Simonds Homes' brick veneer construction offers alternative amid WA brick shortage

Western Australia's ongoing brick supply constraints have put renewed attention on how residential builders source materials and manage construction timelines, as the state works to increase housing delivery.

Major manufacturer Midland Brick has introduced supply allocations after demand exceeded its production capacity, creating another potential challenge for builders operating in a market already under pressure to deliver new homes.

For homebuyers preparing to build, the shortage has brought construction methods and supplier arrangements into sharper focus, particularly where material availability can affect the timing of a new home.

National homebuilder Simonds Homes is drawing on its established supply network to manage these conditions in Western Australia, with a national agreement with Brickworks Australia providing an alternative to locally allocated brick supplies.

The arrangement forms part of Simonds' approach to maintaining construction schedules across its WA projects, where the builder offers a six-month build time guarantee.

Beyond its supplier relationships, Simonds' construction approach provides another distinction from the traditional building methods commonly used across Western Australia.

Double-brick construction has long been a defining feature of Western Australian homes, while Simonds uses brick veneer construction across its WA home designs.

The building method, widely adopted in other Australian states, combines a timber structural frame with an external layer of brickwork, rather than the two layers of masonry traditionally used in double-brick homes.

While both methods provide a brick exterior, brick veneer construction requires fewer bricks per home, reducing reliance on masonry materials at a time when local supplies are constrained.

Simonds has been building Australian homes since 1949, with its national operations providing access to established supplier relationships and construction experience across multiple housing markets.

In Western Australia, the builder also offers house and land packages that combine its home designs with available homesites, providing another option for purchasers entering the new-build market.

As WA continues to address its housing supply challenges, Simonds' national brick supply arrangement and brick veneer construction method demonstrate two ways the builder is managing material availability while supporting its six-month build time commitment.

For prospective purchasers, the current conditions also reinforce the importance of understanding a builder's material sourcing arrangements, construction method and contractual timeframes before committing to a new home.