Building an affordable home on Kangaroo Island comes with huge challenges but a family has found a solution – one that could help ease the country’s housing crisis.

Joe and Sarah Relic have almost finished building their ‘shed’ home on the remote island off SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula.

The architectural shed-frame home came flat packed and pre-punched from Shed House Australia all on one truck ready to be built.

The Relics did a lot of research to determine the best way to build their dream home on the island, including prefabrication and modulars.

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Mr Relic said a design from Shed House Australia was their best option, and it gave him a chance to literally build his own home.

“Builders are in short supply on the island,” he said.

“In the end, I just decided I’d roll my sleeves up and build it myself.

“I’ve always been very handy and I’ve always admired people who build their own homes.

“Everything arrives on the same truck to get your house to lock up.”

Owners can either construct the house themselves with builder support from Shed House Australia or engage a registered builder.

Joe and Sarah Relic’s shed house on Kangaroo Island. Supplied

The Relics decided to do it mostly themselves – friends helped but Mr Relic said for the most part it was just him, an electrician and a plumber on site.

“I opted to get contractors in to get the roof on and clad the walls outside,” he said.

They have also sourced much of their own materials locally to fit it out.

It has taken the Relics – who travelled for a year with their two children before moving from interstate to Kangaroo Island – about a year to build the house following a year of gaining council approval.

The home under construction. Supplied

Mr Relic said building his family’s home had been a labour of love.

“I honestly wouldn’t hesitate to do another one, it’s a very good option to consider,” he said.

“If you’re willing to learn new skills, you can definitely save lots of money.

“With the way housing affordability is going, it’s a really clever way to build.”

Designs on Shed House Australia’s website range from $52,000 to $145,000, plus GST, but the cost to build varies depending on several facts.

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These include location, site conditions, trade availability, whether owners choose to build themselves or engage a registered builder, and the interior and exterior finishes chosen.

Shed House Australia founder and director Rhys Uhlich said the business was born out of necessity – needing to build a home for his own family but being priced out of the market.

With property developers Katie and Dave Penfold, he found a way to turn the humble Australian shed into an architectural home that can be owner built.

Joe and Sarah Relic say the design has helped them save on construction costs. Supplied

“I’d never built anything before, I just got in and had a crack,” he said.

“All of our framing is purely shed materials.

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“Everything is precut to size … you basically put it together like a Meccano set.

“It’s 30 per cent to 40 per cent cheaper than if they were to go through a registered builder.”

He said the homes could be built anywhere, with the Relics’ house proving even remote locations weren’t off limits.

The design takes shape. Supplied

Meanwhile, Modular homes are gaining popularity in Australia as the dream of owning a house gets further out of reach for many people.

Two in Kadina were so well received last year that they were snapped up quickly.

Built by BoxMod in Chinese factories then shipped to SA for assembly, they can arrive in months, be installed within weeks and are priced under $300,000, excluding the cost of land.

Industry experts say they could help alleviate pressure on Australia’s property market as they are affordable and offer an alternative to traditional homes.