Kit home is bushfire resistant

Credit: Architecture and Design
A Victoria-based company is supplying kit homes that have been designed to withstand bushfires up to attack level 40. The kits are being supplied Australia wide by RAL Homes and consist of arched sections that create individual living spaces and light-filled rooms.

An alternative to traditional style square housing, the RAL 2 Special features 0.60 curved BHP (Stramit) Colorbond roofing. This extends to the base of the house which makes it highly energy efficient in terms of heating and cooling and very effective in a bushfire situation.

The RAL2 bushfire resistant home has a flammability index less than five.

The curved exterior of the home reduces the areas for debris and embers to attach to during a fire, making it suitable for areas within bushfire attack level 40 as per AS3959-2009. The home is built on a concrete slab or a steel sub-floor and the underside of flooring is lined with insulation and cement sheet. The exterior of the home is comprised of fire resistant Colorbond cladding and cement sheet cladding.

The shell insulation has a flammability index less than five and covers all timber panels and framing under the roofing. All windows and sliding doors have a minimum of 5 mm toughened glass and stainless steel mesh screens, which can be further protected by fitting bushfire shutters. The windows are fire resistant to BAL 40 kw/m² supplied by Stegbar. The RAL 2 Special also has recessed steel rainwater gutters which reduce build up of leaves and flammable foliage.

RAL 2 is priced between $100,000 and $122,000 depending on choice of sub-floor.

The RAL Building System gives the flexibility for clients to select from a series of eight components to create a home that accommodates individual requirements. Each RAL Home begins as a blank canvas allowing home seekers to create not only a place to live in but a personal and individual reflection of their own lifestyle.

The system gives home owners the option of extending the home down the track by purchasing additional components and adding them to the existing home. The homes are mostly self supporting; meaning non-load bearing internal partition walls can be added or removed to create new rooms as required. The homes come in kits which are ready within 12 weeks from order, often fit on one semi-trailer or shipping container and are delivered Australia wide and overseas.

The RAL2 system gives owners the option of extending the home by purchasing additional components.

RAL 2 is priced between $100,000 and $122,000 depending on choice of sub-floor. The price includes all materials required to finish the house to ‘lock-up’ stage, including internal plywood lining, sub-floor lining, and double glazed windows.

The optional extras include interior items, deck verandahs, eave extensions, matching carport. The size is 121m² (13 squares) excluding decking. There are three bedrooms each with built-in-robes, one bathroom, study nook, kitchen, and an open plan living area.