Types of prefabricated homes and materials used to build them

A prefabricated home is one that is not built on land. Instead, all the parts are manufactured in a warehouse and then transported to the plot of land, where they are assembled in order to build a house. The fact they are manufactured in a controlled industrial environment increases quality control on finishes, improves the insulation and energy efficiency of the home and speeds up construction times.

Demand for prefabricated homes is growing in Spain, although they continue to be quite rare and not much is known about how they are built. In this article, we will shed a little light on the topic and introduce you to the various types of prefabricated homes on the market.

Prefabricated concrete homes

Concrete is one of the best building materials: it is robust, sustainable, functional and resistant to adverse weather conditions. In addition, concrete offers a modern design, creating houses with straight and simple lines, flat roofs and large windows. This is why concrete blocks are used for many types of prefabricated houses, along with steel, which is usually used for internal structures.

When a concrete home is manufactured industrially, each part of the house is manufactured separately and then moved to the chosen location, where it is installed and where supply connections are set up.

Prefabricated wooden homes

Another option is prefabricated wooden homes. Wood is an ecological, sustainable, resistant, durable and very versatile material, which also gives homes a natural and warm atmosphere. Depending on the type of prefabricated wooden homes, three different construction systems are used:

Prefabricated modular homes

The two types of prefabricated houses above are also known as 2D housing, because they are made up of two-dimensional structural elements. These panels are then mounted on the site and conventional building works are required to set everything up. However, prefabricated modular houses are produced using three-dimensional modules which, when combined with other modules, form the desired house. This construction method is also known as 3D prefabrication and the advantage is that the home leaves the factory practically built.

Prefabricated container homes

Finally, prefabricated container homes are homes that are built with old shipping containers which are repurposed. The structure of the containers is very strong and durable, having been designed to carry large loads and resist inclement weather, which makes them an ideal material for a home. Another advantage of prefabricated container homes is that they are the quickest and cheapest to build, since nothing needs to be built; the containers simply need to be arranged to build a home. In addition, owing to how they are set up, prefabricated container homes can be moved to another plot of land.

Whether wooden, concrete or modular, a prefabricated house must comply with the same urban planning regulations and building requirements as any other traditionally built house.