ᐅ Solid Construction or Prefabricated House? Semi-Detached Home, Approx. 160 sqm, Pros and Cons

Hello everyone,

Sometimes you find a needle in a haystack, and just before Christmas we signed for a plot of land (334 sqm [3598 sq ft]) near Frankfurt.
Beforehand, we researched what could be built and the approximate price range to avoid later realizing we had taken on too much.
Here is what we are allowed or want to build:
- Semi-detached house
- Building envelope 8.5 x 12 m (28 x 39 ft)
- Up to 2 full stories plus attic conversion
- Maximum 120 sqm (1292 sq ft) of built-up area on the plot

The main question now is whether to build with solid construction or timber frame. At first, I strongly lean toward solid for its long-term value retention, but we have also visited some prefab house manufacturers who sounded interesting. Of course, everyone wants to recommend their own product and criticize the other, so I’m asking the community: what influenced your choice? Did you experience any problems? What should you pay attention to? How does the actual value retention of the different house types fare at resale? What factors should be considered in the decision-making process?

In terms of price, there is not much difference anymore. We have now received ballpark figures for turnkey solid construction (excluding foundation and walls) at 2500-3000 euros per sqm (232-279 USD per sq ft) and prefab houses at 2500-3500 euros per sqm (232-325 USD per sq ft). Of course, these prices come with the caveat that not all include the same features, and you can’t really compare “all-in” offers with more basic ones.

Thank you for sharing your collective knowledge! 🙂

A frequently discussed question without a definitive answer. The cost depends less on the construction method and more on the market segment, so the difference is usually minimal. Prefabricated house manufacturers sometimes appear cheaper because they often sell homes starting from the finished foundation slab. Regarding construction time, differences are also generally small and mainly depend on the builder’s workload.

With solid construction, you have more flexibility during the building phase—for example, you can decide on the placement of electrical outlets during the rough-in stage. At the same time, this can lead to making changes later on. In prefabricated homes, such decisions need to be finalized according to the plan. An advantage of prefab is that the closed shell of the building, including windows and a watertight roof, can be completed within 2 days. In solid construction, you might wait longer for windows if they are custom-ordered after taking measurements.

Another major difference often lies in the type of construction companies. Solid houses can be built by small local contractors, whereas prefabricated homes are mainly constructed by large firms. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Thank you for your reply!
Yes, exactly, and that’s why we are not sure what suits us best. Eventually, you have to make a decision... and since price is not a factor, I am trying to weigh pros and cons.
We would not want a turnkey build but prefer to handle the electrical work, plumbing, solar installation, and, for example, the attic conversion ourselves. Flooring and wallpapering would be done by us anyway. I have noticed that, for instance, Elk does not really favor owner participation. With Living, in our opinion, too much owner involvement is required to reach an attractive price.

Moving on to the floor plan: basically, we already have our house designed on paper and just need someone to build it. With prefab home suppliers, I have to modify existing models, which again makes conventional masonry construction with a small local contractor more appealing.

How is the other semi-detached house being built? It might be helpful to coordinate with your neighbor, for example, to decide whether one of you wants to build with a basement and the other without.

Ysop*** schrieb:

How is the other semi-detached house being built? It might be useful to coordinate with your neighbor, for example, whether one of you plans to build with a basement and the other without.

The other half initially leaned towards a solid build without a basement but then switched to a prefab house because it seemed cheaper (which I haven’t been able to confirm so far). Both are building without a basement.

I also asked about potential synergies and cost savings, but everywhere I was told there isn’t much to gain—portable toilets and electricity, at most the crane could be shared, but everything else is basically doubled.

GDWE2023 schrieb:

Basically, we already have our house design on paper and just need someone to build it. With prefab house providers, I have to piece together something from existing models, which again would speak in favor of a solid build with a small local contractor.

I consider it a myth that prefab builders only offer floor plans from their catalogs. Most are happy to take your money and build your design, as long as it is physically feasible. However, after more than two years in this forum, I would seriously question whether it’s a good idea for the client to just show up with their own design and expect only implementation. Floor plans are a complex topic, but you can find help in the corresponding subforum.

If you have special demands regarding the type of construction or specific self-performed work, it could also be worth considering building with an architect and separate contracts instead of a general contractor (whether for solid or prefab construction). Removing multiple trades from a general contractor is not necessarily the most cost-effective way to build. And if, for example, you plan to do the electrical work yourself, prefab houses usually only make sense with an installation level built in.