Hello!
We have been searching for our dream home for some time now! Since we haven’t found the right property for us yet, we have spent the last few days discussing the topic of building a house.
While looking for real estate in our area, we kept coming across offers from construction companies (like Town & Country, Allkauf Haus, etc.) that sell prefab houses INCLUDING the land. This is interesting for us, as we don’t yet own a plot of land.
Of course, we also told our family and friends that we are interested in a prefab house that we can finish the interior ourselves.
Unfortunately, some of the older folks immediately said that prefab houses are just rubbish, worthless, and that there is a lot of bad talk about them. Is that really true?
What are the downsides of a prefab house?
What advantages does a prefab house have? What disadvantages come with it?
We would really appreciate any answers!
Best regards
from the hausneulinge
We have been searching for our dream home for some time now! Since we haven’t found the right property for us yet, we have spent the last few days discussing the topic of building a house.
While looking for real estate in our area, we kept coming across offers from construction companies (like Town & Country, Allkauf Haus, etc.) that sell prefab houses INCLUDING the land. This is interesting for us, as we don’t yet own a plot of land.
Of course, we also told our family and friends that we are interested in a prefab house that we can finish the interior ourselves.
Unfortunately, some of the older folks immediately said that prefab houses are just rubbish, worthless, and that there is a lot of bad talk about them. Is that really true?
What are the downsides of a prefab house?
What advantages does a prefab house have? What disadvantages come with it?
We would really appreciate any answers!
Best regards
from the hausneulinge
B
Bauexperte18 Aug 2010 11:21Hello,
This is quite normal at first, since you are entering unfamiliar territory; it will get better with each focused conversation, so don’t worry.
Where do you plan to build?
Best regards
hausneulinge schrieb:
We have spent the last few days reading and watching a lot, but now we are even more confused. By now, we don’t have the slightest idea what might be right for us.
This is quite normal at first, since you are entering unfamiliar territory; it will get better with each focused conversation, so don’t worry.
Where do you plan to build?
Best regards
H
hausneulinge18 Aug 2010 12:06Bauexperte schrieb:
Where are you planning to build?
Hello!
We are planning to build in Lower Bavaria, around Landshut/Dingolfing.
Bauexperte schrieb:
... then there is the screed, which requires drying times for both options. ... but only if both suppliers use the same type of wet screed, the interior plaster is omitted, and it is believed that the building is consistently protected from rain during the shell construction phase.
The moisture equilibrium level you mentioned is therefore reached much faster, especially if the building envelope is supported by a breathable facade or coating. The 4 years you mentioned may have been a valid statement in the past, but today this period has significantly decreased.
The point I made is based on a statement by Prof. Dr. Karl Gertis (formerly head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics), which certainly dates back several years. Incidentally, he spoke at an event organized by a leading manufacturer of small-format wall elements near Dortmund to over 600 architects, civil engineers, and contractors on the topic “The Myth of Walls Breathing.” However, at that time, bonded bed joints and external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS)—especially in solid construction—were already being used.
Bauexperte schrieb:
The prefabricated house industry uses synthetic resin plasters (ETICS), which causes the building structure to take longer to release excess moisture—put simply, it’s like living inside a plastic wrap. For this reason, installing a controlled ventilation system is recommended not only to prevent mold but also to avoid this “sauna effect.” Here, cause and effect, as well as the resulting supposed “necessity” of installing a ventilation system, are not accurately described.
Bauexperte schrieb:
As I said before, ultimately the decision between the different options comes down to gut feeling. Certainly, countless far-reaching decisions are made daily based 70-80% on gut feeling; however, especially when selecting a residential building concept, this ratio between rational thought and gut feeling should probably be reversed!
B
Bauexperte19 Aug 2010 09:33Hello,
If you want to get independent advice before entering discussions with home sellers, I recommend having a consultation with the energy agency. I have had positive experiences with this agency here in the Rhineland, not only regarding energy-related matters; they also provide practical tips on building and renovation.
Kind regards
hausneulinge schrieb:
We want to build in Lower Bavaria, around Landshut/Dingolfing.
If you want to get independent advice before entering discussions with home sellers, I recommend having a consultation with the energy agency. I have had positive experiences with this agency here in the Rhineland, not only regarding energy-related matters; they also provide practical tips on building and renovation.
