Aussies Save on Housing by Turning Sheds into Homes

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Aussies Save on Housing by Turning Sheds into Homes

Housing prices are increasing every year in Australia. Approximately 87% of Australians believe future generations will never be able to purchase a home for themselves. Thus, many also think it is better to build or purchase a house immediately in order to save money. The smaller and cheaper the home, the better.

Over the last 10 years, the country has already seen an increase in the number of tiny houses and tree houses where people live. Now there is a whole new trend taking place amongst young Australians on a budget… “shomes”. This is a word that is short for “shed homes.”

“Shomes” are basically like ordinary backyard sheds that have been converted into livable home units. But there are some customised “shomes” that have more space and features than a standard garden shed. You just need to find the right builder or the right building kit to do the job properly.

Benefits

The number one benefit of converting a shed into a home is the cost savings, of course. If you were to purchase a typical 2-bedroom single family home in a suburban neighbourhood, you’d have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 30-year period.

With a shed home, you can purchase a building kit for anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 on average. It really depends on how big of a shed you want to have.

The only other expense will be for the land where you want to place it. That would probably be another $20,000 to $40,000, depending on where it is located. There is no mortgage or other big expenses to worry about after that.

For a young person or couple just starting out, this will be a huge advantage. They can continue saving money for their future and pay off any existing school loans a lot faster.

Converting a Shed into a Home

When you want to convert a shed into a home, you first need to purchase the base for the shed. This needs to be a steel stud design because it mimics the framing of a traditional house and gives the structure the same durability.

Once you have the base placed on the land, you can hire developers to insert the internal walls, exterior cladding, doors, pipes, electrical wires, etc.

Now if you already have a standard garden shed or a stud design that wasn’t originally made for home use, then you will have a little more work to do.

First, you will need to install insulation on the walls and seal all the little cracks that may exist in the walls or doors. Use drywall for the insulation and internal walls if you have enough room.

Next, you will want to cut out your own windows or make the existing ones bigger. You must be skilled at construction work if you attempt to do this yourself.

Lastly, you’ll need to hire professional electricians and plumbers to install the utilities in the shed. Even if you think that you know how to do these installations, you legally cannot. They must be done by certified professionals.

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David Anthony

David has a background in Journalism and small business. David writes on culture, education and business. He also writes for Relevance and Medium.

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