on – the homes in the Monterey Estate needed to be technically relocatable.
And as a development focused on quality living for over-55s, the homes needed to promise a low-maintenance lifestyle for people who would rather be out enjoying their retired freedom than spending time on the upkeep of their home.
At the heart of the solution was collaborating with BlueScope, whose support helped guide the development of innovative relocatable home solutions made from COLORBOND® steel and TRUECORE® steel. These BlueScope steel products were a lightweight alternative to traditional materials, allowing Allam to construct homes that could be lifted and shifted – as well as delivering straightforward construction and a stunning end result.
Guiding light
Kendall is within an easy drive of the coast and very much embraces a beachy aesthetic and attitude, inspiring a coastal-style design for the homes.
“We were going for a single-storey Hamptons look – light in colour, from roof and walls to fences – which we then transposed onto the community centre so it all married together,” says Allam design manager Tony Camilleri.
Lighter materials – in look and in physical mass, compared to more traditional building materials – were the best fit for this breezy coastal, aesthetic. With this in mind, COLORBOND® steel roofing and fibre cement cladding were chosen. Allam was determined that Monterey was on-trend in terms of design, and took full advantage of BlueScope’s commitment to offering a range of colours that reflect both current and forecasted future Australian colour trends. Working closely with BlueScope’s COLORBOND® steel colour consultant, a whole-of-house scheme was developed in a pale, forward-looking palette of COLORBOND® steel in the colours Surfmist® and Shale Grey™. The result was a consistent, design-led colour scheme across the whole of house and community.
As part of the land-lease arrangement, the homes were required to be technically relocatable, compelling Allam to look beyond its usual range of materials. “This estate was totally different for us,” says Allam operations general manager Domenic Murdocca. “It was a massive learning curve. There was a lot of discussion with suppliers, including BlueScope and contractors, as well as looking at how other builders do it. It was like a jigsaw puzzle – how can we do this, providing the best outcome for our clients, keep costs under control and make it work for us?”
The homes needed to be lightweight and able to be uplifted with minimal damage. An integral element was a frame made from TRUECORE® steel, which not only provided a lightweight option but also retains its strength over time, is able to withstand the relocation process (if necessary) and can be disassembled/reassembled relatively simply. Choice of roofing also played a huge part. A roof made from COLORBOND® steel added minimal weight to the structure and, unlike traditional roofing materials, minimised the issue of breakages during transit. Additionally, any COLORBOND® steel panels that need to be removed during the relocation process could be simply unscrewed, neatly stacked into a compact bundle and then reinstalled at the other end.
Taking on such a different style of build has been a challenge but also a growth opportunity for Allam. “We had to look at ways to simplify the process,” says Domenic. “We had the BlueScope team out to talk us through how we could improve on what we had planned to make it smoother and quicker while also providing cost-effective suggestions. Stage one was the guinea pig and stage two is going so much faster.”
The other essential element was that the homes needed to be low maintenance. As an over-55s community, the Monterey houses were to be a low-stress, reduced-labour living solution, making the use of COLORBOND® steel for the roof, fascias, gutters, fences and garage doors the obvious choice.
“Everything about each house is low maintenance – from the roof sheeting and fascias to the gutters,” says Allam Property Group building supervisor Brett Pike. “A simple regular wash-down and it should give many years of easy-maintenance life.”
The choice of frames made from TRUECORE® steel will also help maintain structural integrity as the properties age because it won’t shrink or warp over time and the frames are completely resistant to termites and borers.
Site advantages
On a build of this scale – 220 homes – time-saving factors count, and Domenic says BlueScope products offered plenty of opportunities to streamline operations, from the speed of standing the frames made from TRUECORE® steel, to having trades able to work simultaneously on jobs (“The installer doing our fascia and gutter was also installing the COLORBOND® steel roof at the same time”). “You might save half a day here and there, but overall you can save weeks,” Domenic says. At scale, improvements in speed and efficiency had a significant positive impact on the project’s cost.
“With consideration of construction efficiency and cost of labour and materials, we have been able to make significant savings. This benefit has been passed onto our customers, providing exceptional value and quality of construction for them.”
Building supervisor Brett appreciates anything that makes a build quicker, and was struck by the difference working with COLORBOND® steel. “COLORBOND® steel gets delivered in a small pack and the roofs are completed really quickly, so I can remove my scaffolding faster.” Working with framing made from TRUECORE® steel also had benefits in terms of an efficient site, as it doesn’t have to be planed and straightened before the plasterboard goes on. “You don’t have to do that stage at all – everything’s straight,” says Brett.
Additionally, after an assessment of the project location and building designs, Allam’s Monterey Estate qualified for a whole-of-project warranty from BlueScope which not only included BlueScope steel products in every home in the development but also covered every BlueScope steel product in all applications – framing, roofing, gutters, fascias, fences and garage doors. For Allam, a whole-of-project warranty injected confidence but added to overall efficiency, too, by avoiding having to deal with and manage multiple suppliers and individual warranties.
A whole-house solution
Choosing roofing made from COLORBOND® steel had numerous advantages, from ease of installation to the effects on potential relocation, but it also makes for a consistent whole-project palette, from the garage doors to the fencing.
Roofing made from COLORBOND® steel in the pale tones of Surfmist® and Shale Grey™ extends to gutters and fascias in the same shade. Garage doors are in the same COLORBOND® steel hue, while matching fences frame each property.
The fencing made from COLORBOND® steel not only looks great, but is practical, too, meeting BAL requirements and easily moveable if needs be.
“It was a practical choice for us, as we can dismantle the COLORBOND® steel panels to allow access to the sites,” says Tony, pointing out the functional benefits of moving fence panels for site access when landscaping, relocating or performing any drainage or sewer rectification, an important factor when managing the future maintenance of the development.
“It’s all in keeping with the landscape, with the estate theme and with the colours that we’ve used – it all comes together as a package,” says Domenic.
By working with BlueScope, one of the country’s largest manufacturers, Allam received support and consultation at every point of the process and, ultimately, was able to integrate products and solutions that delivered its project effectively and efficiently.