ᐅ Comparison of Solid (Masonry) Houses and Prefabricated Houses
Created on: 29 Aug 2012 13:32
V
VanTideHello everyone,
we are currently planning a 140 m² (1,507 ft²) house on a 500 m² (5,382 ft²) plot of land.
There are only two providers left in the running: one prefab house supplier and one traditional masonry builder.
We want to build with an air-to-water heat pump and underfloor heating, including a 4 kW photovoltaic system to balance out electricity costs in the long term.
The prefab house provider builds to the KfW 55 standard and estimates monthly operating costs for the heat pump at 35 euros.
The masonry builder uses conventional bricks and advises against insulation according to the KfW 70 standard, which would cost 12,000 euros more. Their argument is that heat pump costs would be around 65 euros per month, and with KfW 70 insulation, only about 6 euros per month could be saved. To recover the 12,000 euro investment, it would take 200 months, so it is not worthwhile.
What is your opinion on this topic? Do you have any experience, and how do you assess my approach? Would you plan the house differently?
Thank you very much and good luck,
Andre
we are currently planning a 140 m² (1,507 ft²) house on a 500 m² (5,382 ft²) plot of land.
There are only two providers left in the running: one prefab house supplier and one traditional masonry builder.
We want to build with an air-to-water heat pump and underfloor heating, including a 4 kW photovoltaic system to balance out electricity costs in the long term.
The prefab house provider builds to the KfW 55 standard and estimates monthly operating costs for the heat pump at 35 euros.
The masonry builder uses conventional bricks and advises against insulation according to the KfW 70 standard, which would cost 12,000 euros more. Their argument is that heat pump costs would be around 65 euros per month, and with KfW 70 insulation, only about 6 euros per month could be saved. To recover the 12,000 euro investment, it would take 200 months, so it is not worthwhile.
What is your opinion on this topic? Do you have any experience, and how do you assess my approach? Would you plan the house differently?
Thank you very much and good luck,
Andre
I would invest in insulation!
I would definitely prefer a solid construction house, as these are usually better insulated and easier to insulate further. It is also simpler to make modifications later on. In a solid construction house, it is relatively easy to add more insulation later, which is often more difficult in a prefabricated house.
Best regards
I would definitely prefer a solid construction house, as these are usually better insulated and easier to insulate further. It is also simpler to make modifications later on. In a solid construction house, it is relatively easy to add more insulation later, which is often more difficult in a prefabricated house.
Best regards
B
Bauexperte11 Dec 2012 13:15Hello Andre,
Whether to choose a prefab or solid build ultimately depends on your personal preference. Both options have advantages and disadvantages; the key factor for either is the reliability of the builder and the quality of the materials used.
Best regards
VanTide schrieb:How is that supposed to work in practice?
We want to build with an air-to-water heat pump and underfloor heating, including 4 kW photovoltaic panels to offset electricity costs in the long term.
VanTide schrieb:I always find these expected cost figures very interesting; do you get this information in writing? I avoid making such statements during consultation and only share feedback from my clients. These vary greatly, which is normal since every person uses their home differently.
The prefabricated house provider builds to the KfW 55 standard and estimates a monthly operating cost of 35 euros for the heat pump.
The solid construction provider builds with conventional bricks and advises against upgrading to the KfW 70 standard insulation, which would cost 12,000 euros more. Their argument is that heat pump costs would be around 65 euros per month, and only about 6 euros per month could be saved through the KfW 70 insulation. It would take 200 months to recoup the 12,000 euro investment—so it’s not worthwhile.
Whether to choose a prefab or solid build ultimately depends on your personal preference. Both options have advantages and disadvantages; the key factor for either is the reliability of the builder and the quality of the materials used.
Best regards
Hello,
I also received a quote for a prefabricated house, built using timber construction. If you have the budget, this could certainly be an alternative. However, with all trades included, my total cost would be around 360,000 euros. For the currently available offers for a solid (masonry) house, I come to about one third less.
Furthermore, I do not plan to heavily insulate my house as many here seem to do. Otherwise, a centralized mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery would be essential, and in 20 years, full external insulation would only cause problems and additional costs, since it essentially consists of hazardous waste. It is also possible to achieve a KfW 70 standard using conventional building materials.
I also received a quote for a prefabricated house, built using timber construction. If you have the budget, this could certainly be an alternative. However, with all trades included, my total cost would be around 360,000 euros. For the currently available offers for a solid (masonry) house, I come to about one third less.
Furthermore, I do not plan to heavily insulate my house as many here seem to do. Otherwise, a centralized mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery would be essential, and in 20 years, full external insulation would only cause problems and additional costs, since it essentially consists of hazardous waste. It is also possible to achieve a KfW 70 standard using conventional building materials.
Claus schrieb:
Hello,
I also received a quote for a prefab house or timber construction. If you have the budget, it could certainly be an option. However, including all trades, my total comes to about 360,000 euros. With the current offers for a solid construction house, I am getting about one third cheaper.I believe everything except that you save 120,000 EUROS on comparable services.
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