Prefab houses: 7 things to know before buying yours

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Long gone are the days when a prefabricated home was less than desirable, as the styles they're now available in are utterly amazing! Add to that how convenient they are in comparison to standard construction methods and you've got a real architectural winner that housing design teams are increasingly experimenting with.

We are huge fans of the modern prefabricated home movement so, if you're giving serious thought to commissioning one of these innovative houses yourself, read this article first as we're going to walk you through all the considerations you should take into account first.

1. Think about the costs

It's true that prefabricated homes are often cheaper than standard bricks and mortar versions, however, because of that it can be easy to get carried away.

Your budget can easily spiral if you add a room here or a porch there, so keep a tight grip on your finances to make sure your home remains good value for money. 

2. Consider how fast they can be erected

The joy of a prefabricated home is that they are designed and built off-site to your specifications, before being transported to the plot in sections when ready to be built. 

With foundations laid, it could be a matter of days before you see the shell of your home up and completed, depending on the skill of the construction team! Any normal house building project will usually take months but you'll be shocked at how fast a prefabricated home can be assembled.

3. How much maintenance will you have?

In theory, you should have as much maintenance as any regularly constructed home.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what materials you have in and around your building. As you know, wood will need treating and staining at some point, just as render needs repainting.

4. What style do you want?

The style of prefabricated home you have is entirely up to you, so whether you love a modern boxy build or something a bit more traditional, they're all possible.

However, once a design has been finalised and made, you usually can't alter anything on site. This is important to remember, as with standard construction you can easily adapt as you build. 

Have you got faith in your convictions?

5. What materials can you use?

Any! From galvanised metal through to wood and everything in between, your prefabricated house can be a veritable melting pot of materials if you so wish.

However, always think about your location and the weather you most frequently encounter as this will directly impact on what you should use.

6. How will you finish the interior?

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Once your prefabricated home is erected, you'll naturally want to start thinking about how you're going to decorate. In this regard, you won't need to do anything differently to how you would with a regular house. 

Whatever design you've chosen for your home, you'll no doubt already have a good idea of how you want your living room to look and your bedroom to feel so get cracking!

7. How will it translate with the surroundings?

While it's possible to build whatever prefabricated home you like (within reason), you need to think about how the finished product will translate with the wider surroundings. 

In a rural location, for example, you probably won't want a monolithic concrete installation. Similarly,  a quaint log cabin wouldn't really look the part in a busy city. It comes down to common sense and your tastes!

For more prefabricated home inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: Ready in 45 days, this 65 m² prefab house has space for everything.

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