Saltair Wins Queensland's Best Modular Home
Doonan Deluxe named Queensland's best modular home at the 2026 Master Builders awards
Doonan Deluxe was designed as a forever home for its owners, sited to take in sweeping hinterland views and a relaxed indoor–outdoor lifestyle. It evolved from Saltair's Doonan 526 design, refined to the owners' brief while keeping the integrity of the original architecture. The result is a home defined by generous, light-filled living spaces. Expansive glazing, open-plan zones and careful orientation draw the landscape into everyday life, while a cohesive material palette keeps the interiors calm and refined.
The owners wanted a bold, dark exterior. Dark finishes absorb more heat from the sun, which makes energy efficiency harder to achieve in Queensland's warm, humid climate. Since 1 May 2024, most new houses in Queensland must reach a 7-star NatHERS rating for the building shell.
Rather than asking the owners to compromise on the look they wanted, Saltair's design and construction teams treated the dark palette as a problem to solve from the outset:
- carefully specified external cladding and roofing products
- upgraded insulation
- high-performance glazing
- considered eave depths and cross-ventilation paths
- glazed openings oriented away from the harsh western sun.
Because building fabric and services were planned together, the finished home met its 7-star rating without diluting the architecture. It shows that ambitious design and strong energy performance can sit together when they are planned from day one.
Like every Saltair home, Doonan Deluxe was manufactured under controlled factory conditions before being delivered and installed on site. Building in the factory reduces exposure to weather delays and keeps the standard of finish consistent from module to module.
Saltair manages design, manufacture, delivery and installation in-house, from factories in Coolum and Crestmead. For the owners of Doonan Deluxe, that meant one team accountable from first concept through to handover, with minimal disruption to the hinterland setting and neighbouring properties during the build.
The state title capped a strong year for Saltair, with six Master Builders and HIA awards across three Queensland projects:
- Doonan Deluxe – Master Builders Queensland, Prefabricated and Modular Housing Project (state winner)
- Doonan Deluxe – HIA Sunshine Coast & Wide Bay, Project Home
- Doonan Deluxe – Master Builders Sunshine Coast, Prefabricated and Modular Housing Project
- Coolum Beach Multi-Storey – HIA Sunshine Coast & Wide Bay, GreenSmart Sustainable Home
- Coolum Beach Multi-Storey – Master Builders Sunshine Coast, Excellence in Home Sustainability & Innovation
- Bellara Community Residences – Master Builders Brisbane, Community Accommodation
The Coolum Beach Multi-Storey home is a 270 m² multi-generational residence built from seven modules over two levels, craned onto a steep site beneath overhead powerlines in a single coordinated operation.
Bellara Community Residences on Bribie Island is a Specialist Disability Accommodation development that meets or exceeds the NDIS SDA Design Standard while reading as a contemporary coastal home. Together, the three projects show the range of modular: a custom-feel family home, a complex two-storey build on a difficult site, and specialist community housing.
Frequently asked questions
A modular home is built in sections, called modules, inside a factory. The finished modules are transported to site and craned onto prepared footings, where they are joined, connected to services and completed. The result is a permanent home, not a temporary or relocatable structure.
They can be built to a very high standard. Modular homes in Australia must meet the same National Construction Code requirements as homes built on site. Building under factory conditions also allows tighter quality control and a more consistent finish. Doonan Deluxe's state title was judged against the best homes in Queensland, modular or not.
Yes, when they are designed for it. New Queensland homes generally need a 7-star NatHERS rating, and modular homes are assessed in the same way. Insulation, glazing, orientation and shading all play a part, as Doonan Deluxe shows.
In many cases, yes. Whether a modular home suits your block depends on site access for trucks and a crane, the slope of the land, and local planning and council requirements. Saltair assesses each site individually, including steep and constrained blocks like Coolum Beach.
Finance options vary by lender and by project. Saltair is a CommBank Assessed Manufacturer, which can help clients access better finance conditions for their modular build. Talk to your lender and our sales team about the options for your project.
The cost depends on the design, size, inclusions, site conditions and location. The best way to get an accurate figure is to talk to our team about your block and your brief.
Start your own award-winning home
Every home is different. What your build involves, from energy-rating approach to delivery and installation, depends on your site, your design and your local requirements. Saltair's sales and design team will guide you through what applies to your project, from choosing or tailoring a design through to handover. To talk about your modular home, enquire below and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.