How Kit Homes and Liveable Sheds Are Supporting Multi-Generational Living

The way Australian families live is changing. Multi-generational living is becoming an increasingly practical option as families respond to housing affordability, changing family structures and the needs of an ageing population. For some, it means adult children staying closer to home. For others, it means ageing parents living near their children and grandchildren rather than moving away from the family property.

Multi-generational living doesn't have to mean sharing one home

While multi-generational households can mean several generations living under the same roof, there is another option: creating separate living spaces on the same property.

A secondary dwelling, granny flat, kit home or appropriately designed liveable shed can provide a degree of independence while keeping family members close. For families who already own suitable land, this can offer an alternative to purchasing a separate property or extending the main family home.

Creating space for ageing parents and adult children

For ageing parents, living in a separate dwelling on the family property can provide their own space while keeping them close to their support network. For adult children, an additional dwelling can provide a pathway to independent living while they save, study, work or plan for their own future.

This type of intergenerational living can also make it easier for families to share everyday responsibilities, from childcare to helping older relatives, while still giving each generation somewhere to call their own.

Building for the future

One of the advantages of creating additional living space is that its purpose can change as the family does. A kit home initially used by an ageing parent could eventually become accommodation for an adult child, a teenage retreat, guest accommodation or a home for another generation.

Rather than building for one specific stage of life, families can create a multi-generational home and property that can adapt over time.

Planning for changing families

This shift is also being reflected in planning conversations. Initiatives such as Moreton Bay's Next Generation Neighbourhoods are looking at how communities can provide greater housing diversity and accommodate different household types and stages of life.

For homeowners, this highlights the growing importance of thinking about how a property might work not just for today's family, but for future generations.

Creating space for the future

For families looking to create additional space on their property, kit homes and liveable sheds offer flexible options for multi-generational living. Both can help families create a property that works for their needs today, while allowing flexibility for the future.

Kit Homes

Kit homes offer a flexible way to create a standalone home on a suitable property. Supplied as a kit for construction on site, they can provide an independent living space for an ageing parent, adult child or other family member, while keeping generations close. Depending on the design, site and approvals, a kit home can also adapt to meet changing family needs over time. 

At Wide Span Homes, we’ve seen how this modern approach to home ownership gives Australians the freedom to create a home without the hefty price tag. By supplying the steel stud wall frames, roof trusses, exterior cladding, flashings and gutters, we give you the structure and shell of the home. This offers you the freedom and flexibility to finish the build to your taste and budget.

Liveable Sheds

Liveable sheds are designed and approved for a different purpose to standard sheds, with the relevant building requirements for areas intended for people to live in. Unlike a conventional shed, a liveable shed can incorporate dedicated living spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens, alongside practical shed space for vehicles, storage or hobbies. Browse our Liveable Sheds here.

The future of the Australian family home may not be about making one house bigger, but about creating a property that can adapt as life changes. Whether you're making room for ageing parents, adult children or future generations, explore what’s possible with a Wide Span Homes kit home or liveable shed. Request a quote below.