Prefabricated house: What does it mean? Features & Definition

A prefabricated house is an umbrella term for a wide range of house types. Most suppliers of prefabricated houses have a large and extensive range of show houses in their repertoire and you have the choice to pick your dream house. Do you prefer a detached house, a villa or a bungalow? With cellar, garage or carport? These are all important aspects that you should consider when choosing your property. Because a prefabricated house is one thing above all: versatile.

You want to buy or build a house, but don’t know which one is right for you? Then take a look at our guide to house types from A – Z! Here you will find all house types, from bungalow to terraced house!

Characteristics of a prefabricated house: Special type of construction

The special thing about a prefabricated house is the unusual construction method. Unlike a solid house, this construction method is not built on the property, but the individual parts / walls of your house are produced in a warehouse. Afterwards the elements are brought to the building site and only pulled up and fastened. The main material for prefabricated houses is usually wood. However, if you want to improve the weather resistance of the building, you have the option of mixing in concrete or lightweight concrete. Especially the fast construction time and the lower costs are an advantage of a prefabricated house and make this type of building so popular.

Building services: state-of-the-art technology integrated right from the start

As soon as you plan to build a new house, the house should be modern and technically up to date. In contrast to a solid house, you have a big advantage with a prefabricated house. The building services are already installed in the production halls and are planned into the shell elements. You have only one supplier, who takes care of all your wishes. This means that the electrics do not have to be agreed with a third person. The heating systems are also very advanced and energy-saving is built from the beginning.

Advantages & disadvantages of a prefabricated house: costs, construction time & quality

As with any type of building, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages beforehand. Think about how your priorities are distributed and what is important for you and perhaps also for your family. Decide before you start building for a solid house or for a prefabricated house. We have listed the most important plus and minus points of a prefabricated house for you, so that you can make the right decision.

Advantages: fast construction time, reasonable cost & co.

As you have already experienced, the biggest advantage of a prefabricated house is probably the fast construction time and the comparatively low construction costs. The ease of planning is also very pleasant. You will only have one contact person for all topics concerning your house and this will save you a lot of stress and time. The building services will also be state-of-the-art and integrated into the building elements from the outset. The high energy efficiency is also a big plus. Last but not least, the construction method is a decisive advantage. The construction on the property will only take a few days and is not dependent on the weather.

• Fast construction time
• Lower construction costs
• Good plannability due to a single contact person
• High energy efficiency
• Integrated building services
• Construction independent of weather conditions

Disadvantages: Loss of quality and hardly any design options

One of the disadvantages is the limited individuality. With a prefabricated house, you will not have the possibility to have the rooms built according to your wishes and will have to accept restrictions. In addition, the quality of the building materials is not equal to that of a solid house and especially the sound insulation will be worse. This results in a lower resale value.

• Hardly any design options
• Poor sound insulation
• Low resale value

Are you interested in new construction projects? Here you can find more information about this topic!

Energy efficient construction of prefabricated houses

Energy saving and especially energy efficient building is an important topic. In this day and age, everyone should contribute to a good environment and this should not stop when building houses. New buildings are built modern and up to date and there must be a lot of guidelines to comply with. Energy efficient construction is also integrated in prefabricated houses. Here you will learn the most important facts about this topic.

Energy-saving building: modern construction with a savings effect

Have a prefabricated house built: Construction time and sample city

If you decide to build a prefabricated house, you must now consider which type of house suits you best. Rather a bungalow, a villa or a terraced house? You can view all of these in advance in a model city. You also have to plan the construction period. Here you can find out everything you need to know about this topic.

Construction time: fast and uncomplicated

You will have already experienced that the construction of a prefabricated house is faster than that of a solid house. Despite this, you can not determine an exact duration or an exact move-in date in advance. Something can always come in between and the wishes of the customers vary. The decisive advantage of a prefabricated house is that the individual elements are manufactured in a production hall and the final construction takes only a few days and is not dependent on the weather. In order to be able to plan approximately, we have compiled a list with the approximate times per work step.

• Planning: up to several weeks
• Building permit: 0.5-3 months
• Production: 2-5 weeks
• Shell: 1-3 days
• Interior work: 8-12 weeks

Show houses: Pre-inspection before construction

One of the biggest advantages of prefabricated houses is the possibility to visit a show house in advance. You have the chance to see your future home beforehand and decide whether everything meets your expectations. Many suppliers have a small town with show houses which you can visit. Get an idea of their repertoire and take the opportunity to see your future home before it is built. Think about possible interiors and get inspired.

