Exploring consumers' perceptions and attitudes for off-site manufactured housing in Australia

The systems of production currently used to construct houses in Australia are not viable, particularly in terms of time, cost and quality. As a result, detached residential housing is in short supply and is too expensive for many seeking to purchase a house. This situation is socially unacceptable. There is evidence that housing produced using off-site manufacturing (OSM) systems will mitigate the problem, however, there is market resistance to the adoption of this system. Literature demonstrates that the housing construction industry fails to produce housing which is satisfactory in terms of time, cost and quality. The industry albeit aware of these shortcomings, resists innovation of current systems or to consider new systems. Use of OSM is considered to be an option which will satisfy goals of providing housing which reduces time and cost for production as well as suitable quality. However, consumers are perceived to have negative attitudes towards OSM systems. A conceptual framework of six perceptions was established consisting of quality, knowledge, sustainable status, customization, style and investment in relation to housing choice. The question that this study seeks to answer is what needs to change for consumers to accept OSM systems? Therefore, examining consumer perceptions and attitudes to systems of OSM housing currently on the market informs this study. A qualitative method was adopted to identify consumer risks, perceptions and attitudes to conventional housing and housing produced by OSM. Data from fifteen semi-structured interviews with consumers who were commissioning a new house in the near future yielded results from which findings and conclusions were developed. The results from the study indicate that relationships between risks and perceptions can be shifted from conventional housing’s style and lifestyle to knowledge and understanding of OSM systems. The significance of this research is twofold: it informs the housing industry as to potential perceptions and attitudes of consumers to current OSM systems of housing and provides a reliable basis for further investigation to assuage consumers’ reluctance to accept OSM systems. Recommendations made by the research include communication with industry and consumers demonstrating the benefits of OSM through promotion and a presence in housing demonstration villages, and inform government of favorable perceptions and attitudes of consumers to OSM systems. Key findings were consumers determine OSM systems as attractive for cost, time and quality when they are given knowledge of the genre.