THE FLATPACK HOME

Flatpack or modular houses are mainly constructed in a factory, often right down to the walls being plastered and fixtures such as kitchens and bathrooms fitted to walls. They’re then delivered to the site ready to be slotted together. As most construction is done under cover in a factory, bad weather can’t hold up the work, making this is an efficient method. It’s often also cheaper than a traditional build by up to 25 per cent, and can incorporate many ecofriendly features.

In the UK, this style of building has been mainly favoured by self-builders or custom builders – where modular companies erect a house on an individual plot to an owner’s exact specifications – and so numbers here are small. According to a report by law firm Pinsent Masons, of the 200,000 new homes built each year in the UK, only about 15,000 are modular. Historically they suffered from being associated with the low-quality prefabs built in Britain post war. But modern materials and construction methods, the flexibility the houses provide and the speed of production means more people, mortgage providers and housing authorities are seeing them as a viable option.

Until now, modular homes have been associated with European companies such as Huf Haus or Scandi Haus, and there’s no doubt that German, Scandinavian and even Estonian companies led the way. Now British firms are establishing themselves as providers of well designed, good quality modular houses.

WHAT ARE THEY MADE FROM?

Flatpack homes are mostly constructed from SIPs (Structurally Insulated Panels) that provide a flat, smooth surface. Externally, they can be decorated with cedar or larch cladding or zinc for a contemporary look, traditional painted or stained weatherboarding and brick or stone slips to complement surrounding buildings. Some companies are looking at more ecofriendly materials. Bamboo Living Homes constructs modular houses from, as the name suggests, bamboo!

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

• Turnkey Fully finished homes built to your exact specifications.

• Shell or Bare Bones units that contain all the pieces you need – floor, ceiling, walls, doors, windows etc – but you put it all together yourself. This could be a good package if you’re a self-builder.

• Basic Build The company provides the pieces and puts them together, but you fit the basics such as the flooring, kitchen and bathroom.

CAN YOU CUSTOMISE THEM?

In theory, your house could be tailored exactly to your dream, but the more bespoke and lavish you go, the more it will cost. As these homes are built in factories, the quality and consistency of work is standardised, and many manufacturers work to a catalogue of models. However they’re generally keen to create bespoke designs using high-quality materials if that’s what the client prefers. If you need to keep costs down, you’ll likely have to work with the manufacturer’s standard dimensions for room sizes, ceiling heights and door openings. Before you decide anything, it’s worth speaking to the company’s in-house designer or architect about what’s possible on your chosen model.

ARE THEY ENERGY EFFICIENT?

Yes, it’s easy to include energy-saving measures such as insulation and triple-glazing. Many are certified as Passivhaus standard, the highest-possible energy-efficient build. ‘We’re seeing a lot of people thinking about living in a low-impact way: moving away from the five-bedroom executive home, and towards the low-impact or even the “tiny home”,’ says Nick Newman from Studio Bark, a UK architectural practice that pioneered it’s own construction system, U-Build. ‘Floor area is a big factor in cost and environmental impact

Huf Haus, who built this gorgeous home, was one of the first companies to bring factory-constructed, modern modular houses to the UK

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Boklok Part developed by Ikea, this modular house company is high on design and sustainable credentials at more affordable prices. boklok.co.uk

• Buildwright A large-scale modular concrete building system (above) available in Ireland. modularconcretehomes.com

• Caber House Scottish-based company offering a range of pre-designed houses to the Passivhaus Low Energy standard. caberhouse.co.uk

• Creatmous Estonian software developers with experience in architecture and planning offering 3D-modelling of kit houses. creatomus.com