ᐅ Differences Between Prefabricated Houses and Alternative Building Methods?
Created on: 5 Feb 2015 18:18
Q
Questioner
Hello,
I am new to this forum and not entirely sure if this is the right place for my questions. We are planning to build a house within the next two years, and I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed because I can’t find clear—and especially neutral—answers to my questions.
I’m already uncertain whether to choose a prefabricated house or a solid (conventional) house. There is also something called a “prefabricated solid house” that many people mention, but I have never really found any information on it because all I come across are pages from prefabricated house manufacturers.
Nowadays, almost every prefabricated house supplier advertises how energy-efficient their houses are. However, the materials used in the construction and the advantages they bring are only revealed in personal conversations. Naturally, every manufacturer uses different materials and claims theirs are the best.
Most prefabricated houses are apparently mainly built from wood and drywall panels (at least on the inside). While energy efficiency is very important to me, it’s also crucial that the house isn’t noisy and that I can hang my 40kg (88 lbs) TV on the wall without the wall collapsing. And, of course, that the house still stands after a storm...
Does anyone here really understand the differences between the various prefabricated house manufacturers—not just in terms of service and price, but in quality? And what exactly is behind a “prefabricated solid house”? I imagine it involves masonry or concrete walls being delivered ready-made...
I would be very grateful to anyone who could shed some light on this!
Best regards!
I am new to this forum and not entirely sure if this is the right place for my questions. We are planning to build a house within the next two years, and I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed because I can’t find clear—and especially neutral—answers to my questions.
I’m already uncertain whether to choose a prefabricated house or a solid (conventional) house. There is also something called a “prefabricated solid house” that many people mention, but I have never really found any information on it because all I come across are pages from prefabricated house manufacturers.
Nowadays, almost every prefabricated house supplier advertises how energy-efficient their houses are. However, the materials used in the construction and the advantages they bring are only revealed in personal conversations. Naturally, every manufacturer uses different materials and claims theirs are the best.
Most prefabricated houses are apparently mainly built from wood and drywall panels (at least on the inside). While energy efficiency is very important to me, it’s also crucial that the house isn’t noisy and that I can hang my 40kg (88 lbs) TV on the wall without the wall collapsing. And, of course, that the house still stands after a storm...
Does anyone here really understand the differences between the various prefabricated house manufacturers—not just in terms of service and price, but in quality? And what exactly is behind a “prefabricated solid house”? I imagine it involves masonry or concrete walls being delivered ready-made...
I would be very grateful to anyone who could shed some light on this!
Best regards!
Questioner schrieb:
Prefabricated House or Solid Construction HouseThere is no definitive answer and likely never will be.
Still, my advice is to browse through the countless discussions on this topic here in the forum and read up.
Enjoy! Best wishes, Yvonne
I would argue that with prefabricated houses you generally experience slightly less stress but also have somewhat fewer design options. The expected lifespan of a solid brick-and-mortar house is estimated at around 80 years, while for prefabricated houses it is about 50 years (if I remember correctly) – but that doesn’t mean you are living in an “inferior” house for 50 years. Regardless of whether it’s a solid or prefabricated house, you should pay attention to the materials and workmanship in both cases.
Q
Questioner6 Feb 2015 14:01First of all, thank you very much for the numerous replies in such a short time!
I actually have quite clear ideas about how I want my little house to look. About 180m² (1,938 sq ft) with a shallow hipped roof (around 20-23°). So roughly like a city villa from Kampa (with some adjustments).
Price would not be an issue, so my main questions are more about
- Quality (no damp walls, etc., and if I want to hang my sofa from the ceiling, I want to be able to do that—wherever I want. The same applies to exterior walls...)
- Durability (after all, I want my children to still benefit from it when they grow up)
- Sound insulation (I like to watch Blu-ray movies with corresponding sound—and I love bass =) but this shouldn’t disturb my wife while she’s sleeping)...
There is a “prefabricated house showroom” here as well, and I have been there twice. But as I said, every sales representative tells you their houses are the best... They all use different raw materials, and some are so special that they even have patents.
But how should I evaluate the quality of the raw materials?!
Are there any raw materials that should definitely be avoided (for example, Styrofoam, as I have gathered) and others that are more expensive but better? Are there any recommendations?
I didn’t expect such fundamental questions to be so difficult to answer. I knew there would be two or three differences, but I thought more about questions like size, roof, ceiling height, features, service, etc.
Best regards!
I actually have quite clear ideas about how I want my little house to look. About 180m² (1,938 sq ft) with a shallow hipped roof (around 20-23°). So roughly like a city villa from Kampa (with some adjustments).
Price would not be an issue, so my main questions are more about
- Quality (no damp walls, etc., and if I want to hang my sofa from the ceiling, I want to be able to do that—wherever I want. The same applies to exterior walls...)
- Durability (after all, I want my children to still benefit from it when they grow up)
- Sound insulation (I like to watch Blu-ray movies with corresponding sound—and I love bass =) but this shouldn’t disturb my wife while she’s sleeping)...
There is a “prefabricated house showroom” here as well, and I have been there twice. But as I said, every sales representative tells you their houses are the best... They all use different raw materials, and some are so special that they even have patents.
But how should I evaluate the quality of the raw materials?!
Are there any raw materials that should definitely be avoided (for example, Styrofoam, as I have gathered) and others that are more expensive but better? Are there any recommendations?
I didn’t expect such fundamental questions to be so difficult to answer. I knew there would be two or three differences, but I thought more about questions like size, roof, ceiling height, features, service, etc.
Best regards!
Questioner schrieb:
- Sound insulation (I like to watch BluRay movies with good sound – and I love bass =) but my wife shouldn’t be disturbed while sleeping...In that case, you should avoid timber frame houses: solid construction offers better soundproofing and less noise transmission.
N
nordanney6 Feb 2015 14:40Questioner schrieb:
But how should I assess the quality of the raw materials?!
Are there any raw materials that should definitely be avoided (for example, as I’ve understood, Styrofoam) and others that are more expensive but better? Are there any recommendations?The quality of all raw materials can be good. You can use Styrofoam (ETICS) as well. Or facing brick. Or build monolithic and plaster it. Or... It’s largely a matter of personal preference, and every type of house has its own merits.
In my opinion, all your requirements argue against a prefabricated house.
Sound insulation: Of course, every sales representative will tell you that prefabricated houses offer the same sound insulation as solid construction. However, building physics alone favors a monolithic structure.
Value retention: In my view, there is still insufficient long-term experience with prefabricated houses. In my neighborhood, many prefabricated houses (around 30 years old) have been completely rebuilt down to the basement in recent years due to irreparable moisture damage and other issues. Although quality today is much improved, I wouldn’t bet on retaining any significant residual value in 50 years...
And since you generally pay more for prefabricated houses (from reputable manufacturers) compared to solid construction, I don’t see any advantage here anyway.
Sound insulation: Of course, every sales representative will tell you that prefabricated houses offer the same sound insulation as solid construction. However, building physics alone favors a monolithic structure.
Value retention: In my view, there is still insufficient long-term experience with prefabricated houses. In my neighborhood, many prefabricated houses (around 30 years old) have been completely rebuilt down to the basement in recent years due to irreparable moisture damage and other issues. Although quality today is much improved, I wouldn’t bet on retaining any significant residual value in 50 years...
And since you generally pay more for prefabricated houses (from reputable manufacturers) compared to solid construction, I don’t see any advantage here anyway.
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