Let us design your dream holiday home so you can live in paradise without worrying when the weather gets extreme.
Our secure holiday homes are built to international safety standards.
Vanuatu is the world’s most at-risk country for natural hazards, the UN University World Risk Index reports. Cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis are all real threats. When a storm hits tiny Vanuatu, the entire country is affected – including the capital.
This is why it’s essential Vanuatu Homes meets standards higher than the minimum required in this country. Vanuatu Homes instead follows the Australian Government’s cyclone resiliency standards.
Vanuatu Homes is run by a team experienced with architectural design, blueprints and qualified designer input.
Vanuatu Homes prides itself on delivering outstanding floor plans, architectural draughting services, landscape design and even quantity surveying.
Passing the cyclone test
Cyclone Pam tested the strength of Vanuatu Homes designs when it hit the country on March 13-14 2015. It was a Category 5+ Severe Tropical Cyclone which Vanuatu’s President Baldwin Lonsdale called a “monster”. It killed dozens of people and destroyed or damaged 90 percent of the buildings in the capital. Category 5 is the strongest category of cyclones, implying winds exceeding 280kmh. When Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, its winds reached 320 kilometres (200 miles) per hour.
Vanuatu Homes proved highly reliable in the storm, described by Unicef as one of the worst ever in the Southern Hemisphere.
Apart from one house, not halfway through construction, all dwellings designed and project managed by Vanuatu Homes survived Cyclone Pam with only superficial or zero damage. Our Testimonials page is tribute to the Vanuatu Homes customers who have testified to the rugged reliability of the our building system. They learned that a quality home is not something only the very wealthy can afford.
From the foundations up
The foundation of Vanuatu Homes’ sturdy design is, well, the foundations. Vanuatu Homes are built to last with foundations resistant to earthquakes, waterproofing systems to stop water affecting the timber, plus roofs designed to withstand lifting by letting some moving air pass through, leaving the building unharmed.
The structural wall system includes panels fixed down with cyclone rated straps, and the roof timber is fixed with cyclone ties, strap bracing and brackets.
Testimonials from those whose homes survived Cyclone Pam thanks to Vanuatu Homes (formerly Vanua Disaen)
Elluk Plateau is a high and very exposed prominent site where Vanua Disaen (Vanuatu Homes) has built several homes. This area saw significant damage to almost every structure, other than Vanuatu Homes’ cyclone-proof designs.
“We stayed in the house during what was the most powerful cyclone we have ever experienced. Although we had some superficial damage, the house designed and built by Vanua Disaen withstood all the elements thrown at it. We firmly believed we would be safe and upon daylight we looked around to see our home was still intact unlike many other houses nearby. Congrats to Stu and the team from Vanua Disaen Ltd.” –the Cottam family
“I’m simply amazed. Big houses either side of us lost their roofs and suffered quite extensive damages as we were facing directly into the cyclone’s winds of over 350km/hour. Our little prefabricated cottage designed and built by Vanua Disaen withstood the monster cyclone untouched. It is a true testament to their designs and building system. Thank you so much.” – Ms Webber, Elluk Plateau
“We feel very thankful we built a Vanua Disaen home. Cyclone Pam tested our home big time and it survived. The quick build and efficiency shown during construction was hassle-free, with us living in Australia dreaming of our retirement in Vanuatu. Congrats.” -Troy and Sylvia, Read residence at Ranch De La Colle, Mele Beach
“Amazed is an understatement. Exceptionally happy there was no structural damage at all, only superficial/cosmetic damage. The sea surge and debris thrown up at the villas did not break the cyclone rated ‘Stormshield’ glass ranchsliders facing the sea, another great product that was well tested through the cyclone. Congrats to the team from Vanua Disaen for a very well built resort on the beach. A true testament to their design and building ability.” – the owners, Vale Vale Resort, Pango Beach
“We had the cyclone shutters in place a few days before Cyclone Pam hit Port Vila. The location of my house was somewhat worrisome as it was on a hilltop with a view and very prone to the south-easterly winds. Furthermore I was apprehensive about the material my house was made of. I had everything packed and covered fearing the worst. Moved my elderly Mum to my brothers concrete house further down the hill which ‘looked’ much safer. I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions after the storm as I walked back to my house the next morning. I was wordless for once in my life. Apart from a broken shutter and gutter along the front, my lil house stood humble but firm on the hilltop without any damage. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Stu and his boys at Vanua Disaen for an extraordinary job in designing and building my house. Tankyu tumas.” – Ms Langati, Freswota, Port Vila
“Amazed! Thank you to the team from Vanua Disaen for building such a strong house. We bunkered down waiting for something to happen. The horrible sound of flying roofs and falling trees nearby had us praying for the best. No leaks and only the gutter came off.” – Simons Residence Teouma—Efate Island
“Thanks for building such a solid house, it was great to see it standing tall and undamaged. Considering how exposed we were to the powerful winds and huge sea swells we are extremely happy with our new home. It was a credit to Vanua Disaen’s belief their particular building system would withstand such storms. ” – Allan Residence Bakura, Devil’s Point Road
Below you’ll see Vanuatu Homes still standing strong after cyclone Pam along with some other houses that were not as fortunate or built by Vanuatu Homes
Articles about Cyclone Pam
Vanua Disaen – Cyclone Pam 2015