From a nerve-racking debut shipment to a bold global expansion, Keu’s CEO Alejandro Carrilero is reinventing what luxury prefab living means—and proving it can thrive anywhere in the world.
Key Takeaways:
- Keu Houses delivers premium modular homes globally, offering a unique turnkey service that includes door-to-door logistics and installation.
- Strict model lineup with just six designs—no custom projects—ensures consistency, durability, and brand integrity.
- Homes engineered for longevity, reducing post-sale problems that typically undermine prefab builders.
- Focus on uncompromising quality: homes feature certified paints lasting 30 years, double-glazed windows, porcelain finishes, and appliances from top brands like Siemens and Miele.
- Target market: clients seeking comfort, reliability, and premium materials—not lowest price—positioning prefab as a luxury lifestyle choice.
“I had the money in my account, and no idea how to get a house to the Caribbean.”
Alejandro Carrilero smiles when he tells the story now, but in 2017, it wasn’t funny. He had just landed his first international order for a prefabricated home—a sleek modular unit bound for Puerto Rico. There was only one problem: he had no idea how to get it there.
“It was chaos,” he recalls. “We didn’t even know what kind of ship to use. Roll-on/roll-off? Flat-rack containers? Nobody had answers. Even the port authorities were confused.” Carrilero spent weeks wrangling logistics, customs, and insurance, all while trying to keep the client happy. The Spanish Chamber of Commerce offered polite encouragement—along with the promise of a reimbursement years later. “The reality? We were on our own.”
That scramble would become the DNA of Keu Houses: relentless problem-solving, obsession with quality, and an unwillingness to accept “that’s impossible” as an answer. Today, Keu manufactures its homes in Spain and delivers them across nine countries on three continents, offering something few dare promise: a turnkey, door-to-door luxury prefab experience.
When Cheap Nearly Broke Them: Why Keu Went All-In on Luxury
Carrilero didn’t start out building luxury homes. In the early days, his mission was almost utopian: stylish prefab living accessible to everyone. “When you’re young, you want to help. You want to make housing affordable,” he says. But reality hit hard. To keep prices low, Keu relied on cheap imports: insulation that barely worked, air conditioners from anonymous factories, electrical components that failed.
“It blew up in our faces,” Carrilero admits. “Machines were breaking down. People couldn’t sleep inside because of the heat. We realized the hard way that cutting costs meant cutting trust.”
The turning point was brutal: years of losses—up to €200,000 annually—bank loans to cover warranty repairs, and countless sleepless nights. But instead of folding, Keu doubled down on quality. The company scrapped bargain-basement components and partnered with brands like Mitsubishi, Siemens, and Miele. Plastic gave way to stone; porcelain finishes replaced laminates. “If you want a home to last, you don’t compromise,” Carrilero says. “We decided: no shortcuts, ever.”
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COMPARE QUOTESThe Hardest Part Isn’t Building Homes—it’s Installing Them
Prefab sounds simple: build in a factory, ship, install. But according to Carrilero, that’s a myth. “Logistics and permits—that’s the real war,” he says. Each country brings its own maze of codes and bureaucracy. “Even architects sometimes don’t know if land is urban, rustic, or developable. And then there are local building codes versus international ones. It’s endless.”
The solution? Local allies. Keu works with architects and engineers in every market to untangle regulations and guarantee full legal compliance. “We’re the only company that says: we’ll deliver the house to your door and install it,” Carrilero notes. “That’s not just convenience—it’s peace of mind.”
Why Keu Says “No” More Than “Yes”
Unlike companies who churn out dozens of designs a year, Keu keeps its portfolio lean: just four models, from the compact Little Pocket to the spacious XL. Custom requests—like sloped roofs for rainy islands—are politely declined. “Every time we did a custom job, the result wasn’t really a Keu home,” Carrilero says. “Our clients come to us because they want something tested, refined, and built to last.”
That restraint is strategic. “Anyone can buy our homes,” Carrilero explains, “but the people who appreciate them most are those who’ve experienced both worlds—the cheap option that falls apart and the premium option that delivers comfort and durability.”
“Anyone can build a house. We want to build a home that tells a story—and survives the story too.”
The Long Game: Build Once, Live Well
Carrilero gestures toward a Keu model built seven years ago. “It looks the same as the day it left the factory,” he says proudly. The secret? Certified paints rated for 30 years, double-glazed windows, lacquered interiors that won’t yellow, and appliances that won’t quit after two summers. “We test everything,” he insists. “Because what kills companies isn’t the sale—it’s the warranty call two years later.”
That philosophy has earned Keu a reputation for obsessive durability in a market crowded with disposable prefab experiments. And it positions the company for a future where consumers expect sustainability and longevity, not just speed and price.
What’s Next for Prefab Living?
Carrilero sees a shift coming: prefab homes as a symbol of status, not compromise. “People are waking up to the idea that modular can be beautiful, permanent, and smart,” he says. For Keu, the next chapter is about scaling that promise without losing its soul. “We’re still a startup,” he admits, “but the brand is taking off. And for us, the goal hasn’t changed: build homes that outlast trends—and maybe even outlast us.”
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ASK FOR QUOTESReady to discover the future of luxury modular living? Explore Keu’s catalog to view our curated models, premium finishes, and configurations—designed to bring elegance, comfort, and durability to any corner of the world.
