Renaissance of prefabricated houses

Whether tiny house, detached house or apartment block - industrially and serially prefabricated building elements simplify, speed up and reduce the cost of construction. This provides new impetus for the construction industry.

The image of prefabricated houses has changed significantly. Today, the principle of prefabrication is seen as the key to an intelligent construction method that conserves resources and offers many advantages. From tiny houses to bungalows, serial construction is becoming increasingly versatile. One of the forerunners of the modern prefabricated house is the half-timbered house. Traditionally, the wooden beams prefabricated in the workshop were assembled on site and filled with clay and bricks. Today, prefabricated houses are industrially prefabricated, which makes construction quick and varied.

Today, buyers can customise the design of the façade and floor plan and also choose from a wide range of equipment options. Leading manufacturers of prefabricated houses have long since replaced chemical and pollutant-laden products with sustainable, climate-friendly natural products. In 2021, almost every fourth new detached or semi-detached house in Germany was built using prefabricated construction methods.

The German Property Federation (ZIA) welcomes the fact that the federal and state governments are supporting the introduction of harmonised type approval in all state building regulations. "This means that the economies of scale of serial and modular construction can finally take effect and construction can be significantly faster and more cost-effective," emphasises the President of the ZIA, Dr Andreas Mattner.

According to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said at the housing crisis summit that he wanted to simplify the regulations for serial construction. Even car models would not be authorised individually in each district, but generally. "Why shouldn't we be able to do the same with the basic construction of houses throughout Germany?"

The Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie e.V. is in favour of lowering standards and paving the way for serial construction and renovation. The introduction of digital building applications, standardised nationwide digital administrative processes and the standardisation of the 16 state building regulations into one binding federal building regulation could reduce construction costs and not cost a cent.

(Photo: © Copyright Weberhaus, Images 43603)