Design My Own Flat Pack House
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They are quicker and cheaper to build than traditional bricks-and-mortar houses and, finally, housing authorities are recognising that flat pack homes or modular homes are part of the answer to our housing crisis. Until now, they've been mainly favoured by families looking for an individual home that's unique but without the challenges of self-build. And while that option remains, flat pack is being put to other uses now too, in housing estates, and for extending existing homes. In this new series, we look at the biggest developments in modular housing, starting with stunning, bespoke properties.
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO A BESPOKE FLAT PACK
Flat pack 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 eco-friendly 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.
Huf Haus
Until now, modular homes have been associated with European companies such as Huf Haus or Scandia Hus, 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?
Flat pack 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 eco-friendly 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.
Buildwright
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 it 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 its own construction system, U-Build. 'Floor area is a big factor in cost and environmental impact terms, so it's often better to go for a smaller, greener design than spread money thin on a bigger floor area. The key is good design, and a thorough look at the space you actually use and spend your time in.'
WHAT ABOUT PLANNING PERMISSION?
Check with your council's planning department that permission is likely to be granted for a flat pack house before you buy land. Then once you have an agreement in principle and have bought the land, your modular company should work with you to get full permission. As they're made up of modules, these houses can be interesting architecturally, and when they stand in their own land, can look stunning. But flatpacks can just as well be built on land in an ordinary street, in which case they'll probably have to fit in with the streetscape.
Dan-Wood
HOW EASY IS GETTING A MORTGAGE?
'Structural warranties are often the key to unlocking finance for new builds,' says Studio Bark's Nick Newman. 'The issue for the self-build market is that many structural warranty providers are designed around the "brick and block" traditional route of construction, which favours energy and carbon intensive processes such as concrete. It's inherently difficult for modern methods of construction to comply, though we have had some success after quite a lot of work!'
Check that your mortgage provider recognises the build system used by the manufacturer as being of 'standard construction' and that the house you plan doesn't fall under legislation aimed at caravans and mobile homes. Also discuss how the money will be loaned; your construction company may need to be paid in stages and so you'll need a 'staged' loan. 'And check with your insurers or the modular home company that they'll issue a 10-year warranty, as this is a requirement of all mortgage lenders for new homes,' says Michael Holmes of the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA).
Also in this series, we'll focus on prefab terraced houses and how flat pack can help you add space to your current home.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...
• Boklok: Part developed by Ikea, this modular house company is high on design and sustainable credentials at more affordable prices.
• Buildwright: A large-scale modular concrete building system available in Ireland.
• Caber House: Scottish-based company offering a range of pre-designed houses to the Passivhaus Low Energy standard.
Caber House
• Creatmous: Estonian software developers with experience in architecture and planning offering 3D-modelling of kit houses.
• Dan-Wood: Originally a Polish company with agents in the UK, it offers a turnkey service, managing all aspects of the interior as well as the build.
• HebHomes: Provides stylish and simple kit homes in sustainable materials, including the fabulous Pitlochry house in the main picture. Called the Upside Down house, it is entered via a bridge.
• Huf Haus: One of the original flat pack providers with very recognisable designs, this German company now has a well-established showroom in Surrey.
• Katus: This forward-thinking Estonian business offers unique contemporary wooden designs.
• Studio Bark: The London company that pioneered theU-Build house, which premiered at last year's Grand Designs exhibition.
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