FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is BIBO safe?
BIBO studios are built to last using premium building materials from leading international brands that meet the rigorous Australian codes and standards.
Systematic manufacturing enables higher quality and consistency in terms of tolerances and workmanship compared to traditional construction.
Our studios have been independently certified as a residential dwelling in accordance with the Building Code of Australia and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. This includes structure integrity, thermal comfort and glazing safety amongst many other things.
Can BIBO Products be used for habitable purposes?
Absolutely. We cover both habitable and non-habitable use requirements, so you could use your room as an extension of your home. I.e. extra bedroom, outdoor office, shed, workshop, gym, teenage retreat etc.
What are our Warranty and Guarantees?
Your purchase is protected under the Australian Consumer Law. This means your BIBO prebuilt studio comes with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Law, such as quality, safety and functionality. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.
We are confident in our product quality and provide 10 year structural warranty, almost double of industry standard of 6 years.
Please note that warranty can be affected if the product is not installed as per the instructions.
Why is BIBO so well priced?
BIBO commodifies construction into manufactured products.
Passion is what brought the very international and multidisciplinary BIBO team together. We shared the goal in making beautiful and long lasting home studios accessible to everyday families.
Technology is embraced in every stages of the design, development and manufacturing processes. This enables a remarkable level of efficiency and accuracy.
Factory manufacturing reduces costs, waste and time.
Smart design focuses on architectural features that would make the most impact. BIBO modules are also designed for easy installation. It has flexible requirements for site access and tradesmen.
Standardisation and bulk buying further allow us to access better quality at a lower price.
Our home modules are made in Shanghai, China. The cost of labour is lower, this helps to compensate for the high logistic costs of shipping buildings. However, the key reason that we choose to manufacture in China is that it is now the biggest consumer market in the world - a playground for all international leading brands who compete vigorous by price and product offerings. They are the suppliers (including Australian brands) that have helped to make BIBO possible.
Do I need to get the Council approval?
How you use your BIBO and where you would like to place the BIBO on your property will determine the applicable Council process. BIBO studio designs and build have been pre-approved for both complying development (private certifier) and exempt development (no certifier or DA approval). This is a major benefit over our competitors, because the final council approval process is very linear. You can have peace of mind that the building you've bought, is the building that the council will approve.
Our trained a team of Council Advisors, who are experienced in working with our prebuilt studios, will help you to navigate this smoothly from start to finish.
Check our Blog that covers the “planning” topic.
How much?
Transparency is one of the many beauties of prebuild.
Pricing for BIBO studios and add-ons are marked. Further, we have a panel of qualified tradesmen to install and connect BIBO at a preset rate.
Our team will help you to choose the perfect BIBO studio for you and help you to understand installation and connection costs applicable to your home.
What you do:
Be prepared with some basic home information
Tell us your home needs
Order a site inspection
What we do:
Verify the information you provided
Confirm the price for your BIBO studio
Recommend the right BIBO trained tradesmen for your product
How do I secure my BIBO Build order?
Once you are happy with all the details, we will issue the final contract for your execution.
What you do
Sign and make the first payment
What we do
Provide product technical specifications, warranties and certifications.
What are the payment terms?
A 10% deposit is required upon signing the contract. We will notify, when your BIBO is being despatched. This is when the remaining payment is required in full.
Your BIBO studio is pre-build; it takes only days to install once it is delivered. As a result, the progress payments arrangement for traditional construction projects is not practical for BIBO.
Please refer to the Warranty and Guarantees section to see how you are protected.
If you require financing assistance, we are happy to refer you to our financing partner.
What you do
Ready your finance.
What we do
We will share updates about the production and delivery status of your BIBO studio.
How to install your BIBO Build.
While your BIBO is en route to you, tradesmen can prepare the site for receiving the BIBO. This includes installation of the footing and preparation for electricity, stormwater, sewer (if required) etc. Our BIBO team can stay on hand.
On the day of delivery, please provide access to your backyard. Your BIBO studio will come flat-packed. We require a minimum 900mm wide clear access, otherwise a crane will be required.
Design & Materials
1. What sizes are BIBO products available in?
BIBO products are available in a range of different designs and sizes, so there is sure to be one to suit your property! Check our studio or contact us if you need further information.
2. What are the standard ceiling heights?
Our standard ceiling height is 2.4 meters.
3. What materials do we use?
BIBO studios are built to last using premium materials suitable to Australian conditions and compliant with Australian standards and building codes:
For the structure we use G350 Steel frames, very strong and durable. G350 steel is commonly used in high rise buildings, bridges, and storage tanks among other applications.
For the exterior we combine premium Bamboo Timber and Colorbond® Steel Cladding. The Bamboo Timber is not only beautiful, but extremely durable in outdoor conditions. Same as for Colorbond cladding which has been tested in Australian conditions for over 50 years.
For the interior, we use premium veneered plywood for wall finishing, and technical composite for the flooring. The veneered plywood is durable, wear-resistant, much higher quality than common plasterboard, and does not require painting. The technical composite flooring is a stylish easy-to-install floor that is waterproof, non-slippery, sound absorbing, and high resistant to abrasion and corrosion.
