ᐅ Prefabricated House Expert – A Worthwhile Investment or a Waste of Money?
Created on: 25 Sep 2019 11:29
H
Hitokiri-666
Hello everyone,
Is it worth hiring a prefab house expert?
We are still at the very beginning of our home building plans. If we’re lucky and secure a plot in our town, we want to build a single-family house (about 140–160 square meters (1506–1722 square feet) of living space, with a basement) on it if possible.
We have already decided that we want to build a prefab house.
Last weekend, we had two consultation appointments at the Poing building center. A certain Tobias Beuler, who presents himself as an expert on prefab houses and writes many different contributions on the subject, offers his services for contract negotiation, construction supervision, supplier selection, etc. (for a fee, of course).
Has anyone had experience with this gentleman, positive or negative? Does it make sense for a layperson to have such an expert at their side, or is it unnecessary wasted money, considering that over time you can acquire the expert knowledge yourself?
Thanks in advance!
Is it worth hiring a prefab house expert?
We are still at the very beginning of our home building plans. If we’re lucky and secure a plot in our town, we want to build a single-family house (about 140–160 square meters (1506–1722 square feet) of living space, with a basement) on it if possible.
We have already decided that we want to build a prefab house.
Last weekend, we had two consultation appointments at the Poing building center. A certain Tobias Beuler, who presents himself as an expert on prefab houses and writes many different contributions on the subject, offers his services for contract negotiation, construction supervision, supplier selection, etc. (for a fee, of course).
Has anyone had experience with this gentleman, positive or negative? Does it make sense for a layperson to have such an expert at their side, or is it unnecessary wasted money, considering that over time you can acquire the expert knowledge yourself?
Thanks in advance!
Association of Private Homeowners... there you can find an independent inspector. How often they visit is contractually agreed upon. It’s best to arrange this before signing the contract, as the inspector also reviews the contract.
And yes: you can generally expect around 10% additional costs for a single-family prefabricated house.
And yes: you can generally expect around 10% additional costs for a single-family prefabricated house.
Find an independent expert, preferably one who is certified for court appointments.
A prefabricated house is not always the same as another.
Construction time from building permit / planning permission is not much different compared to traditional brick-and-mortar.
The expert visits once for the foundation slab or, in your case, the basement,
then again when the house is assembled.
Afterwards, interior work begins – depending on the manufacturer, the exterior shell may still be completed. Prefabricated house companies vary in their degree of prefabrication,
so the expert’s visits can vary accordingly.
Costs tend to be higher than for solid construction.
In model home centers, you are dealing only with salespeople – don’t forget that.
Regarding cost certainty,
general contractors (GCs), whether solid masonry, timber frame, concrete, or wood,
all provide a scope of work description. That is included in the price.
Additional costs arise for items provided by the client,
all incidental construction costs,
and any requested upgrades.
A prefabricated house is not always the same as another.
Construction time from building permit / planning permission is not much different compared to traditional brick-and-mortar.
The expert visits once for the foundation slab or, in your case, the basement,
then again when the house is assembled.
Afterwards, interior work begins – depending on the manufacturer, the exterior shell may still be completed. Prefabricated house companies vary in their degree of prefabrication,
so the expert’s visits can vary accordingly.
Costs tend to be higher than for solid construction.
In model home centers, you are dealing only with salespeople – don’t forget that.
Regarding cost certainty,
general contractors (GCs), whether solid masonry, timber frame, concrete, or wood,
all provide a scope of work description. That is included in the price.
Additional costs arise for items provided by the client,
all incidental construction costs,
and any requested upgrades.
H
Hitokiri-66625 Sep 2019 16:53I found the last two posts really helpful.
The general consensus is:
- Prefabricated houses are no good and are actually more expensive than solid construction houses.
- The people in model home centers are all liars and fraudsters—basically salespeople who only want one thing... my money.
- I need a court-certified expert or construction supervisor.
So how do I get in touch with honest general contractors who will simply design and build a normal single-family house for me? From what I’ve learned, those in the building centers—even for solid construction houses—are just profit-driven fraudsters. ops:
The general consensus is:
- Prefabricated houses are no good and are actually more expensive than solid construction houses.
