We explain the advantages and disadvantages of prefab and solid construction
Our large prefabricated house vs. solid house comparison: A pure price comparison of the construction costs of a prefabricated house or a solid house does not go far enough. Because in addition to the construction costs, future ancillary and maintenance costs, design options and personal contributions must also be taken into account. Whether the solid house or the prefabricated house is the right house type for a construction project depends on many factors.
Prefabricated components for the prefabricated house, bricks for the solid house.
This is how the solid house is built
As the term “solid house” already suggests, heavy, robust materials are used in this construction. The masonry is mostly made of bricks, sand-lime bricks or aerated concrete blocks, concrete is often used for storey ceilings and stairs and the roof construction is mostly made of wood. The solid house is planned by an architect and manufactured by a construction company. It is also possible to commission different construction companies for the individual trades. For example, one company is responsible for constructing the shell, while another company takes care of the interior work. The building materials are delivered to the construction site and processed there by specialist companies. The duration of the house construction depends on the desired expansion stage.
This is how the prefab house is built
A prefabricated house is a building with a prefabricated basic structure. Timber frame construction is usually chosen for prefabricated houses. Manufacturers offer a wide range of types, layouts, materials and design options. Prefabricated houses are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “off-the-shelf houses” – the models on offer can usually be adapted to the special wishes of the builder or individually planned together with the architect. The walls, the roof and all other components are prefabricated in large halls. The materials used for the shell of the house are mostly limited to prefabricated panels and wood. The individual parts are then put together on the construction site in the shortest possible time using the modular principle. In the past, prefabricated houses were only offered turnkey, but today all expansion stages are also possible.
Type houses, i.e. serially manufactured prefabricated houses, represent an alternative to the classic solid house: the builder can choose from previously created floor plan variants and also adapt them. The ancillary construction costs , which are higher for a solid house than for a prefabricated house, can be reduced somewhat in this way. But it also applies to prefabricated houses: they are only cheaper to plan if not much individualization is done. However, since most builders want to realize individual wishes in their construction project, prefabricated houses often cost no less than solid houses.
Complete packages for prefabricated houses
The complete packages offered for prefabricated houses usually also include other services such as support in finding a property, financing offers and the legal aspects. With such an all-round service package, the builder can sit back and relax and watch his own house “grow”, but must also have a lot of trust in the construction company.
Prefab or solid construction: the planning
Solid construction advantages
Solid construction disadvantages
There are almost no limits to the individual design options of a solid house. The builder is free to choose the size, floor plan, material and design. Individual living needs and spatial features of the property can also be optimally addressed.
An individual house designed to measure by an architect is more expensive than a prefabricated house. No existing planning is used and every planning step is coordinated with the client.
Since the resale value of solid houses is higher than that of prefabricated houses, banks usually also allow higher loan-to-value ratios when financing.
Prefab advantages
prefab cons
Due to standardized floor plans and processes, the costs for planning a prefab house are much lower. The provider only has to refinance the planning costs once and sell the house multiple times at the same time.
Despite the wide range of prefabricated house types and models, the scope for individual design is limited. Adaptations or deviations from the standard type are also possible with prefabricated houses, but these cause additional costs.
Viewing model houses offers an optimal orientation aid and conveys a more realistic sense of space than looking at 3D computer graphics.
Prefabricated houses offer a high level of planning security: price and move-in date are agreed in advance and strictly adhered to.
Prefab or solid construction: the production
The construction phase as well as the structural properties of prefabricated and solid houses differ fundamentally.
Solid construction advantages
Solid construction disadvantages
The solid wall structure causes a greater heat storage capacity. The solid house does not heat up as quickly in summer and does not cool down as quickly in winter. Due to the use of natural products, water vapor is absorbed and released again, so that the room climate can be regulated in a natural way.
Longer drying times for plaster or screed lead to longer construction times. The later you move in, the longer the rent for the current apartment or house has to be paid.
The solid wall structure causes a greater heat storage capacity. The solid house does not heat up as quickly in summer and does not cool down as quickly in winter. Due to the use of natural products, water vapor is absorbed and released again, so that the room climate can be regulated in a natural way.
The construction phase of solid houses is strongly influenced by the weather. This unpredictable factor can unnecessarily lengthen construction time.