For windows and doors we incorporate double glazing to provide maximum insulation, increase thermal comfort, and reduce energy costs related to cooling or warming the room. All this while allowing maximum natural light into the room.
4. Can I choose different colours for my BIBO studio?
Yes, we have a range of different bamboo shades to make sure your BIBO studio adds value and style to your property, with smart design features that enhances the visual appeal without breaking the bank. A choice of natural, grey washed or walnut stain to match the overall aesthetics of your home is available.
5. Will my room be decorated internally?
Yes, we include two well-designed colour schemes as internal fit-out for you to choose from, using only good quality materials from premium suppliers to ensure it will last as the first day, for many years.
We strive to reduce headaches such as researching for materials, painting walls or obtaining quotes from suppliers for you, so you can complete the installation and move in to your studio as early as possible.
6. Can I add a bathroom in my BIBO studio?
You certainly can, we offer an optional bathroom add-on on both our Burleigh and Barossa studios. We will ensure everything is ready for the installation by your certified plumber.
7. Is it feasible to add a kitchen?
Yes, it is possible. However, adding a kitchen will require additional considerations in terms on planning controls that need to be met. Contact us for more information.
8. Can I add more modules to my property in the future?
You certainly can. Our assembly and modular system allows updates in the future
9. Do BIBO studios have a fire rating?
Fire rating requirements vary depending on your property and your council. BIBO is designed with fire safety in mind and we use fire resistant materials, whenever we can. This includes an fire resistant steel frame . BIBO can be further adapted to increase fire rating based on your requirements.
10. Is the room termite proof?
Yes, the entire structure of our BIBO studios is made of steel, so rest assured, our studios are termites proof.
11. Do you do sound proofing?
As default the room is well sound proofed, equivalent to any home, but if required, we may also upgrade your BIBO studio with sound proof panels that not only will add an additional extra layer of sound proofing, but will add value as a design feature.
Logistics, Site & Energy Efficiency
1. What do the studios sit on?
Our BIBO studios are designed to be placed onto footings fixed with steel screw piles.
2. How long it takes to install once on site?
The BIBO modules are developed with significant upfront investment in design and engineering, allowing the installation to be finish within days, with flexible access in mind without using a crane (provided standard access is available).
3. Is there a large step-up to access my room?
The steel framework plus flooring, is 200 mm, we also allow another extra 150 mm gap beneath your room for ventilation and for an easy installation of the plumbing system. The step-up would be 350mm high in total.
4. Do I need my site specially prepared? Can you provide assistance?
Each site has different requirements but our foundation system adapts to all of them, some preparations may need to be done such as cleaning the area of big rocks.
Additionally, if you choose a bathroom add-on for your BIBO, groundwork for plumbing will be required in addition to stormwater and electrical connections.
The design of our rooms eliminates the need for costly concrete foundations.
5. Can the room be built on uneven ground?
Yes, we use an adjustable pier foundation to level the room.
6. Is the room insulated?
All sides of BIBO studios are built with 50 to 100 mm thick insulation, depending on your local climate zone, to ensure your room is comfortable all-year-round. In addition, all of our windows and doors are double glazed, this means all four walls, ceiling and floor are well insulated to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We even added an additional layer of insulation (not required by building codes) on the ceiling to provide extra insulation since we know that in areas like NSW, temperatures can be really high.
7. Do BIBO studios use double glazed windows?
Yes. We use double glazing in all our doors and windows, this means the room is comfortable all year around, with ample natural lights flooding through the expansive glass door. Being in the room, you will feel like you are at one with the garden.
8. Does tight site access provide any problem? Will my project require crane for installation?
A crane is always an option, if required. However, our system has been designed considering tight accesses as the most common situation. We have ensured that our elements are light and strong enough to be carried without using a crane in sites where there is a 900mm minimum access. We know a crane service can be expensive so we want to save that for you whenever is possible.
9. How is my Bibo studio so much better for the environment than other studios?
By embracing technology in design, build and installation, we provide innovative building solutions that are reasonably priced, fast and clean to install, flexible to your requirements, and sustainable to the environment.
We build our studios in a factory, which allow us to minimise on-site noise and waste while maximising the control and quality of our product. We require minimal on-site preparation, which translates in less disruption to the neighbouring environment. And last but not least, we use environmentally sustainable materials like the featured timber used in the exterior wall and decking, sourced from sustainable forests.
Pricing, warranties & finance
1. What guarantees and warranties will I get in my Bibo studio?
We provide 10-year structure warranty, almost double of the industry average of 6 years.
2. What is the cost for the studios?
Prices on our standard range of Bibo backyard studios are all available in our standard product guide.
Modifications and custom upgrade costs are available on request.
3. Is plumbing included?
If you choose to proceed with your bathroom, the internal plumbing is included. External digging and connection are site specific and needs to be included as part of the installation .
4. Is electricity included?
Fixtures and fittings are included in the standard studio package. Wiring and connection needs to be considered as part of the installation.
5. What is the cost of transportation?
Transportation is included within Sydney metro area and can be quoted separately depending on your location.