Turnkey house: From planning to moving in

In contrast to a solid house, you as a customer have the possibility to get your prefabricated house in different stages. This results in a high price difference between the houses. One variant would be to have only the individual parts of the house manufactured by the provider, so that you carry out the final construction yourself. This would save you a lot of money, but you would have to have the experience to build such a house. In the following you will learn more about the different stages of prefabricated houses.

Different stages of prefabricated houses: Kit house or extension house

Kit houses: At this stage of a prefabricated house, the supplier does not undertake any construction work on site. He is solely responsible for the procurement of materials. In this case, the customer himself is responsible for the construction and the building site. For example, one could have hollow wall panels ordered to be filled with concrete on site. The handling would be relatively simple and the shell construction would resemble that of a solid house. In general, however, it is advisable that only trained customers should (build) a kit house, otherwise it can lead to severe qualitative defects.

Finished houses: When a prefabricated house is handed over by the provider in a weatherproof condition, it is called a finished house. At this stage, the house is standing, but basic work inside is missing. For example, pipes or floors still need to be laid or non-load-bearing walls are still missing. Should the house be handed over in this condition, the customer saves some money but must still invest a lot of energy and time. Here, too, the builder should bring craftsmanship experience and support.

What does turnkey mean? Advised for the move in!

Once a house is titled turnkey, it is completely built. It is weatherproofed, all plumbing and flooring is in place. The only thing the customer has to do now is to put in his furniture, decorate it and paint the walls if necessary. There are no more personal contributions necessary, but you should still have everything specified in the contract, so that nothing is missing at the end.

Advantages and disadvantages of a turnkey house

A turnkey house is in any case more time-saving. Normally, the construction of a prefabricated house takes between five and nine months and with this option you do not have to deal with the planning and can invest your time in something else. All costs are fixed in advance and nothing unexpected can happen. Another advantage is that all the work is supervised by the provider.

Probably the biggest disadvantage is the cost. If you don’t have the experience, you won’t have the chance to buy the house at an earlier stage and build it yourself. However, if you do have the experience, you will have to invest some time in the construction work and can, for example, go to work less. You will also have little room for manoeuvre when it comes to the layout of the rooms.

Comparison: Prefabricated house or solid house – who wins?

As soon as you plan to build a house, you have to ask yourself one question: Prefabricated house or solid house? You have now learned about the prefabricated house and dealt with the advantages and disadvantages. Now you have to decide for yourself how you would like to build. Building a house is a big investment and we would like to support you in your decision. Here you will find a compact summary of the plus and minus points of the two building options.

Prefabricated house: Preliminary inspection and fixed costs

The advantages of a prefabricated house you will now have learned. In summary, it is faster and the costs are fixed from the beginning. You also have the possibility to visit your house before the construction by visiting a model park. Everything is very well planned and you do not have to invest much of your own time.

• Short construction time
• Fixed costs
• Preliminary visit

On the downside, you won’t have many options to change anything about the house or room design, and even small changes will only be done by a few providers. Also the quality will be worse. Thermal insulation and soundproofing are not comparable with those of a solid house.

• No individual design
• Poorer quality

Solid house: Robust, individual, effort and more

With a solid house you have the decisive advantage that you can plan the house and room design right from the start and adapt everything individually. As long as there are no load-bearing walls, you have the possibility to construct your rooms according to your wishes. Another advantage is the better quality of the materials. This results in a more balanced indoor climate, better sound insulation and a higher resale value.

• Individual room design
• Better quality
• Higher resale value

The higher price and the longer construction time is in any case a disadvantage of a solid house. You personally have to put more time and energy into building the house and therefore have less time for other things. In contrast to a prefabricated house, you also do not have the opportunity to inspect your house in advance and to view it from the inside and outside. You will also not have one provider for all areas, but must clarify with several companies different.

• High price
• Long construction time
• More effort
• No prior visit

Financing with equity: risk premium and alternatives?

Building a house is always a big investment and you should be aware that it involves a lot of money. Nevertheless, you should not forget that real estate is the best investment and therefore usually worth investing in. If you are planning to build a prefabricated house, you will have to talk to your bank about a loan, as you cannot pay for the construction out of your own capital.

You need more information on the topic of home financing? Then you will find here an interesting article with many tips on the subject!

How much equity is required? More favourable conditions and no risk premium

Theoretically, you could build your home with no equity, but this leads to extra expenses and more risk. These risk premiums could be higher interest rates. Nevertheless, financing without equity is discouraged because it makes the loan more expensive over the life of the loan. It is recommended to have an equity ratio of 20 to 30% of the total cost. This leads to more favorable conditions of the credit institutions. From your own capital, the additional costs of the construction are usually paid, such as the land transfer tax or broker’s commission. If these ancillary costs are to be settled between you and the credit institution before the contract is concluded, a risk surcharge is no longer necessary.

