ᐅ Prefabricated Houses & Solid Construction – Evaluation of Offers

Hello everyone,

we are currently planning to build a single-family house in Baden-Württemberg (Ostalbkreis) and have already found a suitable plot of land.

Now to the tricky part:
At first, we looked at some prefabricated house suppliers; there are quite a few show homes in our area.

Our requirements are as follows:
- Single-family house designed as a city villa (two-storey), about 140-150m² (1505-1615 sq ft) – no bay windows or similar features
- Double garage
- Open kitchen/dining/living area
- Floor-to-ceiling windows
- Basement optional, not included in this current planning
- The plot is almost level and easily accessible
-> In my opinion, the requirements for the house are therefore quite modest.

In terms of price, for a nearly turnkey finish we were always quoted around 315,000-340,000 euros (without land, without additional costs).

Based on these figures, we spoke with some real estate experts who said that a solid/traditionally built house should be possible for that price as well (and might even be cheaper).
We prefer a solidly built house because of its long-term value and stability.

Since the delivery times of the major prefab house suppliers are around 1 year, we then approached an architect.
The architect quickly said that the quoted house prices seemed very low to him but wanted to take a closer look anyway.

Even with commonly cited prices of about 1500-2000 euros/m² (140-186 USD/sq ft), for our house size I calculate 280,000-300,000 euros and still remain well below the prefab house offers, even at the higher end (2000 euros).

This leaves me with a few questions:
- In your opinion, is it possible to build our solid house (almost turnkey) at a similar or preferably lower price than the prefab houses?
- Do you have any recommendations for a prefabricated house supplier with a good price-performance ratio?
Quality comes at a cost – that is clear, so we do not want to save at all costs and were not looking at the cheapest suppliers.
- Is the commonly mentioned price of 1500-2000 euros/m² calculated as “turnkey”?

We look forward to your most up-to-date experiences.

Many thanks and have a nice weekend!

Hey,

which provider do you have?
Sounds good. Feel free to send me a private message as well.

Schwörerhaus, I believe this is allowed to be posted.

What often surprises me is that many people only compare prefab houses with solid construction houses (brick). However, you can also get houses from many local carpenters, etc., built using timber frame, solid wood, dowel wood construction, and other methods. Whether wood or brick is better is a personal choice, as both have their advantages and disadvantages.

I believe there are several reputable builders in the Ostalbkreis district who can construct a town villa of the mentioned size at prices typical for the region. They also offer houses within standard model segments. Considering the listed price, I think more affordable offers are certainly possible. Please keep in mind that depending on the postal code, the Ostalbkreis is classified as seismic zone II or III, which can significantly increase construction costs.

Good morning,

delbau schrieb:

Our requirements are as follows:
- Single-family house in the style of an urban villa (two stories), about 140-150 m² (1507-1615 sq ft) – no bay windows or similar.
- Double garage
- Open kitchen/dining/living area
- Floor-to-ceiling windows
- Basement optional, not included in the current plan.
- The plot is almost level and easily accessible
-> In my opinion, the requirements for the house are quite modest.

Price-wise, we were always around 315,000–340,000 euros (almost) turnkey for the prefab house (without land, without additional costs).

Depending on the prefab house provider you have chosen, this price range is quite usual. This is not because these providers are trying to maximize their profit, but rather due to the system and production method of prefab houses themselves.

delbau schrieb:

- In your opinion, is it possible to build our solid house (almost turnkey) at a similar (or even lower) price than the prefab houses?

I would estimate the price for a solid house roughly as follows:

Urban villa 150 m² (1615 sq ft) according to energy saving regulations: 248,000 euros
Basement, as a utility cellar: 42,000 euros
Double garage, as a prefabricated garage: 13,000 euros
Ventilation system: 13,000 euros

Subtotal: 316,000 euros

Additional costs include painting and flooring, a reserve for extras, indirect construction costs around 40,000 euros, as well as access road and landscaping expenses.

delbau schrieb:

- Is the commonly cited price per square meter of 1,500–2,000 euros (per m²) calculated as "turnkey"?

It depends on the house size and design; 1,500 euros per m² (140 sq ft) is a good starting point in regions like North Rhine-Westphalia, northern and eastern Germany. In your area, I would calculate more from 1,600 euros per m² (149 sq ft).

Regards, Bauexperte