Modular houses are constantly growing in popularity and are becoming more and more serious competition for buildings erected using traditional methods. So what distinguishes prefabricated houses, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both solutions and most importantly - is it better to choose a modular or brick house?
What distinguishes modular houses compared to brick houses?
All-year-round modular houses are an excellent alternative to traditional construction. Widespread and popular in Western European countries, they arouse more and more interest in Poland - not only houses but also hotels, kindergartens, hospitals and modular offices are made of prefabricated elements. But what is modular technology and what distinguishes it from traditional solutions?
Modular technology consists in constructing buildings with the use of elements previously produced in the factory. Prefabrication of modules consists of the production of building elements in the production hall in accordance with the technical specification and the created project. Already at this stage, the modules are equipped with installations, internal walls and finishing elements included in the construction project.
Then, the prepared prefabricated elements are transported to the construction site and assembled there. Modules are manufactured under controlled, reproducible conditions, following strictly defined procedures. This translates into their high quality, and at the same time allows for the elimination of manufacturing errors that may appear on a traditional construction site.
The biggest advantages of modular houses compared to brick ones
When considering whether to choose a modular or traditional house, it is worth knowing their most important advantages. The main advantage of ready-made modular houses is the significantly shorter construction time. While building a brick building can take months, modular year-round houses can be ready for use within weeks. The advantage of all-year modular houses is also mobility. If necessary, they can be dismantled and put back in another location, which is obviously impossible in the case of traditional houses.
The advantage of this solution is also its eco-friendliness. Ecological materials are used to produce prefabricated elements, such as kiln-dried C24 CE class wood. In this context, energy efficiency should also be mentioned - modular houses are equipped with modern insulation systems as well as window and door joinery, which ensure lower operating costs of the building.
What else distinguishes a brick house and a modular house? The great advantage of the latter are smaller terrain restrictions. Ready modular houses can often be erected even on properties with difficult terrain conditions, where the erection of a traditional building would be impossible or would require special adaptation of the prepared design to them. Moreover, the construction of modular houses - as opposed to brick ones - is not seasonal. As the vast majority of works are performed in the production hall, they can be successfully carried out regardless of weather conditions.
What else should people who are wondering whether to choose a modular or brick house should pay attention to? An important aspect is the standard and aesthetics of the building finish. At this point, it should be emphasized that in these respects modular all-year-round houses do not differ from traditional ones - they are very aesthetic, and the customer can choose the finishing standard.
Nowadays, modular home designs are also characterized by a great variety. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can opt for small unpermitted houses, such as CUBEEKO MINI with a usable area of 13.9 m2 or the slightly larger CUBEEKO MEDIUM "L" / "Z", in which the usable area is 28 m2. There is also a choice of larger building designs, such as CUBEEKO MAXI "C", which provides 42 m2 of usable space. What's more, modular buildings can be expanded and superstructure, thus adapting them to changing needs.
The biggest disadvantages of modular houses in comparison with brick ones
So, do ready-made modular houses have any disadvantages? A certain downside may be the fact that while a traditional house can be built using conventional methods, depending on the investor's current budget, a prefabricated building must be fully paid for before it stands on the plot. In addition, the cost of the foundation must often be added to the investment costs. In addition, a crane is needed to erect a modular house - this requires considering the amount for its rental in the cost estimate and providing adequate access and sufficient space to operate heavy equipment.
Costs of modular and brick houses
Until relatively recently, the cost of a brick house and a modular house was comparable, of course, depending on the size of the building, the solutions used in it and the finishing standard. However, in the face of constantly rising prices of building materials, modular houses are both a more modern and a cheaper alternative. What's more, in the case of traditional buildings, it is not so difficult to produce errors, which impacts the cost of the entire investment. All-year-round modular houses are built in controlled conditions, thanks to which the risk of unexpected cost increases is minimal.
What is worth investing in: modular or brick houses?
Modular construction is becoming more and more popular in Poland. Therefore, the question is whether it is better to invest in a modular or brick house. Modular technology - which is a standard in Western European countries - will certainly also develop in our country. Even now, prefabricated elements are used to build not only residential buildings but also commercial and public buildings, such as hotels, dormitories, schools, kindergartens and hospitals. Investing in modular houses is a great idea for both individual and business clients.
Modular or brick house? This question is asked by many people who are getting ready to fulfil the dream of their own home. Ready-made modular houses have a number of advantages - they are built faster than traditional ones, while maintaining high aesthetics and quality of finish, and are often also cheaper. When preparing to implement the most important investment in life, it is worth taking this solution into account.