Zero-energy house and passive house: definition and special features

Construction and architectural trends are moving more and more into the realm of sustainable living, as not only the environment demands it, but also legislators and consumers. Accordingly, the number of energy-efficient houses among new buildings has more than quadrupled in the area of office buildings, commercial spaces, hotels and also private households.

The zero-energy house and the passive house can be considered as a kind of master class of living. These house forms have the claim to have an energy balance of 0. This means that the already extremely reduced energy consumption is additionally covered by the house’s internal installations for generating renewable energies.

You want to buy or build a house, but don’t know which one is right for you? Then take a look at our guide to house types from A – Z! Here you will find all house types such as prefabricated houses, farms or villas!

Special features in construction: ventilation, windows & energy recovery

The energetic requirements of course need certain constructional measures, which go far beyond the installation of a solar system. In addition to photovoltaics or solar thermal energy for energy recovery, conditions are created that keep the general energy consumption as low as possible and allow methods of renewable energy to be sufficient to meet the needs of the residents for electricity and heating.

The most important factor in this calculation is the use of renewable energy, as a 2019 study found. Still, structural factors play a role in gaining efficiency. Measures that optimize a home for energy are things like:

• Ventilation system
• Large, well insulated windows
• Optimal insulation, especially in the roof area
• Solar energy

Concept passive house: consumption, planning and properties

The concept of the passive house in particular can be traced back to two names: Bo Adamson and Wolfgang Feist. The two were inspired by the attempts of American building managers in the 1970s to build the most energy-efficient houses possible in order to overcome the country’s own oil shortage and to be less dependent on imported raw materials.

To achieve this, they oriented houses more towards the sun, installed large, thick windows, and did everything they could to keep the heat inside. Feist and Adamson took up this idea with their idea of passive houses. In 1990, the first Passive Houses based on the new concept were built in Darmstadt. The Passive House Institute is still located there today, which tries to regulate the term and the concept.

So passive houses in particular are subject to strict standards that they must meet in order to be considered as such. These standards distinguish the passive house from other energy-efficient forms of housing:

• Heating and cooling energy consumption: < 15 kWh/m2
• Primary energy consumption: < 60 kWh/m2
• Air loss: 0.6x the house volume per hour

Tip! Find even more tips on the subject of house building: prices, costs, taxes & Co.

Advantages & disadvantages of zero energy & passive houses: Photovoltaics, mold and more

Alignment ventilation and more are carefully calculated in the name of energy sustainability, and space must also be limited to optimise the home. Find out what’s in store for you if you choose a ‘house without energy consumption’ here.

Advantages: low cost and plenty of daylight

Of course, the sustainable forms of construction continue to pay attention to quality. In addition, they inherently bring advantages that make living in the houses more pleasant. The windows, which aim to let solar heat into the house, help flood the living spaces with light at the same time. So here’s what you can expect:

• Plenty of daylight
• Low ancillary costs
• Optimal use of solar radiation
• Compact living space

Disadvantages: risk of mold?!

As good as the houses sound, they unfortunately also bring with them restrictions that new residents still have to get used to. After all, living in a zero-energy or passive house is somewhat different from living in an ordinary home. For example, those who like to open the windows regularly to let in fresh air will be disappointed by low-energy houses. However, most of the disadvantages arise when the maintenance of the house’s facilities is neglected:

• Permanently closed windows
• Ventilation system with maintenance requirement
• In case of faulty ventilation system: risk of mold

Energy rules: Standard values and efficiency houses

Rule, rules, rules: That’s all you often get when you’re building a house. Sometimes there’s a regulation here, or that can’t be done because the one law there doesn’t allow it. Sometimes rules are there to be broken. However, this attitude better not be at the forefront of a building project, because it can cost you your building license real quick. Therefore, we have summarized the most important rules and guidelines for you.

Energy efficiency classes: Zero energy house vs. passive house

In order to get a rough overview of energy-efficient living, it is helpful to be familiar with the energy efficiency classes, which are particularly relevant in Germany. Because here every house must have an energy certificate on which the energy consumption of the house is recorded.

So, should you find yourself apartment or house hunting and stumbled across this article by chance, this ranking can help you find a home with low utility costs.

