The Process
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Lockup ReadinessExplore our lockup ready modular habitat designs and find the perfect match for your vision. Upon deposit, we’ll provide comprehensive drawings, engineering, forms, and certifications for seamless certifier approval. Site-specific needs? We offer optional soil testing for footing design optimization, building placement on your survey plans, and engineered footings for slopes (additional fees apply). All Safe Habitats adhere to Class 1A building standards.
Step 1 | Site Location Specifics
On your land/property, whether you are building a secondary dwelling or you are building on a vacant block, we suggest obtaining a Soil Test (Classification Report) and Contour & Detail (CD) Survey as a minimum to ensure you know the site conditions as well as where you intend to seat your new lockup ready habitat (dwelling). This is important due to possible setback requirements from boundaries and from existing buildings (if any). Furthermore, depending on how much slope there is on the block, you may require a Geotech Report (Slope Stability). Additionally, your site may be at risk of bushfire and if this is the case, you may need to obtain a bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment in order to get a BAL Rating.
To meet the BAL 29 building requirements for a 9×3.3m module, the following upgrades are necessary – Cladding: option 1: Cement sheet (FC Duragroove 150), option 2: Pre-Primed Weathertex Smooth 100 (with 3 coats of light grey FSA FireCoat paint). Flooring: Structafloor R-Flor. Windows and Flyscreens: Upgraded windows and flyscreens. Vents: Stainless steel mesh vents (standard plastic vents cannot be used). Please note: Prices for these upgrades will vary based on specific product choices and quantities.
Finally, you need to determine whether there is town water and sewer connections, otherwise you will need to think about a Water & Wastewater Plan that will include water tanks and a Home Service Treatment Plant (HSTP) system. This sounds like a lot, however it is better to know the site-specific conditions before starting. If you need assistance, we are happy to help. Please note: To ensure your All Safe Habitat is built specifically for your site and meets all safety requirements, we kindly request that you provide soil tests, wind classification, bushfire assessment reports, advise if it’s a termite prone area and flooding ingress before placing your order deposit. This vital information allows us to tailor the unit’s construction to perfectly suit your land’s needs.
Step 2 | Selection & Pricing
Once you have completed Step 1, make your selection from one of our lockup ready Habitats. If you don’t have your own draftsman, we can connect you with one to create your site plan, floorplan, elevations, roof plan (including drainage), and general notes, then liaise with them to ensure all your modular floorplans, elevations, frame and base details, along with necessary forms and certificates, are submitted to the council for building and plumbing approval. At this stage, we ask for a fee of $2,000 +GST. Once your Preliminary Plans are completed, we will provide you with a fixed lockup ready price with inclusions and any optional extras, valid for 30 days. If you wish to proceed, you will need to pay a 10% deposit which is refundable if you are unable to obtain Stage 3 Approval. Please note: If your All Safe Habitat deposit has been received and is later cancelled after construction has begun or materials have been ordered, we reserve the right to sell that unit to another customer before refunding your deposit.
Step 3 | Approval & Build
Once the 50% deposit is received, we will provide full Construction Drawings, Engineering including the Concrete Pier and Post design to give to your local Private Certifier for approval and construction of your dwelling will comence. They will handle your Building & Plumbing Approval with Council as that is what they do.
Step 4 | Delivery & Completion
Once your dwelling is built to lockup readiness, QA checked and is ready for delivery to site, you will be required to pay the remaining 50% plus transport cost unless you are arranging that yourself. Once the balance is received, you will be given a delivery ETA. Once the dwelling arrives onsite, you can then arrange with a concreter to get your concrete piers and posts ready for the building to be lifted and secured to. You can then arrange with your plumber and electrician for service connections including power, water, stormwater and sewer or provide in-situ as per the Hydraulic Plan if no town connections are available.
Step 5 | Habitation
At this final stage, your Habitat is lock-up ready! We will provide floorplans and elevations with detailed frame plan, engineering certificates for frame and base along with a frame inspection certificate, various pier designs for foundations to cover all soil types plus glazing certificate for windows and doors for all lockup packages.
On our future turnkey Platinum Habitats we will provide pre-approved Form 15s and certificates for everything you need: namely waterproofing, insulation, shower screens and electrical & gas safety certificates for gas appliances. Plus, we ensure your home achieves a 6-star energy rating, minimizing environmental impact and saving you money on bills on all Platinum turn key habitats (subject to confirmation from an energy efficiency certifier, this can be achieved on your site taking into consideration orientation, lighting, shading & alternative power supply etc).