ᐅ Prefabricated house or solid construction – what is your opinion?
Created on: 7 Aug 2013 10:55
L
Leela
Hello!
We are currently exploring the topic of building a house, with plans to start next year. We are still very much at the beginning and have not yet decided whether to go with traditional solid construction or opt for a prefabricated house.
I’m interested in your personal opinions on this topic. What do you prefer, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and how did you make your decision?
Best regards,
Leela
We are currently exploring the topic of building a house, with plans to start next year. We are still very much at the beginning and have not yet decided whether to go with traditional solid construction or opt for a prefabricated house.
I’m interested in your personal opinions on this topic. What do you prefer, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and how did you make your decision?
Best regards,
Leela
D
DerBjoern16 Aug 2013 10:31Der Da schrieb:
We did some research for building the house... and the value of our furnishings was clearly lower than the cost of truly secure windows And the insurance costs as well...
Der Da schrieb:
Only the front door, I’m almost certain no one can get through it. I still had a few special cylinders at home that I installed... A drill won’t get you far there... only with a diamond drill bit It’s not the front door that burglars prefer, but the small side window, which is nicely obscured and located away from the street.
My parents bought a prefabricated house and never regretted it. At that time, prefabricated houses were far superior to solid houses in terms of thermal insulation. However, solid houses have since caught up.
There have been and still are high-quality prefabricated houses, just as there are both inexpensive and high-end solid houses. The main advantage of prefabricated houses, besides the construction time, is that they are well-developed models offered at a fixed price, and there are many house types available. You can simply choose the best option among all the different house styles.
Seventeen years ago, I renovated and modernized a solid house, and in the end, the architect exceeded the budget by 130,000 DM (about 59,300 USD). That would not have happened with a prefabricated house.
There have been and still are high-quality prefabricated houses, just as there are both inexpensive and high-end solid houses. The main advantage of prefabricated houses, besides the construction time, is that they are well-developed models offered at a fixed price, and there are many house types available. You can simply choose the best option among all the different house styles.
Seventeen years ago, I renovated and modernized a solid house, and in the end, the architect exceeded the budget by 130,000 DM (about 59,300 USD). That would not have happened with a prefabricated house.
You can build a solid (masonry) house at a fixed price just like a prefabricated wooden house; there is no difference in that regard. We also built a turnkey solid house at a fixed price and paid exactly the agreed amount. So this is not an argument in favor of a prefabricated house. I believe that prefabricated house enthusiasts simply prefer living in a wooden house. Best regards, Sabine
Oh dear. Let me briefly introduce myself here.
Hello, my husband and I (both in our late 20s) have been planning to build a house for some time now.
For the past few days, I have been actively reading through this forum. After visiting several show home parks twice, we have now looked at different solid (masonry) houses and prefabricated timber houses. From the prefabricated homes, we were able to take some initial offers with us and have already shortlisted two companies with whom we will soon meet (including independent financial advisors, who apparently are also provided by the companies?) to discuss everything in detail.
Unfortunately, the representatives for the masonry houses didn’t have much time. However, we also plan to request detailed “offers” here and inquire with a local provider as well.
Initially, we focused on a prefabricated house, because early research suggested that only these offer a fixed price and everything remains “under one roof.” We quickly learned from experience reports that you can also get turnkey solid houses “under one roof.” That’s why we are now undecided again.
It’s great that you can read so many experiences here. I was particularly struck by the comments from "Der Da." Our situation is quite similar. We favor the prefabricated house because it is supposed to be ready to move into quickly and the price (after individual planning with the company) is not supposed to double—but we have doubts about durability and resale value (in case our children want to sell the house later...).
For masonry houses, we often read that a certain price is quoted, which then more than doubles (seen here in the financing threads). How can that happen? Is it because not everything is considered in advance? Or is it really due to rising labor and material costs?
Best regards
Hello, my husband and I (both in our late 20s) have been planning to build a house for some time now.
For the past few days, I have been actively reading through this forum. After visiting several show home parks twice, we have now looked at different solid (masonry) houses and prefabricated timber houses. From the prefabricated homes, we were able to take some initial offers with us and have already shortlisted two companies with whom we will soon meet (including independent financial advisors, who apparently are also provided by the companies?) to discuss everything in detail.
Unfortunately, the representatives for the masonry houses didn’t have much time. However, we also plan to request detailed “offers” here and inquire with a local provider as well.
Initially, we focused on a prefabricated house, because early research suggested that only these offer a fixed price and everything remains “under one roof.” We quickly learned from experience reports that you can also get turnkey solid houses “under one roof.” That’s why we are now undecided again.
It’s great that you can read so many experiences here. I was particularly struck by the comments from "Der Da." Our situation is quite similar. We favor the prefabricated house because it is supposed to be ready to move into quickly and the price (after individual planning with the company) is not supposed to double—but we have doubts about durability and resale value (in case our children want to sell the house later...).
For masonry houses, we often read that a certain price is quoted, which then more than doubles (seen here in the financing threads). How can that happen? Is it because not everything is considered in advance? Or is it really due to rising labor and material costs?
Best regards
D
Doc.Schnaggls23 Jun 2014 12:13Hello bswunde,
welcome to the forum!
As you have correctly pointed out, both traditional prefabricated houses (timber frame construction) and conventional solid houses have providers who offer everything from a single source and also work with fixed prices.
However, you should take a close look at what is actually included in this fixed price. For example, additional construction costs are not included in the fixed price by any provider I know, as these can vary greatly.
Even for houses of both types, there are “Dacias” and “Porsches.” This is not meant to be judgmental at all; you just need to be clear about what you are buying to avoid disappointments. There are also very large differences in the standard features of the house. Therefore, comparing the specifications of the construction services is extremely important. For example, we created an Excel spreadsheet to help us compare the various service descriptions.
The problem with escalating costs arises either from overlooked additional construction costs or when building without a fixed price and awarding individual trades separately – here the architect estimates the costs – how that can end you can see in the relevant posts here in the forum.
By the way, there are also prefabricated houses made of concrete or other “solid” building materials.
I would recommend having a few conversations and obtaining offers to get a feel for the cost dimensions.
Regards,
Dirk
welcome to the forum!
As you have correctly pointed out, both traditional prefabricated houses (timber frame construction) and conventional solid houses have providers who offer everything from a single source and also work with fixed prices.
However, you should take a close look at what is actually included in this fixed price. For example, additional construction costs are not included in the fixed price by any provider I know, as these can vary greatly.
Even for houses of both types, there are “Dacias” and “Porsches.” This is not meant to be judgmental at all; you just need to be clear about what you are buying to avoid disappointments. There are also very large differences in the standard features of the house. Therefore, comparing the specifications of the construction services is extremely important. For example, we created an Excel spreadsheet to help us compare the various service descriptions.
The problem with escalating costs arises either from overlooked additional construction costs or when building without a fixed price and awarding individual trades separately – here the architect estimates the costs – how that can end you can see in the relevant posts here in the forum.
By the way, there are also prefabricated houses made of concrete or other “solid” building materials.
I would recommend having a few conversations and obtaining offers to get a feel for the cost dimensions.
Regards,
Dirk
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