A kit home is a set of pre-cut frames, cladding and fittings delivered flat for a builder or owner-builder to assemble on site. A modular home is built as finished, three-dimensional modules in a factory, with walls, wet areas and services in place, then lifted onto footings and connected. Both need a building permit or approval, but a modular home leaves far less work to do on site.
This page is for homeowners and small builders across Australia weighing up a new home, a granny flat or a holiday house, especially on regional or hard-to-staff sites. The question comes up because both are sold as quicker options, but they put the work in very different places.
The main differences
- Where the work happens. A kit is assembled on site. A modular home is built in the factory and installed on site.
- Trades on site. A kit still needs framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, tilers and painters on site. A modular home mainly needs footings, a crane and connections.
- Weather. A kit build is exposed to weather until it is closed in. Modules are built under cover.
- Site access. A kit can go almost anywhere a truck can drop a pack. Modules need truck and crane access.
- Owner involvement. Kits suit people willing to manage trades. Modular suits people who want fewer moving parts on site.
Our guide to modular, portable and transportable buildings explains the other terms you will see.
Why modular fits many homeowners
Regional areas are short of trades, and a kit home still needs most of them. A modular home moves that work into the factory, so the time your site is open is shorter. It is still a permanent home once it is on permanent footings and approved.
What EcoPrestige supplies
EcoPrestige supplies engineered structural steel modules for homes, typically Class 1a, confirmed by your building surveyor. Our Domestic Program explains the two steps for homeowners. The supply price is quoted for your site.
When a kit home is the better choice
If the block has no crane access, the road cannot take a wide load, or you plan to build much of it yourself, a kit may suit you better. A kit can also be easier for a very unusual shape. We would rather tell you that at the start.
The approval path
Kit and modular homes need the same building permit or approval as any home, and some need planning approval. In Victoria, design, permit documentation and construction are contracted by our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187. In Queensland, permit drawings are issued under a QBCC licensed building designer. In Tasmania, permit drawings are issued by a licensed Tasmanian building designer. In other states, EcoPrestige coordinates the module design with your consultants; permit drawings are issued by the registered or licensed practitioner the state requires. A building surveyor or certifier certifies. Confirm with your building surveyor or certifier.
Our page on the building permit for modular buildings covers inspections and occupancy.
The programme
With modular, the footings, driveway and service connections are built on site while the modules are in the factory. The modules then arrive finished and are installed, so time on site is shorter. With a kit, the site work and the build happen one after the other. Our installation guide covers what the site needs. For a backyard second home in Victoria, see modular granny flats in Melbourne.
What to send us
- 1. The site address and a photo of the street access.
- 2. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need.
- 3. Any sketch or plan you like.
- 4. Whether it is a main home, second dwelling or holiday home.
- 5. Your timing.
Kit home vs modular home: FAQ
Is a kit home the same as a modular home?
No. A kit home is delivered as parts and assembled on site. A modular home is delivered as finished modules built in a factory.
Do kit and modular homes need a building permit?
Yes. Both need a building permit or approval like any other home, and some also need planning approval.
What NCC class is a modular home?
Homes are typically Class 1a, confirmed by your building surveyor.
Which has less work on site?
A modular home. Walls, wet areas and services are done in the factory, so the site work is mainly footings, installation and connections.
Who builds a modular home 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.
Related: Kit Home or Modular Home in Regional Victoria: Which Needs Fewer Trades; Can’t Find a Builder in Regional Victoria? Your Modular Home Options in 2026.
Comparing a kit and a modular home for your block?
Send the site, the use and any drawings to prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au or download our technical brochures.