Meet the husband and wife team who built their dream off-grid home from scratch using SIPs Industries panels.

Former tradies Amanda and Corey Perris traded in their urban lives for a tree change to York, 90 minutes east of Perth, WA, to build what they've named the 'Rockpile Off-Grid Homestead', one DIY project at a time.

“The idea behind this project was to create a self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle,” Mrs Perris said. “We wanted to switch out our fast-paced urban lives and start with a blank slate… and we wanted to do it all ourselves.”

The couple purchased a 100-acre block in York and began planning their new home. After selling their Perth house quicker than expected, their building plans became a sudden reality, but a welcome change.

“With 30 years of experience in the construction industry, this was my first time building with SIPs panels and I would build with them again in a heartbeat,” Mr Perris said.

Living on-site during the build meant that Amanda and Corey needed a quick build and an easy installation process, leading them to choose SIPs panels as their preferred building material. Once their steel floor frame was complete, the house's structure went up in a matter of weeks, from floor to roof.

“Choosing SIPs helped us meet our vision with Rockpile. From the 12-week construction timeline to the sustainable materials and the cost benefits – it was the ideal choice to help us become truly off-grid,” Mrs Perris said.

Since finishing their build in 2021, the couple said it's been incredible living with low costs and that they couldn't imagine returning to their old lives – and high energy bills!

SIPs panels are highly insulated and air-tight, keeping their home warm in winter and cool in summer. Temperature control was one of the top reasons the Perris’ chose SIPs Industries, with temperatures in York ranging from the high 40s in summer and well into the negatives in winter.

Most traditional building materials can only manage a 40-degree temperature swing, but SIPs can handle over a 50-degree temperature variation. The perfect match for an isolated house that runs entirely on solar power.

SIPs managing director Rob Vis said there had been an increase in demand for sustainable and energy-efficient building materials since the pandemic.

"As the cost-of-living rises, more people seek to live a self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle. In the construction industry, this has meant a shift from traditional builds to using sustainable and cost-efficient materials instead," Mr Vis said.

“Working with SIPs Industries made the build process fun and stress free, which isn’t something you hear often from an owner-builder! Easy to work with and super helpful,” Mr Perris said.

The Perris’ have said that living off-grid has been the best decision they’ve ever made. With a Youtube channel dedicated to their build and now, the inner workings of The Rockpile Homestead, it’s easy to see their passion behind the project.

Visit Rockpile Off-Grid Homestead on Youtube to learn more about this off-grid dream home.

For more information on SIPs Industries, visit www.sipsindustries.com.au or call 08 9494 2211.