Zero-energy and passive houses are both classified as A and A+ respectively. This means they have a consumption of < 30 kWh/qma per year, logical since the target is 0 kWh/qma. An annual energy consumption of < 100 kWh/sqma is now typical. Here is a rough overview of the classifications:

• A+: < 30 kWh/(m²a) // < 2 €/(m²a)
• A: < 50 kWh/(m²a) // 2 €/(m²a)
• B: < 75 kWh/(m²a) // 3 €/(m²a)
• C: < 100 kWh/(m²a) // 4 €/(m²a)
• D: < 130 kWh/(m²a) // 6 €/(m²a)
• E: < 160 kWh/(m²a) // 7 €/(m²a)
• F: < 200 kWh/(m²a) // 9 €/(m²a)
• G: < 250 kWh/(m²a) // 11 €/(m²a)
• H: > 250 kWh/(m²a) // > 13 €/(m²a)

Land: selection and characteristics of the right plot

Before you can even think about building a house, you have to choose the right plot of land. Since a zero-energy or passive house can of course take on many different forms, it is difficult to make general statements about the perfect plot of land. However, it is necessary in any case that the property is not closed off by too high trees, which limit the performance of the solar energy system.

Zero energy houses are offered both as solid houses and as prefabricated houses. Whether requirements, due to the construction of the land must be met, you can read in the article on the purchase of land, which is also linked again at the end of this article.

Checklist: Choice of the plot

In order to find the perfect property, there are a number of factors to consider. Here you will find the most important key points summarized in a compact checklist for you:

• Connections (existing connections save costs)
• Base material
• Alignment
• Conversion
• Size
• Proximity to water bodies (risk of flooding?)

Checking the purchase contract: 5 pitfalls and how to avoid them

Sometimes you are lucky and the perfect zero-energy or passive house for your personal needs has already been built. In this case, it is only a matter of buying the house. But even here, some obstacles can be put in the way. Especially in the form of clauses in the purchase contract, but even before it goes to the drafting of the contract, there is the possibility of circumstances of the house and the property to find out.

At the city you can request the excerpt of the property for a fee to check whether the sellers are the actual owners and to check other data about the property, for example the name of the property.

Traps you should avoid

The joy of the supposedly perfect property can quickly cloud your eyes. However, before you sign the contract to buy, it is important to consider certain things so that you only buy what you definitely want:

• Property designation: Does it match the land register?
• Handover date: Move-in possible directly after payment?
• Warranty: Seller should pay for concealed defects for up to 5 years
• Purchase only after acquisition position has been secured
• Full final declaration

Incidental building costs: Hidden costs when building a house?

What you should also be aware of when building a property is the price of the ancillary costs incurred, which comprises approximately 15% of the construction costs. This should also be kept in mind when financing the house, otherwise these additional items quickly become traps that stand in the way of your new living happiness.

Especially if you want to build a property as an investment, you should include these costs in your profit on the property. The real costs are extremely different from the value of the property itself.

Acquisition: taxes, notary and estate agent

Even the finding and the purchase itself are associated with certain salaries and commissions. However, some of these are clear from the outset. For example, you are in any case already aware of brokerage costs before the purchase of your new home, because this should have been clarified from the outset. Additional costs and taxes are also involved:

• Land transfer tax: 3.5 – 6.5 % of the purchase price
• Notary: approx. 1.5 % of the purchase price
• Broker: approx. 3 – 8 % of the purchase price + VAT.

Land: surveyor, development and connections

The preparation of the land also costs money. Some of these costs are covered by the construction service provider, but most of the time you have to pay for them. These items are particularly important, because without connections, for example, a plot of land is completely unsuitable for building a house:

• Surveyor: 400 – 500 €
• Development: 9.000 – 14.000 €
• Connections water: 2.000 – 5.000 €
• Connections electricity: 2.000 – 3.000 €
• Connections Internet: 500 – 900 €

House construction: insurance and landfill costs

Also not to be underestimated are the costs associated with a new house and the construction of the same. Of course, we know that the construction of the building itself brings varying costs. By the way, zero-energy and passive houses cost on average between 5 and 15% more than a traditional house. But you must not forget that you also have to finance these things.

• Building insurance without elementary protection: 200 – 800 € p.a.
• Excavated earth depending on the size of the plot and provider: approx. 850 €

Tips: Buying land and financing your property

Of course, we’ve already touched on the basics of buying land and certain means of financing in this article, but there’s just so much information on this that we’ve dedicated a separate article directly to the topics.

Buying land: Tips, selection and criteria

You know you want a sustainable home and you want to have a say in how it’s built? You’ll need the right plot of land, but there’s so much more to consider than just size. We’ve already told you a few things in the previous article, but here you’ll find everything you need to know about choosing a building site on the plot, regulations and restrictions:

• Buy land

Financing a property: loans, interest rates and comparison

Here, we’ve focused primarily on the specific nature of development loans as they relate specifically to sustainable housing. But this is not the only financing option for real estate. We have summarised the most important information about loans, building society contracts and more in a clear and more detailed way.

• Real estate financing