The Great Housing Squeeze: When Home Improvements Become Unattainable
The latest story making rounds in our online communities has struck a particularly painful chord. It’s about a young family who did everything by the book - saved diligently for a deposit, chose a regional area, lived within their means, and even managed to boost their household income. Now, they’re facing an insurmountable barrier to creating their dream home.
Their modest plan to convert a two-bedroom cottage into a three-bedroom home with a deck has come back with quotes around $400,000 - the same amount they paid for the entire house. Just two years ago, the same work would have cost $250-300,000. This stark reality check hits particularly hard because it represents a broader issue plaguing our housing market.
Looking at the online discussions, there’s a clear pattern emerging. One person shared getting quoted $80,000 for a basic deck and pergola, while another managed to build a similar structure themselves for a fraction of the cost. These stories are becoming increasingly common, and they point to a disturbing trend in our construction industry.
The building sector seems caught in a perfect storm of material shortages, labour constraints, and what many suspect might be opportunistic pricing. My neighbor recently abandoned their renovation plans after receiving quotes triple what they expected. They’ve resigned themselves to making do with their existing space, just like countless others.
What’s particularly frustrating is how this situation disproportionately affects young families trying to create appropriate living spaces. Whether it’s in Brunswick or Ballarat, the story remains the same - the Australian dream of having a decent family home is becoming increasingly unattainable, even for those who follow all the “right” steps.
The suggested solutions floating around online range from DIY approaches to getting multiple quotes, but these aren’t always practical solutions. Regional areas often have limited access to tradies, and DIY isn’t feasible for major structural work requiring permits and professional certification.
The most concerning aspect is how this crisis might reshape our society. We’re creating a situation where home improvements become a luxury only accessible to the wealthy, while others are forced to live in spaces that don’t meet their needs. The flow-on effects to family life, work-from-home arrangements, and general wellbeing are significant.
Looking forward, we need serious policy intervention to address these issues. Whether it’s incentivizing more people to enter the trades, streamlining building approval processes, or addressing material supply chain issues, something needs to change. The current situation isn’t just unsustainable - it’s actively harmful to our community’s future.
Until then, families like the one in this story remain stuck in a frustrating limbo, watching their modest dreams of home improvement slip further out of reach. It’s a stark reminder that even when you do everything “right,” the system doesn’t always work in your favor.