Prefab house made of Neopor - experiences?

I would like to use this forum to exchange ideas with builders who have implemented this building style (Neopor formwork blocks).

Alternatively, next week I will go to the Hansebau fair in Bremen and get information at the Isorast.de booth. I first saw this building style there two years ago and was convinced by it.

Why are you convinced, especially where do you see specific advantages compared to other building kit systems?

Isorast is certainly also one of the older names in this segment. These systems appeared in the 1960s, never managed to "conquer" the market, but on the other hand have survived until today. Currently, they seem especially contemporary again and specifically attractive to the ETICS builders as an interesting alternative.

The principle is to enable the homebuilder to build his own four walls himself, using a lost formwork that is wisely made of an insulating material right away. Since this is done dry, completely without mortared or glued bed joints just plugged together, it appeals to a very specific target group: namely those whose craftsmanship would otherwise be limited by trowel, plumb line, and spirit level.

And at this very point, I have difficulty imagining that you as a construction craftsman would belong to this group of tool dyslexics. Therefore, I fully trust you to handle the next higher level, i.e., a building kit yes, but aerated concrete instead of formwork block.

There would also be quite different providers for that: formwork block providers can mostly be described as value-added building material dealers: you get exactly the right amount of blocks composed like a "Miracoli" package and a plan on how the seasoning mix is, all pipes included, etcetera. But the sanitary installer who continues on site exactly where the pipe comes out of the wall, you have to find yourself again (a poor example, from SHK you will probably know enough colleagues in sanitation/heating/plumbing, but with other trades it is analogous). Because they are not really house sellers. It is different with the aerated concrete kit providers, where trades can be booked additionally, like with the shell house concept. So these are already differences on the level of possible depths of service.

Formwork blocks are clearly focused on the self-builder – I have not heard of a single contractor who works with them. That means in reverse: it will be difficult to find contractors to whom you can say, I will do the walls myself and you carry on afterward (or even: please process this material, I want to work on it too). Instead, you have to bring in each trade individually that turns the rudimentary "walls" into a house.

Personally, I would also find it a little unsympathetic to have Styrofoam on both sides of the wall. I don’t screw awnings and satellite dishes to exterior walls anyway – but on interior walls I want to be able to drill something spontaneously with usual handyman skills.

I also have the impression with the formwork block users that while they admirably refine their systems in depth, with special elements for every wish – on the other hand they want to "fanatically" make the whole house out of their material (whereas a Poroton builder is open to making interior walls from calcium silicate, gypsum, or lightweight construction).

So: I am "for" you going to the fair and also specifically looking at the kit level, but I would recommend that you also visit the aerated concrete and concrete block providers’ booths. And as I said, in the form of the provider Kern-Haus, you could also see a commercial processor and what kind of complete houses he builds from it.

I don't see a big problem with attaching cabinets. For that, I have long screws and suitable anchors that hold through the Styrofoam in the wall. My goal is to build a house as self-sufficient as possible, and therefore I will not avoid insulating the exterior walls. That's why I find the construction method with aerated concrete blocks unnecessary. Because I still have to install the insulation there expensively. With this system, I did it in one step.

My goal is to build a house that is as self-sufficient as possible

Do the formwork blocks, besides certificates for the U-values of their systems, provide "answers" to energy concepts, such as geothermal energy / solar / controlled residential ventilation, etc.? Well, specifically regarding the aspects of HVAC you can give yourself the answers, but I mean: how far do they think beyond their "blocks" (a building materials dealer doesn't have to do that, but a house provider actually should)?

I would like to find out about that. Either in advance or next week at the trade fair. That's why I hoped to meet someone here who already has experience with it. As far as I know, the insulation on the exterior facade is supposed to be renewed after 30 years. (Still) don’t know how it is with the system.

As far as I know, the insulation on the exterior facade is supposed to be renewed after 30 years.

Which insulation are you talking about?

Which insulation are you talking about?

I read that once in a post. It was during the time when styrofoam was classified as hazardous waste for the first time and no longer disposed of as regular waste. The correct statement was about what will happen to the insulation in 30 years when it needs to be replaced.