If you cannot find a builder in regional Victoria, a modular home is one of the few options that cuts the trade time your block needs. The home is built and finished in an offsite factory, then a small crew does the footings, the lift and the connections on site. In Victoria, our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187, contracts the design, permit documentation and construction, and EcoPrestige supplies the modules.
Related: where Australia is short of builders and trades in 2026, with the public data by region.
Why builders are hard to find in the regions
It is not just you. At a Parliament of Victoria Environment and Planning Committee hearing on 6 May 2025, the HIA reported shortages of trades, builders, building surveyors and engineers in regional Victoria. The HIA 2026 Small Business Conditions survey, reported by API Magazine, found 67% of small builders struggle to recruit or keep skilled workers, and more than 85% of regional Victorian small builders cite rising insurance costs as a major constraint.
Prices have moved the wrong way too. HIA figures quoted by the Nationals on 26 October 2026 show trade prices rose 18.1% in regional Victoria over the past year, while they fell 3.1% in Melbourne. So a builder who does take your job may quote more than a friend paid in the city.
Kit home or modular home: the honest answer
People searching for builders often look at kit homes next. A kit is a frame and a pack of materials that you or your builder put together on site. You still need a builder or owner builder, a plumber, an electrician, a plasterer, a tiler and others, all on your block. If trades are the problem, a kit does not solve it.
A modular home arrives finished from the factory, with walls, linings, wet areas and the agreed services rough-in in place. Far less on-site trade time is needed, which matters in towns where builders are hard to find. Our page on the difference between a kit home and a modular home goes further.
How the DST route works
- Step one: you send the address and what you want. We check the access, the crane position and the planning basics.
- Step two: DST contracts the design, permit documentation and construction. EcoPrestige supplies the modules.
- Site work: footings, drainage and service connections are done while the modules are built.
- Install: the modules are lifted on, joined, connected and inspected.
Read our Domestic Program for homeowners for the two steps in full. The structural steel frame is fabricated in an offsite factory and inspected there by the project engineer. The supply price is quoted for your site.
What does not fit
A modular home still needs a truck route and a crane. A steep bush block with a narrow track may not work. You still need some local trades for the footings, the final plumbing and power connections, and any deck or carport. If your design has many odd angles, a site build may suit it better. We tell you early.
Permits in Victoria
A home is typically Class 1a, confirmed by your building surveyor. A registered building surveyor issues the building permit, a PERA-registered structural engineer signs the structure and an accredited NatHERS assessor does the energy rating. A small second dwelling up to 80 m2 usually needs no planning permit under VC253 as updated by VC306 (October 2026), but a building permit is always needed. See what fits on a block at 80 m2 and our guide to the building permit for modular homes.
What to send us
- 1. Your address and the nearest town.
- 2. Main home or second dwelling.
- 3. Bedrooms, bathrooms and any must-haves.
- 4. Photos of the block and the driveway.
- 5. Any survey, soil test or bushfire rating.
- 6. When you need to move in.
In Gippsland, see our page on modular construction in Warragul and Baw Baw.
Related: granny flats Bendigo | kit homes Warrnambool | kit homes Traralgon
FAQ: no builder available in regional Victoria
What can I do if no builder in my town will take my job?
Look at a modular home. It is built and finished in an offsite factory, so far fewer trade days are needed on your block. In Victoria, DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187, contracts the design, permit documentation and construction.
Is a kit home easier than a modular home if I cannot find trades?
No. A kit is a frame and materials put together on site, so you still need trades on your block. A modular home arrives finished from the factory.
Do I still need local trades with a modular home?
Some. Footings, final plumbing and power connections, and any deck or carport are done on site.
Do I need a building permit for a modular home in Victoria?
Yes. A building permit is always needed. A small second dwelling up to 80 m2 usually needs no planning permit under VC253 as updated by VC306 (October 2026).
Why are regional trades so expensive right now?
HIA figures quoted by the Nationals on 26 October 2026 show trade prices rose 18.1% in regional Victoria over the past year, while they fell 3.1% in Melbourne.
Can’t get a builder for your regional block?
Send the site, the use and any drawings to prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au or download our technical brochures.