Perth’s long-running preference for double-brick homes is getting new scrutiny as Western Australia tries to speed up housing delivery.
Construction times in WA average 12 to 18 months from slab pour to completion, according to Master Builders WA. In an example of a faster path, Perth residents Graham and Anke Hoskins say their timber-frame home is tracking to finish in less than nine months after they decided a brick build was not for them.
Housing Industry Association (HIA) WA executive director Michael McGowan said WA’s building volume has surged, from 11,000 homes in 2020 to 22,000 homes five years later, putting pressure on supply chains amid labor and material shortages. A 2025 HIA-commissioned report found WA was the only state where more than half of detached houses were built of brick, with brick accounting for 68%, compared with 2% in the ACT. McGowan said steel-framed and modular methods now make up more than 25% of the market.
Master Builders WA points to local reasons double brick remains popular, including Perth’s sandy, stable soil, and the cost advantage created by scale economies at major brick manufacturers such as Midland Brick. The group also notes home resale concerns, and it says Perth buyers see double brick as durable, attractive, and strong on thermal comfort, soundproofing, and fire resistance.
For builders and mason contractors, the takeaway is timing, labor planning, and early decisions. Professor Alan Duncan, director of the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, said double-brick construction requires more materials, more labor, and more time on site. He also urged more diversity in building systems so the industry can respond faster when demand spikes. When timber framing is used, termite risk stays front and center. Australian building standards require termite management systems in all homes, and Master Builders advises considering brick or steel framing in place of timber components.
Read the full, original article from Australian Broadcasting Corporation here.