ᐅ Modular house, timber frame house, or solid construction?

Created on: 2 Mar 2022 08:59
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Cailleach
Hello! We’re completely new here and also new to the topic of house building.
Surprisingly, we have the opportunity to get a building plot at a good price and will likely become homeowners in the future.
Now we are considering what type of house to go for. We would love to hear your thoughts, experiences, tips, and warnings.

The plot is large and wooded, with no neighbors. I dream of a huge glass facade facing the trees.
It should be roughly 80-120 sqm (860-1,290 sq ft) and – the challenge – affordable. We are talking about a budget of up to 200,000 euros (for everything, from the slab foundation to interior finishing). We want something that fits well into the surroundings.

We quickly came across modular houses and log cabin-style options, which are said to be affordable. However, my partner is quite skeptical about this – does it really last long, is the insulation really up to standard, does one have to compromise on something? He feels uneasy at the idea of giving up solid, massive walls. Could he be right about that?

So: who has built a modular house or even a log cabin-style house and lives in it normally?
Due to pricing, we have Pineca or LeonWood in mind. If anyone has information about those...

Thanks in advance!
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Cailleach
2 Mar 2022 09:43
Tolentino, yes, we are still quite young and don’t necessarily have to rush into becoming homeowners. But we would like to. At the moment, we have priority on the plot of land and can start considering and planning. However, we will have to make a decision eventually. We are very lucky right now thanks to some helpful contacts. It is large, beautiful, and affordable... but what good is it if we don’t have enough money to build something proper on it. We are still looking for solutions because we don’t want to miss this opportunity.
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Tamstar
2 Mar 2022 09:52
Is there a building obligation on the property? In other words, do you have to start or complete construction within a certain number of years?
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Cailleach
2 Mar 2022 09:58
No, not as far as I know. I haven’t dealt much with the legal aspects myself—that's always my partner’s job. But he hasn't mentioned anything about that. I would be surprised anyway, as this is not a newly developed building area or anything like that.
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Tamstar
2 Mar 2022 10:16
Why don’t you buy the plot now and wait until your financial situation improves enough to build something reasonable on it? You said that this is expected to happen in the near future.
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Benutzer200
2 Mar 2022 10:21
Buy the plot now, pay it off as quickly as possible, and build later with a better credit rating.

With €200,000 (about $220,000) that won't be much. You might only have around €150,000 (about $165,000) left for the house itself – excluding garage, terrace, and landscaping. That will be very tight. The material costs alone for a self-built house fit an 80-100m² (860-1,075 ft²) size. But you also need to pay for labor.
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haydee
2 Mar 2022 12:23
I would also say: Buy now and build the house later with better creditworthiness.