What should be considered when buying a prefabricated house?

Hello everyone,

my partner and I are looking for a house. We have been offered a prefabricated house. We will visit it on Wednesday. My partner is not particularly enthusiastic about the fact that it is a prefabricated house. Since we have already looked at it from the outside, I would say it is about 5 to 10 years old. As we have no experience with prefabricated houses (timber-frame construction), it would be very helpful if you could assist us in what we need to pay attention to. Experience reports would also be helpful.

Thank you very much in advance.

Steffi

Hello, have the wall construction shown to you based on the building plans. What is behind the drywall? Does the insulation material come immediately, or is there still a wooden board on which you can also hang heavy cabinets? If the house consists only of a wooden frame, wool, and gypsum boards, I personally would not buy it.

Then you should pay attention to what you should always look out for in any house: How are the windows? Double-glazed, triple-glazed? Is everything dry? What heating system is there, has the system been regularly maintained, and so on. Especially in the wet rooms, fresh paint is often applied before the sale, but mold may have developed here. Therefore, I would always involve an expert. So look at the house; if you like it on the outside, bring in a professional. Don’t let yourself be pressured into a purchase contract; a house does not sell that quickly, and other interested parties also need to have it inspected first.

If it doesn’t work out, it just doesn’t work out; it’s not the last house in your area, even though real estate agents like to use this trick.

In general, a good prefabricated house is in no way inferior to a solid house. I even personally see advantages in our version. Behind every wall there is a wooden board, which means you never have to use anchors again; even heavy kitchen cabinets only hold with wood screws. How long a prefabricated house lasts, I don’t know; there are no reliable statements about that, or depending on whom you ask. A seller of solid houses will say it lasts a maximum of 50 years, while a prefab house seller will gladly mention the old half-timbered houses that have stood for over 100 years.

As long as everything was built properly and the wood remains dry, I wouldn’t worry.

Then one should pay attention to what to look for in each house, how are the windows? Double glazed, triple glazed?

I would rather look at specific U-values for such a point..

A current/good double-glazed can insulate better than a bad triple-glazed... and lets in more light and weighs less!

To avoid examining every component separately, an energy certificate is useful, which the seller should/(must!?) have on hand.

To avoid having to consider each component separately, an energy certificate is advisable, which the seller should/(must!?) have in their pocket.

yes, but what use is it if it is a consumption certificate?

Hello Steffi,

...it would be very helpful if you could assist us in what we need to pay attention to.

I can only advise you to ask for an appraisal; actually mandatory for every seller! If it is not available, have one made at your own expense – at least have a specialist inspect the property.

The tips you received from my predecessors are basically correct, but they are by far not enough for you as a layperson to recognize the "possible" weaknesses of the house.

And last but not least – a prefab house from a long-standing and thus reputable provider on the market is not worse than a solidly built house. In most cases, the decision for a prefab or a solid house is made by gut feeling – so there is no good or bad; the only exception: a prefab house from a cheap provider ... but that also applies to solid houses.

Kind regards

Hello,

Bauexperte hit the nail on the head.

If it were a solid house, about 5 - 10 years old, all these questions probably wouldn’t have come up – although there could be corresponding defects just the same. For such an investment, I would personally always hire an inspector/expert – if you like the house and it is in the final selection.

Regards...