Why more and more Romanians are now building their houses on prefabricated wooden structures

The two months of solitary confinement at home have made many think about the benefits of a house with a yard. That piece of land around the house, however small, has been a blessing during this time for those who have had it. I have friends who have decided these months to leave their apartments and go live in the country, in inherited or rented houses. The confirmation that many have been thinking about houses, abandoning the idea of buying a high-rise apartment, came from Vlad Liteanu of Litarh. The number of people who contacted his company to discuss the possibility of a collaboration was much higher than in previous years. And not only that. Those who called to discuss or ask for a quote were much better informed, with this construction option being a very clear choice. Vlad and I have put together a list of the main reasons why people chose prefabricated wooden houses.

Reduced on-site working time on a prefabricated wooden house

Everyone now wants a house to be built as quickly as possible. They have researched and seen that a 100 m² house can be assembled and roofed in a week. The fact that no drying materials such as mortar or cement are used for the walls - that it's a dry construction site, as the specialists say - means that interior and exterior finishing can start 2-3 days after assembly is complete.

It should be noted, however, that everything goes quickly if you have the project, building permit and other necessary documents in the area where you are going to build. Also, the foundations need to be poured and dry when you start building the house. If all this is taken care of, you can move into your new house in 3 months. Provided it's not a very large house and you don't want the most sophisticated finishes.

Don't go to a timber frame house building company if you don't have a design or even a sketch of what you want. If you are interested in an architectural firm or a structural engineer, you will be helped with recommendations, but without knowing exactly what you want, you can't. Don't waste your time asking for quotations for "a house of about 100 m², with 2 or 3 rooms, ground floor and maybe an upstairs or maybe an attic", or you won't even get a rough estimate. Why not? Because an offer involves precise calculations based on clear and detailed information. And about the floor, you should also know that you can only build on prefabricated wooden structures if you are thinking of a single-storey house, P+1 storey or P+2 storey.

Increased earthquake resistance of wooden houses

This argument convinces a lot of people. Why are wooden structures more earthquake resistant? Because wood is a flexible material and because wooden structures are much lighter (4 times lighter) than similar concrete or brick structures. In the event of an earthquake, the force acting on the load-bearing structure is lower and the house resists better. Another consequence of the fact that wooden structures are lighter is that you spend less on the foundation. Since the weight of the whole house is less than that of a masonry or brick one, the foundation will be calculated to cope with such a weight. One very important element that stiffens the structure and makes it resistant to lateral forces, such as those exerted by an earthquake, is the foundation slab. OSB. It clings to the wooden structure that forms the wall, making it very strong and hard to knock down, both in earthquakes and strong winds.

High energy efficiency through the nature of the materials and technologies used attracts those interested in building now

Vlad Liteanu mentioned that young people in particular are concerned about this issue. They are very informed and want a well insulated house so that energy bills are very low. They are also attracted by the passive house concept and the possibility of producing the energy they need themselves. Prefabricated wooden houses have insulation already fitted inside the wall. They need no additional cladding and the degree of thermal insulation depends on the thickness and quality insulating material used. Many people choose basalt because it is a material with good insulating qualities and, very importantly, it is fire-resistant. Basalt does not actually burn but melts after more than 2 hours at 1000°C.

For a well-insulated house, it is not enough just to insulate the walls. The floor and the roof also need insulation, an external insulation system is needed and, very importantly, thermal bridges around doors and windows or at the junction of walls must be eliminated.

Investing in real estate

In times of crisis, people try to find solutions to protect their savings. Past experience has shown that banks are not always safe and that it's best not to put all your eggs in one basket. One basket can be investing in real estate.

An old customer from Italy called to say he wanted to build another house, also with Litarh. He was happy with the work and now wanted to protect his savings by investing in a house. This is the advice he gave to anyone with money to invest, arguing that a house doesn't lose its value over time, on the contrary, its value can increase. Especially if it's a new house, built in line with the latest requirements on protecting the environment, using sustainable resources and reducing energy consumption.

If you've been thinking about a house with a courtyard all this isolation period, it's worth considering a house on a structure. The advantages of such a construction are very convincing. Find out more about houses built by Litarh in the country or in Europe reading articles in the magazine or on the firm's website litarh.ro.