The thicker walls lead to better airborne and impact sound insulation. A higher fire protection resistance and better shielding against electromagnetic radiation are further advantages.
Delays in the delivery of materials or individual components can also result in longer construction times and thus increasing costs.
Prefab advantages
prefab cons
Since all components are prefabricated in the factory, the construction time for prefabricated houses is significantly shorter. It usually takes 4-6 months from the conclusion of the contract to production in the factory to delivery and assembly on the construction site.
Due to the thermally closed outer shell of prefabricated houses, heat and cold cannot escape, but air exchange is also not possible. This creates a drier room climate.
The shell is usually erected within a few days, so that work can then continue inside, regardless of rain or snow.
The modular principle can lead to disadvantages in terms of airtightness and sound insulation if the design is imprecise. The relatively light components can lead to undesirable clairaudience, especially indoors.
The thicker walls also lead to better airborne and impact sound insulation. A higher fire protection resistance and better shielding against electromagnetic radiation are further advantages.
Prefabricated house or solid construction: the operation and the operating costs
With regard to interior design, subsequent adjustments, repairing damage or the useful life, there are some differences when comparing solid and prefabricated houses.
Solid construction advantages
Solid construction disadvantages
In solid houses you can react better to changes in living needs. For example, if you are expecting children, it is easier to realize extensions or attic conversions.
In an individually built house, it is only after completion that you can see whether the technical equipment meets the requirements. Although there are empirical values and calculation methods on how, for example, radiators should be dimensioned, it will only become apparent during the living phase whether the technical installations meet the needs. This risk is greater when independently working construction companies are involved in building the house.
The interior design usually causes fewer problems: dowels are usually easier to attach in solid brick walls than in light wooden walls.
The construction phase of solid houses is strongly influenced by the weather. This unpredictable factor can unnecessarily lengthen construction time.
The solid construction suggests a longer service life (approx. 100 years). The resale value is higher due to the lasting value.
Delays in the delivery of materials or individual components also cause longer construction times and thus rising costs.
Prefab advantages
prefab cons
Since prefabricated houses are usually offered fully developed, you can assume that the components of the building services are coordinated. The heating or ventilation system, for example, should already have been tested for this type of house or the dimensions of the house and should therefore be suitable.
Damage to prefabricated houses, for example caused by a burst water pipe, is often more difficult to repair than in solid houses.
The useful life of a prefabricated house is 60-90 years, depending on the quality of execution.
Although there are no valid reasons for this from a purely objective point of view, the resale value is usually 20-40% lower than that of a solid house with the same construction costs.
The conclusion in our solid house-prefabricated house comparison
There is no clear winner in the duel solid house vs. prefabricated house. What is an advantage for one client may appear to be a disadvantage for another. Solid houses score with better structural properties, but the individual planning and the long construction period cause higher costs. Prefabricated houses are ready to move into in a short time and are usually cheaper, but subsequent adjustment options are limited and the resale value is lower. The question of what is cheaper cannot be answered unequivocally. In a direct comparison of the construction costs, the prefabricated house is cheaper than the solid house. However, if you not only compare the construction costs, but also the costs over the entire life cycle, and also consider operating and repair costs, solid and prefabricated houses perform about equally well in the price comparison. If, on the other hand, the house is also to be an investment, the prefabricated house is more expensive than the solid house, because it achieves a lower resale value on average for the same construction costs.
The most important questions to ask when making a decision:
How important is the quick completion of the house?
How tight is the budget calculated and what things can or do you want to do without when building a house?
How important are repair and operating costs?
How important are subsequent customization options?
Is the house an investment or do you want to spend your retirement there?
Combine prefab and solid construction
But you don’t have to commit yourself completely if the advantages of both house types are important to you. There are now also ways of combining prefab and solid construction. For example, prefabricated houses with solid components – quasi a solid prefabricated house – are offered. The components are made of lightweight concrete or bricks in the factory and only need to be assembled on the construction site.
Sarah Völkl hat Architektur studiert und ist seit Jahren das Gesicht von a better place. Mit ihren Videos ist sie bei YouTube vielen Personen schon länger bekannt. Sarah teilt Ihr Wissen jetzt auch bei den Bautipps von Almondia.
