ᐅ Time Frame for Building a Prefabricated House – What Should I Expect?

Hello dear forum community,

We are still at the very beginning of our house building idea, which came about quite spontaneously due to a job-related move. Currently, we live about 360 km (225 miles) away from the future building site (our old hometown). My husband recently received a job offer there on short notice.

To avoid temporary rental arrangements and spare our children two moves (including changing daycare, etc.) in a short period, the idea came up to build directly. Until then, I would stay with the children at our current place.

We would like to build a turnkey prefabricated house (including the plot). What timeframe should I expect approximately from decision-making/contract signing to moving in?

I have read reports where the process took just over six months. Others mention one year. What is realistic?

This is important because, during the construction period, we would have to maintain a long-distance relationship, which would probably be the most difficult for the children (but not extremely disruptive, as my husband already works a lot and only sees the children briefly in the mornings). However, if one should rather plan for a year or longer, it would probably make sense to look for a rental place for the transition first.

Unfortunately, we are absolute beginners and still need to familiarize ourselves thoroughly with the topic. We also have little experience within our circle of friends.

I would be very happy to receive some answers!

Best regards, Schnuppen

If you still need to search for a plot of land, decide what to build, and figure out if you can afford it, you should expect at least 1.5 years until you can move in. You’re starting from scratch, and many people on the forum report similar lengthy timeframes. Also, many prefab home manufacturers are currently so fully booked that the waiting time for the production of the house components can be up to one year.

Have you already considered an existing building?

edit: Current example: A colleague of mine wants to build with a local prefab home supplier. If he signs now, the expected installation date is August 2017.

I would definitely start by looking for a rental apartment or house and live there temporarily. It might make sense for your husband to first explore the area to find the right neighborhood before you move, but even then, I would recommend renting in that area initially and calmly choosing the right plot and house together.

You plan to live in the house for decades, so take plenty of time to plan everything thoroughly!

Pressure during construction is extremely costly and stressful. In my opinion, two moves within two years are nothing compared to that. Additionally, building the house is easier when both of you are nearby and actively involved in the process.

Depending on the workload of the individual provider, including planning, it will certainly take 12–24 months.

Just my 2 cents...

The truth lies somewhere in between. Of course, the region where you want to move or build has a strong influence. For example, if it is in the MVP area near the Polish border, it’s usually easier to find land than in major urban regions.

Don’t forget that currently there is high demand, which can lead to higher prices as well as longer waiting times.

Even if everything goes perfectly—decisions are made quickly and permits or planning permissions are processed smoothly—you should expect a minimum of one year. Distance makes things more difficult, too, since you can’t just arrange appointments spontaneously. Traveling 360 meters (1,180 feet) with children is already a significant limitation to spontaneity.

Whether buying something used is faster depends, it might be, but it’s not guaranteed.

I would advise you to look for a nice rental apartment near your desired area to live and then start dealing with the new construction process from there. Hopefully, the kindergarten and school stay the same.

Alternative idea: Buying a house? That usually takes a few weeks to months at best, and then the matter is settled. Since your husband is already on-site for work, he can look at houses after work, and if he likes them, you can visit together on the weekend to take another look.

Regarding financing: Your husband has a new job, so he is still in the probationary period. You are probably currently a housewife or working only part-time. Most likely, no bank will grant you a loan under these conditions unless you can provide enough equity to guarantee the bank will never end up at a loss (40%+).

Thank you very much for the replies! I can already see that this was probably a naive idea... 😉 We definitely have the summer to gather information from some providers, and after that, things will probably become clearer.

To me, these offers sounded incredibly simple: we buy the plot of land and house from the provider (as long as both fit our needs) and then we start building! At least, I found some building blogs where it seemed that easy. But this is probably not the norm. And I hadn’t even considered the currently high demand!

Hopefully, we can at least purchase a plot of land this year (since we won’t be moving before the end of the year anyway), so that we know exactly where we’re going and can rent there for now. Another move would be inconvenient, but at least it wouldn’t involve relocating to a new area.

We will definitely keep an eye out for existing properties, but the market in this region seems quite limited (at least in terms of what we are looking for).

Financing should not be an issue. My husband is not changing his employer, and we have enough equity.