If you want to build a house, you have to make many decisions. This also includes deciding on a specific type of house. Whether it’s a prefabricated house, a solid house, a passive house or a wooden house – all house types have their advantages and disadvantages. Some value longevity, others prefer houses with a good ecological balance. Before home builders decide on a type of house, they should find out basic information about the different types of houses.
Advantages and disadvantages – the prefabricated house saves time when building a house
Prefabricated houses are characterized by a high degree of prefabrication. The production of the roof, ceiling and wall elements takes place in large production halls, where construction workers also pre-assemble doors and windows as well as the connections for installations and electrical systems. A prefabricated house candifferent materialssuch as stone, concrete and wooden elements. On the construction site, the workers usually put the components together within a week.
In addition to the very short construction time for the shell, prefabricated houses are characterized by consistent quality. This is thanks to their standardized construction. In addition, the drying time required for solid buildings is eliminated because the components are already dry when they are assembled on the construction site. Also practical: Many manufacturers offer the opportunity to view model homes in advance. This way, home builders can see for themselves the quality of the construction companies. But they also find inspirationin these free house catalogs.
Contemporary architecture
In addition to the advantages of a prefabricated house, there are also disadvantages: Prefabricated houses can be designed individually, but their degree of individualization is not as high as with solid houses. Prefabricated buildings are less durable than solid houses and achieve a lower resale price in comparison. When it comes to soundproofing, this type of house usually cannot keep up with solid houses due to the lighter construction and the materials used.
long-lasting solid houses
In contrast to a prefabricated house, a solid house is built piece by piece on the construction site. It consists, among other things, of mortar, aerated concrete or brick. If heavy stones such as bricks or sand-lime bricks are used, they impress with their very good sound and fire protection properties as well as their excellent heat storage capabilities. When building a solid house, builders mainly use natural materials. This has a positive effect on the indoor climate: the house can absorb water vapor excellently and release it again. In addition, solid houses can be designed very individually - from simple terraced houses to exclusive architect-designed houses, everything is possible. The biggest advantages, however, are the longevity of up to 100 years and the lasting value.
long lastingand stable investment
If you want to build a solid house, you have to be patient. Unlike prefabricated houses, construction takes an average of eight months. After applying screed, plaster and other wet materials, time must also be allowed for drying. For the floor slab, for example, this time is around three days, the base plaster needs around two weeks and the screed even needs a month to dry sufficiently.
Sustainablelive in a modern wooden house
Whether log, half-timbered, Canadian, American or Swedish - wooden houses have many faces. However, they have one thing in common: their supporting structure and a large part of the house are made from the renewable raw material wood. Therefore, wooden houses are much lighter than solid houses and place fewer demands on the load-bearing capacity of the foundation. In addition, pure wooden houses can be moved into more quickly because there is no drying time required for the shell. Anyone who only uses certified materials when building a house that does not contain any harmful adhesives, glues and chemical wood preservatives can call a pollutant-free house their own. This type of house is particularly recommended for allergy sufferers. Because wood breathes, this house is known for a good indoor climate. The biggest advantage of the wooden house, however, is its ecological sustainability: the insulating effect of wood is perfect for energy-efficient construction.
Espromisesecological sustainability
However, the maintenance required for a wooden house is slightly higher than for other types of houses - at least if it is not clad or plastered. In these cases it must be regularly used against pests and pestsTreated mold on woodbecome. The weather also affects wooden houses. For this reason it is important to use high quality woods. Anyone who builds their house from larch, cedar, oak or fir wood can expect a lifespan that is equivalent to the 100 years of a solid house. However, wooden houses are susceptible to moisture damage. That's why they need large roof overhangs and drainage strips for rainwater. They must be well sealed from the ground. If you are bothered by house noises, you should not build a wooden house: wood expands or contracts depending on the weather, which results in creaking noises. Builders should also take this into account when installing cables, pipes and walls.
Passive housesaves energy and protects the environment
Since the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV), energy-saving construction is mandatory. Many home builders go one better and exceed the EnEV requirements by building a passive house. According to the specifications of the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, the following general conditions apply to houses of this type:
• The energy value for heating may be a maximum of 15 kilowatt hours per square meter per year; the heating load may not be higher than ten watts per square meter.
• The house must be almost airtight.
• The systems in the building must hardly consume any energy, so that the energy value of the entire primary energy, including household electricity, is a maximum of 120 kilowatt hours per square meter per year.
Energy efficient construction
The biggest advantage of the passive house is that the residents are almost independent of the energy suppliers and their prices. Since passive houses are equipped with a ventilation system, good air quality without dust and pollen is guaranteed. In addition, thanks to the ventilation, the risk of mold growth and moisture damage is extremely low. Another advantage is that residents can do without conventional heating because the construction and insulation allow temperatures of 20 to 22 degrees Celsius all year round. In short: the passive house has a good ecological balance and lower operating costs than a conventionally built building.
However, the construction costs are up to ten percent higher than for houses that only meet the EnEV standards. Home builders also have to take architectural limitations into account: a passive house works best with a compact design. However, this is too monotonous for many house builders, which is why they forgo better functionality or a passive house. Although a passive house is inherently environmentally friendly, the production of some insulation materials is not. If you want to use environmentally friendly insulation materials such as hemp, flax or sheep's wool, you will sometimes have to expect the price of the material to be twice as high.
It is difficult to say which option is the right one. Every builder has their own priorities. Home builders should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages and decide whether, in addition to the costs, a good ecological balance, time savings or longevity are crucial.
