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.

Manage property – Who can help?

As soon as a divorce is decided, the question arises for many: What will happen to the joint property now? Especially when children are involved, many parents pursue the goal of not tearing the children from their familiar environment. Conversely, this means that one party must decide to take over the house completely or buy out the partner’s share. If you need support in managing your property in this emotionally difficult situation, we at Lukinski will be happy to assist you!

• Tip. Our guide for house and apartment: Selling real estate after divorce.

Division of property

There are three different options for dealing with your property. You can part-auction the house, sell it to a third party or one party can decide to transfer their share to the other person. The different options each have both advantages and disadvantages. Selling the joint property to a third party is one of the more agreeable options, as the house is sold and the proceeds can be split between the parties. Consider together which is the most agreeable course of action for all.

Separation – Possible Problems & Solutions

Finally, you’re married, you’ve found a good job and you’ve already started a family. It couldn’t be more beautiful, could it? Unfortunately, it often happens exactly at these times that couples separate. There are many reasons for a separation: Financial problems, different basic views or no trust are some of these possible reasons. Some couples also simply drift apart. Everyday arguments should finally come to an end, because they not only put a strain on the couple, but the whole family suffers as a result. Nevertheless, even after deciding to separate, you can not push everything away from you, because then there are a lot of questions. The most common questions that couples ask themselves after a separation are:

• What will become of the joint property?
• How is common property in the house handled?
• Who do the kids stay with?
• How are disagreements handled?

All these issues will cause negative feelings on both sides, so they should be resolved as soon as possible and preferably with the help of outsiders. Outsiders find it easier to look at the whole thing objectively. They can usually take factors such as the children’s journey to school into account better in the decision. Of course, the final decision remains with the couple, but it gives the spouses the opportunity to look at the situation from a different point of view. If you can no longer imagine reaching an agreement with your former partner, you should find a trusted person to mediate on your behalf. It is important that both sides try not to get emotionally involved in the situation, but to think seriously about what is the best solution for all.

Who is allowed to stay in the property?

If both spouses are registered owners of the property in the land register, then there are different ways of dealing with the property. It is not always the case that it is immediately clear that one partner wants to stay in the property and the other does not. Often this is exactly why disputes arise. Weigh up together which is the most agreeable solution for everyone and try to involve all the people involved. Which solution might be best for your children? Who is more emotionally attached to the property?

Would you like to find out exactly how the whole process will work and what you should bear in mind? Then read our article, which deals with the process of selling a property in a divorce. Here you will also get all the important information and tips.

Prenuptial agreement – The solution for everything?

Signing a prenuptial agreement is a rather unromantic, but still sensible solution. Most couples do not expect to separate at some point. At the time of buying the property, most people are freshly in love and entering into a prenuptial agreement is out of the question for most. Unfortunately, you never know how life will turn out and no one can predict the future.

Those who have agreed to conclude a prenuptial agreement after all are spared a lot of stress during the times of separation. There are no tedious discussions to be had about how to deal with the property. Everything is already fixed and you hardly have to deal with your partner anymore.

Divorce: guide, help and tips

Divorce is complex, it’s true. But you are not alone! Many let themselves separate and in fact, a large part always finds a good solution. Only a small part ends in a quarrel. So that you can prepare well, you will find here our small guides and tips on divorce, family, money and real estate.

• Divorce: Guide

Divorce – sell the house or keep it?

If you have not concluded a prenuptial agreement, according to the law, the property belongs to you in equal shares. This means that an agreement is inevitable. If you want to stay in your house, you face the challenge of having to pay off the other spouse who is moving out. If this is not possible without a house sale, many couples are left with selling the property. Helpful tips: property selling guide.

In terms of divorce, there is no blanket recommendation for your home, as each tip is based on the individual situation and your personal vision. In general, you should rule out the need for a foreclosure, as you will lose a lot of money that way.

If a sale of the house is essential, hire an agent and get the highest possible price for your property according to the market value. If there is a possibility, one partner can keep the property and pay out the other partner. You will find your individual chances and the best solution together with an experienced real estate agent in the course of your divorce.

Get advice from real estate agents!

We strongly discourage you from jumping the gun and making what you feel is the right decision out of disappointment. There are a whole range of other options through which you can rule out selling the house, or if a sale is desired, get the best price for your property. You should not decide on selling, leaving the house to joint children, or holding the property until you have received comprehensive information on the various procedures. Contact real estate agents who have years of experience in dealing with homes that need to be financially divided among partners and valued as joint property in the course of a divorce.

More information about divorce:

Divorce procedure

Among all joint acquisitions, the house stands as the largest asset in your possession. For this reason alone, a jointly acquired property purchased during the marriage period will also be the biggest “bone of contention” when it comes to property division during the divorce process. Learn everything you need to know about the divorce process.

Keep house

For families with children, housekeeping is often high on the agenda in the event of a divorce. In many cases, the partner with whom the children remain stays in the house. So that the children can remain in their familiar environment and are not additionally burdened by the divorce, this option proves to be the best solution. However, the desire to keep the house is of course linked to the respective financial situation and to agreements made. More on the subject of keeping a house.

House sale

A jointly occupied and financed house is usually the focus of a divorce. If neither partner wants or is able to keep the house, in most cases it comes down to a property sale. There are several solutions you can consider and contrast. Most divorcing couples choose to sell the house to a third party, as this method results in the fewest disputes. You part with existing debts together and exclude the need to continue paying off a home loan together. All about selling your house.

Separation and house

Separating from your partner is a trauma. To ensure that the decision about your jointly purchased and financed home does not become traumatic, you should definitely opt for professional advice on the various possible solutions. Do you want to keep your home despite separation and pay off your former partner? Or are you interested in selling and would like to achieve realistic proceeds on disposal? More information on the topic of separation and house.