Owners and businesses on Phillip Island and along the Bass Coast, in Cowes, San Remo, Inverloch and Wonthaggi, want homes, holiday units and staff housing built, but the coast has a small pool of trades and a busy summer. Builders who travel in from Melbourne charge for the time on the road. EcoPrestige supplies structural steel volumetric modules finished in an offsite factory, which cuts the trade days needed on the island or the coast.
Why modular fits the Bass Coast
Bass Coast Shire’s target under the Plan for Victoria housing targets published by the Victorian Government, Department of Transport and Planning is 19,250 net new homes by 2051. Much of that sits in coastal towns where holiday homes, permanent residents and seasonal workers all compete for housing. Employers in tourism and health find it hard to house staff close to work.
Cost is part of the picture. 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. On an island, every trade visit costs more because of the travel, so finishing most of the work in the factory makes sense.
Bass Coast projects that suit modules:
- Homes and small second dwellings in Cowes, Rhyll, San Remo and Inverloch.
- Holiday units and cabins for parks and accommodation operators; see modular tourism cabins for holiday parks.
- Staff housing for tourism, hospitality and health employers.
- Offices, clinic rooms and community spaces in Wonthaggi.
What EcoPrestige supplies
The structural steel frame is fabricated in an offsite factory and inspected there by the project engineer. Modules arrive with floors, walls, ceilings, linings and the agreed services rough-in. For homes, design, permit documentation and construction are contracted by our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187. EcoPrestige supplies the modules. For holiday parks, staff housing and commercial buildings, your builder holds the head contract and the site. The supply price is quoted for your site.
Coastal exposure is set per site
A block on the Cowes foreshore faces different salt and wind exposure from one in a sheltered street in Wonthaggi. We do not use one coastal specification for the whole coast. The engineer sets the wind classification, the corrosion protection for the steel and the fixings, and the cladding and window choices for each site.
What does not fit
Every module reaching Phillip Island crosses the bridge at San Remo, so the route and any load limits are checked before we quote. Narrow streets in older parts of Cowes can stop a crane from setting up. Dune sites and steep blocks may need more footing work than the module saves. Our guide to transporting and craning modules explains what we look for.
The approval path in Victoria
Homes are typically Class 1a; motels and holiday units in one building are typically Class 3; staff housing is typically Class 1b or 3. All are confirmed by your building surveyor. A small second dwelling up to 60 m2 usually needs no planning permit under VC253, but coastal overlays can change that, and a building permit is always needed.
For commercial work, EcoPrestige coordinates the module design with your consultants; permit drawings are issued by the registered or licensed practitioner the state requires. In Victoria, a PERA-registered structural engineer signs the structure and a registered building surveyor issues the permit. Commercial building design is not a registered category. Confirm with your building surveyor.
The programme
With the permit issued, the factory builds the modules while the site is cleared, the footings go in and services are brought to the pad. Factory and site work run in parallel, so time on site is shorter. A delivery in the quieter months keeps trucks and cranes clear of summer traffic.
What to send us
- 1. The address and how far it is from the beach or foreshore.
- 2. The use: home, second dwelling, holiday units or staff housing.
- 3. Rooms, beds or floor area.
- 4. Any survey, overlay notes or drawings.
- 5. Street width, power lines and crane space.
- 6. When you need it in use.
For the inland side of the coast, see prebuilt construction in Wonthaggi and modular construction in South Gippsland and Bass Coast.
FAQ: modular construction on Phillip Island and the Bass Coast
Can modules get onto Phillip Island?
Yes, by road across the bridge at San Remo. We check the route, any load limits and the crane position before we quote.
How do you deal with salt air in Cowes or Inverloch?
Coastal exposure is set per site. The engineer chooses the wind classification, the steel protection and the fixings for your block.
Who contracts a modular home on the Bass Coast?
Our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187, contracts the design, permit documentation and construction. EcoPrestige supplies the modules.
What is the Bass Coast 2051 housing target?
The Plan for Victoria targets from the Department of Transport and Planning set Bass Coast at 19,250 net new homes by 2051.
What NCC class are staff housing units?
Typically Class 1b or 3, confirmed by your building surveyor.
Building in Cowes, San Remo, Inverloch or Wonthaggi?
Send the site, the use and any drawings to prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au or download our technical brochures.