The UK housing market has been wracked by instability in recent years. Prices of conventional houses in many areas remain in flux, spooking many homeowners away from selling their properties. The cost of new-build conventional homes also puts some buyers off.
For this and several other reasons, residential modular buildings are a fast-growing alternative. Building modular homes is typically more affordable and faster than conventional construction, and homeowners are attracted by how eco-friendly and controlled the process is.
Learn everything about UK modular construction below, and discover whether residential modular buildings are right for you!
What Are Modular Homes?
Also known as prefab homes, modular houses are fabricated under strictly controlled factory conditions away from the assembly site. All house components are built to order, and the final construction does not begin until fabrication is complete.
This allows them to be assembled extremely quickly compared to traditional houses. The timescale for building a conventional property typically takes around a year, although this can be significantly longer if it is part of a larger housing development. By contrast, the entire process of UK modular construction takes around half as long (or less!).
Modular houses can be assembled at the best time of year for construction when inclement weather is least likely to disrupt work. The bulk of any conventional construction project takes place on-site, so costly delays and disruptions are common.
Furthermore, the design phase only applies if the home follows a custom design. Many residential modular buildings follow a pre-approved design, and homeowners only require a couple of tweaks – this means the design phase is often just a couple of weeks! In these cases, buying and building modular homes can take just a couple of months.
How Many Modular Homes are Built in the UK Annually?
UK modular construction has increased dramatically in recent years. As recently as the millennium, prefab buildings were viewed with some suspicion in the UK. However, improved fabrication methods, soaring house prices, and a growing body of evidence that prefab homes actually avoid many problems commonly found in conventional new-build houses have changed that. By 2019, the volume of residential modular buildings being constructed in the UK annually was around 15,000[1].
Are Modular Homes Cheaper than Conventional Houses?
Prefab properties are typically lower in price than conventional houses. This is especially true in areas with higher property prices, such as the South East. Average property prices in South East England were below £65,000 in 1995. By the start of 2022[2], this has increased to almost £407,000 by August 2022.
Purchasing land makes this proportional increase much more affordable than purchasing a pre-existing property. Likewise, the large construction firms tasked with building new houses reflect local housing costs in their resale rates for new-build houses. Choosing modular construction helps avoid some of the exorbitant costs of building a conventional property in regions that are considered highly desirable due to better jobs and opportunities.
When purchasing a prefab home, it is also easier to specify certain aspects that will make your life easier once it is built. For example, you can specify certain insulation solutions that will drive down energy bills once the property is installed. This is part of the reason that prefab homes are considered more eco-friendly than conventional housing.
As fabrication takes place from scratch in a carefully controlled environment, you have greater control over the design process. Prefab developers also tend to be keener to work directly with homeowners than large construction companies – a prefab developer is focused on each property they build, while many construction companies take on large-scale projects and are less likely to accommodate special requests such as extra attention to insulation.
Why Are Modular Houses Becoming More Popular in the UK?
There are several reasons residential modular buildings are becoming more popular in the UK:
- Lower price. The number one concern for buyers is the price. Prefab construction is generally more affordable than conventional buildings.
- Faster construction. modular construction dramatically decreases the waiting time for homeowners. It also reduces the risk of the project being delayed by poor weather or other factors.
- Easier than ever to get a mortgage. Many lenders are now offering mortgages for building modular homes.
- Eco-friendly. Prefab construction is environmentally friendly compared to conventional building techniques. The shorter construction time reduces the overall carbon footprint. Plus, these homes often have better insulation options.
Improved fabrication methods have developed over the past couple of decades. This makes prefab homes far more attractive – key components are built in carefully controlled factory settings and fabricated and assembled to an extremely high standard.
Prefab homes can also expect to appreciate in value rapidly. Once the property is established, the house will catch up with similar properties in the area after a surveyor visits. This makes them a cost-effective choice both for first-time homeowners and anyone looking for an investment property.
How Spassio Helps Buyers Choose the Right Modular Home
Spassio connects homeowners with the best companies building modular homes today. The sleek, attractive house models you’ll find on the Spassio website represent the best residential modular buildings on offer in the UK today.
They are far more affordable than conventional buildings and construction times are very short.
Final Thoughts
Residential modular buildings in the UK are likely to continue to grow in popularity as people realise how cost-effective modular construction is compared to conventional techniques. If you are interested in companies building modular homes in the UK and Europe.
References
Featured image: The Barn House
[1] Report by law firm Pinsent Masons
[2] UK average property prices
