Jun 5, 2026 – 8.00pmVictorian grandparents Mandy and Trevor Allan are living in a shed with their grandson. While it may sound like a miserable retirement, the opposite is true for the Allans, whose stylish and functional home has become the envy of locals in their town.The couple spent $550,000 to build their home in 2025, including the construction of a tool shed, which is far less than the $800,000 they budgeted for a traditional home build (excluding the separate shed) in 2021, before construction costs began blowing out.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
‘IKEA flat pack of housing’: Couple save $250k with shed-house build
A Victorian couple were planning to build their retirement home the traditional way. Instead, they pivoted to a self-assemble abode, saving time and money.













