Expert insight: Designing high-performance prefab homes
Designing a new home is a huge undertaking. Whether you choose to self-build from scratch, or purchase a plot for a prefabricated property, it’s a big decision and a challenge that will, hopefully, pay off.
If you’re opting for a prefabricated home, it is just as vital to ensure your new home will be exactly as you desire.
While the home itself is prefabricated, you still need to decide on a structure, design and construction process that is suited to you and your needs.
Trusting who you are working with on the project is crucial. As is making sure the property you are working on nurtures what is important to you.
This is the case whether that might be eco credentials, ultra modern design, copious amounts of green space, or something else.
Nick Blunt, a UK based prefabricated home designer for WeberHaus explains: “Prefabrication improves speed and time on site. It also improves quality, because you’re manufacturing in consistent conditions and you’re not weather dependent.
“Repeatability is also another important factor. Although most the of the houses made in the UK are bespoke, the detailing is all repeatable.
For example, if you’re building a one-off brick and block house, to a degree, it’s a prototype house – no one has built that design of house before with those materials.
“While a prefabricated house is bespoke, the detailing is still consistent. The manufacturer will always use the same window supplier, the same seal on the windows etc.
“You get the benefit of repeated standards throughout the house.”
Photo: WeberHaus
Differences between English and German construction
In Germany, prefabrication building goes back to the post WWII era. It played a crucial role in addressing the housing shortage and rebuilding efforts after the war, with modular construction techniques becoming widespread.
The UK is increasingly turning to timber frame prefabrication due to its numerous advantages, including sustainability, speed of construction, cost-effectiveness and design flexibility.
The key differences are the build speed, precision and quality.
Nick explains: “Building with brick and block is obviously a slower process because it’s a wet trade and can therefore be significantly affected by the weather.
“You could be looking at a timeline of several months.
“On the other hand, the panellised German timber frame system is delivered to site and within four to seven days is erected to form a weathertight envelope.
“Brick and block is a cavity wall construction, so the space between the block layer and the outer skin of brick is partly insulated and partly cavity. Internally, you can either dryline or wet plaster the walls.
Photo: WeberHaus
What are the advantages and disadvantages of these methods?
“One of the key benefits of German construction is the improved thermal performance.
“The German method also offers precision – everything is drawn to the nearest mm.
“Because construction is done under factory-controlled conditions, all the timber and insulation is completely dry when it gets built into the wall.
Why choose a prefab home?
The precise methods of the German methods have us almost convinced, but what else is so good about them?
Nick shares: “Prefabrication improves speed and time on site. It also improves quality, because you’re manufacturing in consistent conditions and you’re not weather dependent.
“Repeatability is also another important factor. Although most the of the houses made in the UK are bespoke, the detailing is all repeatable.”
In contrast, a one off brick and block house is a one off. Nobody has built that has before with those materials.
However, while a prefabricated house is bespoke, the detailing is consistent, using the same suppliers.
This helps with reliability and ensuring everything will run smoothly.
Photo: WeberHaus
What can prefab homes offer in terms of sustainability?
Eco building and using sustainable materials is becoming critical in modern building and prefabricated houses made by WeberHaus have responded to this.
Nick explains: “WeberHaus always encourage clients to use renewable resources where possible.
“Most houses will have air source heat pumps or ground source heat pumps which work well with underfloor heating (offered as standard in WeberHaus homes).
“Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) systems are also included.
“Most of the houses WeberHaus builds have solar panels.
“We often put Tesla batteries into the properties, too. So you can, in theory, have a self-sustaining house because you can produce electricity, store it and use it to drive your heat pumps, which then power all your hot water and space heating.”
Photo: WeberHaus
How can a prefabricate home help our health and wellbeing?
Alongside sustainability, homes that can help to enhance our health and overall wellbeing are also top of the agenda.
The Grand Designs ‘healthy house’ was an early taste of how a house can help to improve the occupants health, but it can be something that is standard.
Nick believes WeberHaus are already helping to shift the quality of air within a home.
“As standard, MVHR systems should be incorporated to ensure a fresh supply of air. You can also put special filters into this type of system to alleviate symptoms for sufferers of allergies.”
This is fantastic news and a great reason to consider starting your prefabricated building journey.
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