Industry chief welcomes house factory

Matrix Homes says it can make up to 500 pre-fabricated houses a year at its Trentham factory.

An industry chief has welcomed the new Matrix house-building factory in Trentham.

Pamela Bell, chief executive of construction sector organisation PrefabNZ, said she was impressed after attending the opening earlier this month.

"It's good to see a new offering into the market.

"We want these types of people to succeed in delivering affordable housing to the public. They've certainly got the facility, investment and processes and it's just about making sure there are people lined up to buy," Bell said.

"They've obviously got good connections with developers."

Herald readers said Keith Hay Homes and Lockwood had pioneered prefabricated house-building.

Sean Murrie, Matrix Homes chief executive and director, estimated the factory could make up to 500 houses annually.

For $89,000, customers would get a 51sq m, one-bedroom house, Murrie said. A 70sq m two-bedroom house could be produced for $99,000 and a 140sq m four-bedroom, two-bathroom place for $195,000.

Transport costs were $10,000 in Wellington and $20,000 in Auckland.

Matrix places come in a single-bedroom and a two-bedroom module and have a simple mono-pitch roof with a big square wall at one end.

Both modules exist as standalone homes, or can be combined in a host of different configurations.

Both modules can fit on a truck or on the Cook Strait Ferry.