- The people in model home centers are all liars and fraudsters—basically salespeople who only want one thing... my money.
- I need a court-certified expert or construction supervisor.
So how do I get in touch with honest general contractors who will simply design and build a normal single-family house for me? From what I’ve learned, those in the building centers—even for solid construction houses—are just profit-driven fraudsters. ops:
Hitokiri-666 schrieb:
The general sentiment is:I’m afraid you tend to see things in black and white. Hitokiri-666 schrieb:
- Prefabricated houses are no good and are anyway more expensive than solid constructionsNope. Both have their merits. There are good and bad companies in both categories, including some bad actors. Hitokiri-666 schrieb:
- The guys in show home centers are all liars and crooks—that is, salespeople who only want one thing... my money.Well, that’s close to the truth. But you can also use a bit of common sense yourself.
Hitokiri-666 schrieb:
- I will then need a court-certified expert or construction supervisorWith that mindset, probably a good idea. We chose to hire a general contractor whom friends recommended and who seemed reliable and knowledgeable in conversations. Still, we visited the site every day—that had more to do with the craftsmen than the general contractor. Hitokiri-666 schrieb:
And how do I find the nice, honest general contractor who simply plans and builds a standard single-family home for me?In my opinion, the best way is to talk to recent home builders in your future neighborhood. Yes, you have to knock on doors or say “hello” over the garden fence. But it’s definitely worth it!H
Hitokiri-66625 Sep 2019 17:29kaho674 schrieb:
You tend to think in black and white, I’m afraid. Not at all, I was just labeled naive in the first two pages of this thread. Sure, I’m an amateur on this topic, I admit that honestly, but I find it quite unfriendly to be attacked so aggressively right away. That’s really not necessary, is it? And when my plan is immediately torn apart without providing real pros and cons, that’s where the black-and-white thinking comes from, which I also don’t like. I just reflected that a bit exaggeratedly. kaho674 schrieb:
Nope. Both approaches have their justification. In both cases, there are good and bad companies and some bad apples. An honest, independent comparison or test would be nice. kaho674 schrieb:
However, we were still on the construction site every day – that has less to do with the general contractor but more with the tradespeople. That’s just not possible! I work full time and my wife takes care of our little 5-month-old son. Starting next July, my mother-in-law will watch our son one day a week so my wife can slowly return to work. That’s why we definitely prefer a prefabricated house since we don’t have to be constantly present at the construction site and, in the end, can’t influence anything there anyway. How should we? Neither of us have any expertise, and how could I judge if a certain worker is doing a good job or not? kaho674 schrieb:
In my opinion, the best way is to interview new homeowners from your future neighborhood. Yes, you have to ring their doorbell or say “hello” over the garden fence. But it’s worth it! Unfortunately, that’s not possible either. Our home municipality will open two new housing developments under a local resident model for applications at the end of the year. It is not even certain that we will be awarded a plot, but we meet many criteria and expect to have a good chance. Currently, both developments consist only of flat gravel lots. The two zoning plans specify only the maximum buildable area per plot, roof pitches, etc., but not companies or building methods. So there is no one there whose experience I could ask about. I had hoped to get that kind of information here in the forum, but if my first thread is attacked like this… well, great.
Honestly, I built a "prefabricated house" (had it built by a medium-sized company). I would do it exactly the same way again without hesitation! I would never look back longingly at a traditional masonry house. The indoor climate alone is amazing, and even after a year, the lingering scent of wood is still noticeable when you’ve been away from home for a while. Then there are the craftsmanship advantages: hanging a wall cabinet measuring 260cm x 80cm (102 inches x 31 inches) with a 4cm (1.5 inches) solid oak frame? No problem—12 screws size 6 hold it so firmly that I can sit on it weighing 85kg (187 lbs). The same goes for the double vanity in the bathroom, solid construction, 240cm (94 inches) wide, with a black glass top and two large sinks mounted on it. It is secured with six screws size 8.
Similar topics