Home construction - Solid house or prefabricated house?

But you should know what you have to accomplish. For us, we are now almost at the level of a shell house. Roof tiles, exterior plaster, gutters are still missing. Then the outside is finished. - Inside comes: electricity, heating, screed, interior plaster, drywall ceiling, stairs, doors, frames, ceramics, water, tiles on walls and floors, painting, floor coverings, underground connections outside, landscaping. And of course, kitchen installation inside as well. Quite a list of tasks that are not exactly easy to manage without expertise and experience. And if you commission them regularly and not off the books, you might as well order them at the same time. Karsten

I would not base my decision on whether it is a prefab house or a solid house. Look at different companies and find something that suits you and your budget.

Regarding durability: prefab houses do not turn to dust after 30 years. My uncle built a prefab house in 1984 and my father built a solid house in 1984. The structure is still in good condition in both cases, and no major repairs were necessary for either. Of course, the technology is old, but there was no moisture, settling cracks, etc. in either house. It probably depends on the workmanship and the materials used how good the houses are in the long run.

Take a look at Okal Haus dot de. They have different development stages and a nice 112 bungalow. Weather-tight. Technically finished. Ready for painting. Completely finished. You might be able to negotiate away gimmicks like smart home. Karsten

I would not base my decision on prefabricated house or solid house. Look at different companies and find something that suits you and your budget.

By the way, last month we had the topic that a solid house less than 20 years old was worn out, to which cheap building materials contributed.

Regarding value retention: Prefabricated houses do not crumble to dust after 30 years. My uncle built a prefabricated house in 1984 and my father built a solid house in 1984. In both cases, the structure is still good, and no major repairs were necessary in either.

There are still several half-timbered houses from the Middle Ages. A prefabricated house is basically a half-timbered house, completely assembled wall by wall with wallpaper-ready walls in a hall and erected with a crane.

This construction method only gained a questionable reputation in the 60s and 70s – partly due to the use of chipboard, insulation materials, and wood preservatives that later proved to be health hazards; and partly due to the unimaginative barrack style at the time.

Derogatory opinions can be heard about (for example) Town & Country as well as about Massa Haus. Even with houses, there is something like with cars Dacia or Lada, or with clothes H&M or KiK.

It's best to take a look at a few show homes. I have been to quite a few, including yesterday in Bad Vilbel. There, 65 show homes can be admired. It was also there yesterday that we decided to build solidly. For us, this is due to the living climate. In the prefabricated houses, the air was always poor or dry. It makes my throat scratchy. We felt more comfortable in the solid houses. A direct comparison was possible there, as both prefabricated and solid houses stand there. However, everyone has to decide for themselves what suits them better. Especially since the formerly existing central advantage for me—cost savings—is no longer present. On the contrary, so far all the offers for prefabricated houses were more expensive.

And if a solid house: can you build the house in a size of about 110 m², without a basement, without frills like bay windows, dormers, etc. (just a normal rectangle then ), without cutting bricks and with partial help from friends/relatives for about €200,000?

Short answer: No. With a lot of own work and very basic equipment, ideal ground conditions, and a lot of discipline during the construction phase, it might theoretically be possible. But realistically it is not. Especially do not overestimate the own work, let alone that of relatives/friends. They also have their own lives and usually something better to do very quickly than to work for free on your construction site. Realistic costs: 110m² * €1800 = €198,000 construction costs. Additional building costs €30,000-40,000. Land? Taxes? Realtor? That would all be extra on top.