Modular house cost

Carnmore

I'm thinking of getting a modular-type house made with pre-insulated sections /panels . It would be well insulated (not quite passive), single storey with a flat roof. The spec would be average with no special features.

Can anyone provide an approx. cost per square metre / foot?

A main contractor will be supplying the modules and I want to know how much I should expect to pay.

Thanks in advance.

Gumbo

Have you asked the supplier who is supplying these panels?
Have you looked into it yet?

Either way, same cost as a normal house. Probably more based on my experience of the container house built this year in Dublin.

Carnmore

kceire wrote: »

Have you asked the supplier who is supplying these panels?
Have you looked into it yet?

That's what I'm doing here.

kceire wrote: »

Either way, same cost as a normal house. Probably more based on my experience of the container house built this year in Dublin.

The whole idea is to save on costs - no brick / block facade or pitched roof

Nika Bolokov

Prob ask on Reddit instead of Boards. People are much friendlier.

Graham

OP, I've moved your post to the construction & planning forum where you're likely to get more answers.

BryanF

Nika Bolokov wrote: »

Prob ask on Reddit instead of Boards. People are much friendlier.

off you go then?

BryanF

Carnmore wrote: »

That's what I'm doing here.



The whole idea is to save on costs - no brick / block facade or pitched roof

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/modular-homes-construction-costs-rise-by-140-729396.html

OP, I think you'll find in order to comply with building regulations, a modular home will work out similar to a normal concrete or timber home.

Gumbo

Carnmore wrote: »

That's what I'm doing here.



The whole idea is to save on costs - no brick / block facade or pitched roof

We are not supplying the kit though.
Who sells these pre made panels? Have they a website?
Have you seen any been constructed yet and if not, have you asked why?

I guarantee you a real modular home will cost more than a traditional built home.

Unless of course your mixing up the terminology of 'modular'.
Maybe you can confirm what your understanding of this is and if you have seen any specific examples.

Metric Tensor

OP - regardless of what way it's made the house has to comply with the building regulations.

People propose to build log houses, prefab houses, or whatever else because they perceive it to be cheaper. but when you research it you find that meeting all the building regulations (structural strength, fire safety, renewable energy, disabled access, etc etc) costs roughly the same no matter which way you go about it. Traditional blocks, timber frame, steel frame, insulated panel or A N Other.

The cheapest way to build a house is to make it small and rectangular with small regular windows and a very simple intererior. Basically, everything "bog standard" and off the shelf. Building in bulk helps too so likely a developer will building 10 houses for 6-8 times what it costs you to build one - the knock on effect is that you may be able to buy cheaper than build.

There's no "magic bullet" that will get you a compliant house for half the normal cost of building one. If there was it would already be in use. When Dublin City Council tried it they ended up with houses that were a lot less "modular" than expected because the most cost effective way of doing it wasn't far from what everyone is already doing.

You need to budget roughly 130 euro per square foot to build the house + the cost of the site on top of that. If you don't have that much money make the plan smaller or look for a cheap "fixer-upper".

Carnmore

I'd like to get an estimate of the cost. I have a floor plan but no working drawings yet - does anyone know where I could get an indication of price?

Gumbo

Carnmore wrote: »

I'd like to get an estimate of the cost. I have a floor plan but no working drawings yet - does anyone know where I could get an indication of price?

Price on what?

Maybe engage a Quantity Surveyor.

Carnmore

kceire wrote: »

Price on what?

Considering the title of the thread I thought that was self-explanatory

Humour Me

Can you post up a picture of what you think a modular home looks like? Shipping containers, log cabin etc? I think modular seems to have become a catch all title so no one knows exactly what you are looking for.

Skatedude

Carnmore wrote: »

Considering the title of the thread I thought that was self-explanatory

Nope, because there is hundreds if not more types of modular housing for different markets, countries and building regulations and obviously something made for the uk or eu may not pass regulations here and vise versa.

Carnmore

Similar to the first image on this site:


https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/509540145323346489/

Metric Tensor

Floor area in square metres multiplied by 1300 once you have foundations included, renewable energy installed, insulation, windows etc up to the building regulations, effluent treatment system, rough groundworks and a reasonable level of fixtures and fittings inside.

If you get more accurate drawings you can engage a professional to carry out design calculations for your heating and renewable systems and carry out a percolation test to design your effluent treatment and then bring this to a quantity surveyor along with a quotation from the "modular" supplier and get an overall estimate - which won't be far from what I've detailed above.

Metric Tensor

I was typing as you posted. The first image looks a bit like a converted caravan/mobile home. You will find it very difficult to make that meet the building regulations.

Carnmore

Metric Tensor wrote: »

Floor area in square metres multiplied by 1300 once you have foundations included, renewable energy installed, insulation, windows etc up to the building regulations, effluent treatment system, rough groundworks and a reasonable level of fixtures and fittings inside.

If you get more accurate drawings you can engage a professional to carry out design calculations for your heating and renewable systems and carry out a percolation test to design your effluent treatment and then bring this to a quantity surveyor along with a quotation from the "modular" supplier and get an overall estimate - which won't be far from what I've detailed above.

Thanks for your reply. That's roughly €130/ft2.

I've looked at this online which equates to c.€60/ft2 which doesn't include site clearance, heating, kitchen which I estimated would increase the cost to €80/ft2.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Prefab-Homes-SIP-House-Modular-128-m2-/152426524983?hash=item237d543137:g:V9YAAOSwLF1X2AqW

Gumbo

Carnmore wrote: »

Considering the title of the thread I thought that was self-explanatory

Nope. It doesn't make it self explanatory I'm afraid.
You still haven't told us who is supply these panels that you talk about in the opening post, and if they comply with our building regulations.

Show me a 'modular' house that has been built in ireland that complies with our regulations?

I'll show you one. In ringsend and it cost more than a traditional build house.

sydthebeat

Carnmore wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. That's roughly €130/ft2.

I've looked at this online which equates to c.€60/ft2 which doesn't include site clearance, heating, kitchen which I estimated would increase the cost to €80/ft2.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Prefab-Homes-SIP-House-Modular-128-m2-/152426524983?hash=item237d543137:g:V9YAAOSwLF1X2AqW

Fine if you're planning on living in Ukraine.

Otherwise you need to ensure the building complies with Irish building regulations.

Metric Tensor

I can 150% guarantee that that does not meet the Irish building regulations and to try to alter it to make it meet would cost more than just building from scratch using one of the "traditional" methods.

You could certainly get one of those on a site in Ireland for less than. €130 / sq foot. BUT:

a. I'm fairly sure you won't get planning permission.
b. It doesn't comply with the building regulations (and is therefore illegal)
c. You definitely won't get a mortgage because of (a) and (b).
c. It won't be safe because of (b)
d. Neither you nor your children can ever sell it because of (a) and (b)
e. It could land you in court because of (a) and (b)

Like I said above - if it was cheaper to do it correctly any other way people would already be doing it! No online research or googling is going to find you a cheaper way of building a house than the multi billion euro property industry in Ireland has already discovered.

I know the above sounds harsh but you are honestly wasting your time and you will start to waste your money too if you go this route.