Kind regards
B
Bauexperte19 Aug 2010 10:48Hello KPS,
I tend to be old-fashioned; I always compare apples with apples.
Caught me – of course, it is not accurate to say walls "breathe," because it leads to misunderstandings; Pettenkofer slipped into my vocabulary. What I meant and still mean is: walls and other building components (here, the exterior plaster) should be as vapor permeable, hygroscopic, and sorptive** as possible, thereby helping to regulate indoor humidity, absorb odors and airborne pollutants, and keep the building dry.
Certainly not as precisely as you would wish, as a mathematician, but in a way that a layperson can understand (not without reason did I add two asterisks below and explain the less common terms). I have made it a habit to keep explanations concise to foster quick understanding without expecting my counterpart to have building physics knowledge.
I have been working with people for more than 25 years, and for 14 years as a sales consultant for solidly built single-family homes, and I have stopped debating this subjunctive. I try to do my job as well as possible and offer honest service—even after signing the contract. For a very small number of clients—as measured by my appointments compared to closings—this job perspective is exactly right; for the vast majority of contacts, it still applies that they want to believe what the cheapest provider tells them.
** A vapor-permeable wall can indeed transport moisture to the outside. The vapor permeability of a wall with a total sd-value of 5 m is about 4 g per hour per m²; that means, for a typical single-family house (approx. 150 m² of exterior wall surface), about 14.4 liters. A vapor-permeable wall thus helps ensure that both relative humidity and surface temperature on the interior sides of the exterior walls contribute to a comfortable indoor climate.
"Water vapor diffusion equivalent air layer thickness" (briefly: sd-value)
Building physics: all materials have the ability to slow down the spread of gases (= diffusion)
Best regards
KPS schrieb:
... but only if both groups of suppliers use the same type of bonded screed…
I tend to be old-fashioned; I always compare apples with apples.
KPS schrieb:
... This issue I pointed out is based on the statement of Prof. Dr. Karl Gertis (then head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics)…"The myth of the breathing walls"…
Caught me – of course, it is not accurate to say walls "breathe," because it leads to misunderstandings; Pettenkofer slipped into my vocabulary. What I meant and still mean is: walls and other building components (here, the exterior plaster) should be as vapor permeable, hygroscopic, and sorptive** as possible, thereby helping to regulate indoor humidity, absorb odors and airborne pollutants, and keep the building dry.
KPS schrieb:
... Here, cause and effect as well as the resulting "requirement" to install a ventilation system are probably not described correctly.
Certainly not as precisely as you would wish, as a mathematician, but in a way that a layperson can understand (not without reason did I add two asterisks below and explain the less common terms). I have made it a habit to keep explanations concise to foster quick understanding without expecting my counterpart to have building physics knowledge.
KPS schrieb:
Undoubtedly, countless important decisions are made daily with about 70-80% based on gut feeling, but this ratio between rational thinking and gut feeling should probably be reversed, especially when choosing a residential building concept!
I have been working with people for more than 25 years, and for 14 years as a sales consultant for solidly built single-family homes, and I have stopped debating this subjunctive. I try to do my job as well as possible and offer honest service—even after signing the contract. For a very small number of clients—as measured by my appointments compared to closings—this job perspective is exactly right; for the vast majority of contacts, it still applies that they want to believe what the cheapest provider tells them.
** A vapor-permeable wall can indeed transport moisture to the outside. The vapor permeability of a wall with a total sd-value of 5 m is about 4 g per hour per m²; that means, for a typical single-family house (approx. 150 m² of exterior wall surface), about 14.4 liters. A vapor-permeable wall thus helps ensure that both relative humidity and surface temperature on the interior sides of the exterior walls contribute to a comfortable indoor climate.
"Water vapor diffusion equivalent air layer thickness" (briefly: sd-value)
Building physics: all materials have the ability to slow down the spread of gases (= diffusion)
Best regards
H
hausneulinge19 Aug 2010 11:57Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello,
If you want to get independent advice before starting discussions with home sellers, I recommend contacting the energy agency. I have had positive experiences with this agency here in the Rhineland, not only regarding energy-related matters; they also provide practical tips on building and renovation.
Kind regardsThank you very much for the link! Since we have a 3-week vacation coming up, we will arrange an appointment for the consultation!
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