A Cairns building company that lets clients take a walk through their new home – before a single drop of concrete has been poured – has won a major innovation grant from the Queensland government.

Allaro Homes been awarded an Ignite Ideas grant, worth nearly $100,000, for their nation-leading work with virtual reality technology.

The award-winning firm has been developing its VR offering for more than five years, which provides clients with a fully immersive, cinema-style 3D “fly-through” experience of their new home as it’s being designed.

The technology also allows for automatically updated costings as design changes are made in real time.

“We can actually put people into their house design at the push of a button,” Allaro’s business development manager Troy Cavallaro said.

“It’s just as quick to make any changes and see the results as you go along.

“With the VR technology we’ve developed, the graphics are incredibly clear and detailed, and our clients can get an entire room-scale experience.”

Mr Allaro said the grant would allow Allaro to further develop its VR technology and scale up the technology for the nation’s home building and design market, noting that virtual reality technology is predicted to grow into a $33 billion global industry by 2021.

“This Ignite Ideas funding puts our VR project into hyperdrive and will become a real feather in our city’s innovation cap.”

The grant, awarded to 80 innovative businesses across the state, funds the development of new and improved products, processes and services aimed at securing lead customers and additional investment.