Holiday home made of prefabricated or modular structures

This text is part of an extended series of articles on Holiday homes - why and what to build your holiday home from and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the construction systems commonly used in the construction of such buildings.

Prefabricated prefabricated structures are among the building systems most often considered for holiday homes, and are increasingly popular in Romania.

This type of construction involves manufacturing the building elements in a specialized factory and then assembling them on site. In recent years, more and more people are choosing to experiment with this type of construction for the many advantages it offers.

Types of prefabricated houses

The houses are built according to a standardized design and offer a greater or lesser degree of customization on the part of the beneficiary, depending on the type of house.

There are 3 types of prefabricated houses:

• modular homes - homes that are made entirely in the factory from several modules and then assembled on site
• kit houses - these are much simpler houses than prefabricated houses and can usually be assembled by the beneficiaries - similar to IKEA furniture
• prefabricated panel houses - these involve the construction of wall elements and floorboards in the factory, followed by their erection on site on an existing foundation

Advantages of prefabricated houses

1. Lower costs

This advantage is probably the most significant and the main reason for opting for this type of construction, especially for holiday homes. Because they are built in the factory and then only assembled on site, the possibility of additional costs is significantly reduced.

2. Low execution time

Because all the building elements are prefabricated in-house, the time actually spent on site and on the building site is considerably reduced, with only the assembly and finishing of the elements required. This can be especially important when building a holiday home.

3. Safety of construction quality and materials

The fact that the modules are made in the factory, so in a controlled environment free from the usual bad weather, guarantees the quality of the materials and the quality of the workmanship.

4. A cleaner construction site

The waste and dust produced on traditional building sites is a problem and brings with it additional costs that need to be taken into account. With houses made from prefabricated elements, the time spent on site and the resulting waste is significantly less, resulting in a positive environmental impact.

5. Thermal efficiency ensured

Since prefabricated elements such as structural walls or floors are made in the factory, they are made of materials that provide both thermal and sound insulation, with no need for additional materials other than those used in the finishing.

Disadvantages of prefabricated houses

1.Need for easy road access

The erection of prefabricated houses on site involves the transportation of the prefabricated elements from the factory to their destination. This transportation is often very heavy, as the elements themselves are of considerable size, especially in the case of modular houses. Therefore, the area chosen for construction needs good road access - a very important thing to consider when choosing the right place for your holiday home.

2.Assembly machinery

In addition to heavy gauge transportation, the actual assembly of the prefabricated elements requires the use of large machinery, especially for multi-storey houses. This, of course, translates into additional costs that need to be taken into account and discussed at the outset with the prefabricated house manufacturer. Some companies only provide transportation from the factory, which means that the beneficiary is solely responsible for the erection, but there are companies that produce the elements in the factory and erect them on site.

3. Foundations

Even if the main structural elements are made in the factory, their erection in the field is carried out on a reinforced concrete foundation. Thus, the foundations have to be considered from the outset because they require a structural design and various topographical and geological studies. Some prefabricated house manufacturers also offer foundation designs, so all the details need to be worked out from the start.

4. More limited design possibilities

Compared to traditional houses, prefabricated houses and, in particular, modular houses and kit houses are built according to standardized designs, i.e. the interior and exterior layout are already planned. This is a way of keeping their price as low as possible. As a result, there is not much scope for modifying the designs. This can be done, it just turns into additional costs for the design and execution of the new design. The more different they are, the higher the prices of modular homes are and they may not be so favorable.

These are among the most important advantages and disadvantages to consider when thinking about prefabricated houses. Each of them has a smaller or larger weight in the final project depending on the type of house you choose, and should be weighed carefully before making a decision.

If you have any other ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments.