Solving the housing crisis - one room at a time

After selling their party hire events business in 2021 Lynn and Matthew Crow had planned to retire. However, things took a turn when Mrs Crow saw a compelling need to help women in crisis who were sleeping rough because affordable accommodation to get them through difficult times was impossible to find.

Her husband, Matthew and his family had been home builders on the Central Coast for some forty years prior to going into the event business. He knew that in the present climate not enough homes were being built and building costs were rising.

In today’s economic and social environment people are struggling and homelessness has become widespread.

They saw that people in these hopeless situations simply wanted a roof over their head and a safe place to live.

They set out to design a basic accommodation unit that was easily transported, easy to locate and above all affordable. A ‘plug n play’ concept with modular ensuite and kitchenette that would fit on a trailer and delivered to a spot where it could be easily installed. Also, being portable there would be no need for any council approvals. 

Their intention was to build a portable room that was comfortable, safe and affordable. Initially with the intention of hiring them out to people in need. They would not be a ‘granny flat’.

Once the prototype was built the Crows’ marketed these portable rooms on social media through Facebook and the idea took off.  Demand was such that they soon had to manufactured in a factory which they set up at Somersby.

The rooms are built to the highest standards to meet the Australian Building Code and are made mostly from Australian building materials and fittings and come with 7-year warranty.

While the original plan was to hire the rooms to people in distress it soon became apparent that there was a wider use and people wanted to buy them for a home office, extra bedroom, computer room, teenage retreat and more.

Today 75% of production is sold while 25% goes into the hire fleet to a market across NSW.

Rooms range in size from 9 to 18 sqm and cost from $16,000 to $30,000. https://www.portableroomhire.com.au/