ᐅ Difference in Soundproofing Between a Solid (Masonry) House and a Prefabricated (Modular) House?
Created on: 18 Aug 2017 16:05
O
OliverK
Hello dear forum,
We are a family of four planning to build a single-family house in Ingolstadt by the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018. We are still at the very beginning and are currently looking for the best building partner for us (if anyone has a recommendation in this region, we would be very happy to hear it!). The first major decision is whether to choose a general contractor or an architect, and whether to build a prefabricated house using timber construction or a solid masonry house built with bricks.
We have done a lot of research and have realized that the most important difference for us between a solid masonry house with bricks and a prefabricated timber house is sound insulation. This is supposed to be better in a masonry house and is an important point for us since we have two small children.
The question is how big this difference really is. Bien-Zenker (our current favorite for prefabricated timber houses) also offers a hybrid wall called “EFFIZIENZHAUS 40 KLIMA-MASSIVWAND,” which combines timber and brick elements. Does this mean there is practically no difference compared to a traditional solid masonry house? Or is this just marketing hype?
Regarding indoor climate, our current understanding is that there is not much difference between brick construction and timber construction since modern new builds are airtight anyway, and it mainly depends on a good ventilation system. Therefore, sound insulation seems to be the last major difference, especially since both types of construction are supposed to be similar in price.
Could you please shed some light on this for us?
Thank you and best regards,
Oliver
We are a family of four planning to build a single-family house in Ingolstadt by the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018. We are still at the very beginning and are currently looking for the best building partner for us (if anyone has a recommendation in this region, we would be very happy to hear it!). The first major decision is whether to choose a general contractor or an architect, and whether to build a prefabricated house using timber construction or a solid masonry house built with bricks.
We have done a lot of research and have realized that the most important difference for us between a solid masonry house with bricks and a prefabricated timber house is sound insulation. This is supposed to be better in a masonry house and is an important point for us since we have two small children.
The question is how big this difference really is. Bien-Zenker (our current favorite for prefabricated timber houses) also offers a hybrid wall called “EFFIZIENZHAUS 40 KLIMA-MASSIVWAND,” which combines timber and brick elements. Does this mean there is practically no difference compared to a traditional solid masonry house? Or is this just marketing hype?
Regarding indoor climate, our current understanding is that there is not much difference between brick construction and timber construction since modern new builds are airtight anyway, and it mainly depends on a good ventilation system. Therefore, sound insulation seems to be the last major difference, especially since both types of construction are supposed to be similar in price.
Could you please shed some light on this for us?
Thank you and best regards,
Oliver
I am still open to both construction methods. At the moment, I am trying to narrow down the many possible providers (traditional masonry construction, prefab houses, architects) to a few that I will contact to arrange a personal meeting. Personal recommendations would of course be extremely helpful here.
From these "finalists," I would ideally like to receive a preliminary design for our house on our plot after the consultation (we already have specific ideas and example houses to use as templates), and if this fits, also a cost estimate. This can of course involve some costs (especially with architects), but it doesn’t have to – for example, the Bien-Zenker consultant provides this free of charge.
In the end, we will make our decision based on gut feeling, considering price, design, and the "sense of being well taken care of."
From these "finalists," I would ideally like to receive a preliminary design for our house on our plot after the consultation (we already have specific ideas and example houses to use as templates), and if this fits, also a cost estimate. This can of course involve some costs (especially with architects), but it doesn’t have to – for example, the Bien-Zenker consultant provides this free of charge.
In the end, we will make our decision based on gut feeling, considering price, design, and the "sense of being well taken care of."
R
R.Hotzenplotz21 Aug 2017 13:04OliverK schrieb:
In the end, we will make the decision based on gut feeling, considering price, design, and the “feeling of being well taken care of.”We proceeded by commissioning the architectural planning with a paid contract first, so we could take our time to carefully develop our desired design (in my view, no one can achieve this in just one or two meetings included with such providers—at least not if they want something customized). With the completed plans, we can then conveniently evaluate who can build this design best.
R
R.Hotzenplotz21 Aug 2017 13:09tomtom79 schrieb:
You could take a look at Schwörerhaus; they also offer an additional soundproofing package. Their scope of work description is very comprehensive. For example, we didn’t have to pay extra for electrical outlets because the standard package already included enough.Did you have enough options regarding the switch systems? I noticed during some model home visits that surface-mounted thermostats are often installed. Recessed thermostats seem to come with an additional charge in many cases. However, I didn’t want a surface-mounted thermostat.
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
Once the planning is complete, we can easily decide who is best suited to build this plan. My feeling is that the company who creates the design is usually the best one to build it. If a Schwörerhaus builds a design from Bien-Zenker, or Bayerische Massivhaus builds a design from an independent architect, it doesn’t feel quite right. It seems that the in-house architects design what their company knows best how to build. Otherwise, there is a risk that the builder agrees “Sure, no problem” but actually has to stretch themselves to make it work.
@tomtom79: Have you built with Schwörerhaus? If yes: When, where, and are you satisfied?
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