ᐅ Building a Single-Family Home – Solid Construction or Prefabricated House?
Created on: 30 Apr 2017 21:27
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Elly S.
Hello everyone!
My partner and I are currently gathering some information and ideas for our own home. As is often the case, we have already spoken to a few homeowners and asked for their opinions regarding price, size, etc., and every view is different, so we hope for some helpful advice here in the forum as well.
Our first question is: prefabricated house or solid/conventional brick-and-mortar house?
And if solid house: is it possible to build a house about 110 m² (1,184 sq ft) in size, without a basement, without any extras like bay windows, dormers, etc. (just a simple rectangular shape), without cutting bricks, and with some help from friends or relatives for around €200,000?
What is cheaper, a single-story or a multi-story house with a smaller foundation slab?
And if it is a prefabricated house, then: how long can it actually last if we find a good construction company and maintain it well? Is it repairable once the expected lifespan and manufacturer’s warranty have expired (we mean major issues such as a crack in the wall)? Is it still true these days that a prefabricated house loses value and can no longer be sold at a reasonable price later, compared to a solid house?
Best regards,
Elly
My partner and I are currently gathering some information and ideas for our own home. As is often the case, we have already spoken to a few homeowners and asked for their opinions regarding price, size, etc., and every view is different, so we hope for some helpful advice here in the forum as well.
Our first question is: prefabricated house or solid/conventional brick-and-mortar house?
And if solid house: is it possible to build a house about 110 m² (1,184 sq ft) in size, without a basement, without any extras like bay windows, dormers, etc. (just a simple rectangular shape), without cutting bricks, and with some help from friends or relatives for around €200,000?
What is cheaper, a single-story or a multi-story house with a smaller foundation slab?
And if it is a prefabricated house, then: how long can it actually last if we find a good construction company and maintain it well? Is it repairable once the expected lifespan and manufacturer’s warranty have expired (we mean major issues such as a crack in the wall)? Is it still true these days that a prefabricated house loses value and can no longer be sold at a reasonable price later, compared to a solid house?
Best regards,
Elly
You need to know what you’re committing to. For us, we’re now almost at the level of a shell house. Roof tiles, exterior plaster, and gutters are still missing. Once these are done, the exterior will be finished. –
Inside, there’s still electrical work, heating, screed (floor leveling), interior plaster, drywall ceiling, stairs, doors, door frames, ceramics, plumbing, wall and floor tiling, painting, flooring, external groundwork including utility connections, and landscaping. And of course, the kitchen installation as well.
That’s quite a list of tasks that require professional knowledge and experience. If you hire contractors properly and legally instead of employing them unofficially, you might as well order everything at once.
Karsten
Inside, there’s still electrical work, heating, screed (floor leveling), interior plaster, drywall ceiling, stairs, doors, door frames, ceramics, plumbing, wall and floor tiling, painting, flooring, external groundwork including utility connections, and landscaping. And of course, the kitchen installation as well.
That’s quite a list of tasks that require professional knowledge and experience. If you hire contractors properly and legally instead of employing them unofficially, you might as well order everything at once.
Karsten
I wouldn’t base my decision solely on whether to choose a prefabricated house or a solid masonry house.
Look at different companies and find something that suits you and your budget.
Regarding long-term value: Prefabricated houses don’t just fall apart after 30 years. My uncle built a prefabricated house in 1984, and my father built a solid masonry house in 1984 as well. The structure in both cases is still in good condition, and neither required major repairs. Of course, the technology is outdated, but neither house showed issues with moisture, settlement cracks, or similar problems.
It probably depends on the craftsmanship and the materials used how well the houses hold up over time.
Look at different companies and find something that suits you and your budget.
Regarding long-term value: Prefabricated houses don’t just fall apart after 30 years. My uncle built a prefabricated house in 1984, and my father built a solid masonry house in 1984 as well. The structure in both cases is still in good condition, and neither required major repairs. Of course, the technology is outdated, but neither house showed issues with moisture, settlement cracks, or similar problems.
It probably depends on the craftsmanship and the materials used how well the houses hold up over time.
haydee schrieb:
I wouldn’t base my decision on whether to choose a prefabricated house or a solid house.
Take a look at different companies and find something that suits you and your budget.By the way, we had a discussion here last month about a solid house that was less than 20 years old but had suffered severe wear and tear, partly due to cheap building materials.
haydee schrieb:
Regarding durability: prefabricated houses don’t turn to dust after 30 years. My uncle built a prefabricated house in 1984 and my father built a solid house in 1984 as well. Both structures are still in good condition, and neither required major repairs.There are still several timber-framed houses from the Middle Ages. A prefabricated house is basically a timber-framed house, assembled wall by wall with finished interior surfaces in a factory hall and then lifted into place with a crane.
This construction method gained a questionable reputation only in the 1960s and 1970s – partly because of the use of particleboard, insulation materials, and wood preservatives that later turned out to be hazardous to health; and partly because of the unimaginative barrack-style design common at that time.
Derogatory opinions can be heard about companies like Town & Country as well as Massa Haus. Houses, like cars (e.g., Dacia or Lada) or clothes (e.g., H&M or KiK), can also have brands with varying reputations.
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It’s best to visit a few show homes. I have been to quite a few, including yesterday in Bad Vilbel, where there are 65 show homes on display. It was there that we decided to build with solid construction. For us, this choice was based on the indoor climate. In the prefabricated houses, the air always felt poor or dry, which irritated my throat. We felt more comfortable in the solidly built houses.
A direct comparison was possible since both prefabricated and solid houses are present there. However, everyone has to decide for themselves what suits them best.
Furthermore, the central advantage I once saw in cost savings no longer exists. On the contrary, so far all the offers for prefabricated houses have been more expensive.
A direct comparison was possible since both prefabricated and solid houses are present there. However, everyone has to decide for themselves what suits them best.
Furthermore, the central advantage I once saw in cost savings no longer exists. On the contrary, so far all the offers for prefabricated houses have been more expensive.
Elly S. schrieb:
And if it’s a solid construction house: is it possible to build a house of about 110 m² (1,184 sq ft), without a basement, without any extras like bay windows, dormers, etc. (just a simple rectangular shape), without cutting bricks, and with some help from friends or relatives, for around €200,000?Short answer: No.With a lot of own labor and very basic finishes, ideal soil conditions, and strong discipline during the construction phase, it might be theoretically possible.
But realistically, it is not. Above all, don’t overestimate your own labor, especially not that of friends or relatives. They have their own lives and will usually find something better to do than working for free on your construction site.
Realistic costs:
110 m² * €1800 = €198,000 construction costs.
Additional building-related costs €30,000–40,000.
Land? Taxes? Real estate agent fees? All that would be extra on top.
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