Built to last


Modern pre-manufactured houses are built to last!

Modern pre-manufactured houses are an investment in the future, mainly because of the energy-efficiency of the timber constructions, which keeps the running costs of the house low. In addition, the verifiable high quality standards of leading off-site manufacturers add to the sustained long-term value of these houses.

built to last: meisterstueck post & beam house

Independent studies have shown that pre-manufactured timber houses are just as long-lived as conventional brick buildings. Scientists of Leipzig University, under the leadership of Prof. Dr.Ing. Stefan Winter, have researched and documented the development of construction techniques for closed wood panel and timber framework since the 1960s, and compared these with alternative construction methods. The researchers have concluded that the performance of modern timber houses regarding longevity and retention of value is no different than brick buildings.

outstanding energy-efficiency: a long term investment

“Pre-manufactured timber houses meet or outperform all demands for insulation, fire prevention, damp-proofing and soundproofing. They can thus last far more than 100 years”, explains Dirk-Uwe Klaas, the Managing Director of the German Federation of Off-Site House Manufacturers (Bundesverband Deutscher Fertigbau. e.V.) The leading off-site manufacturers voluntarily submit to a rigorous third-party quality control system, which is the main reason for the longevity of timber pre-manufacture. “You can live your whole life in one of these houses,” says Klaas, “ and you can leave it to your children and your children’s children.”

meisterstueck high-tech production in hamlin, germany

Further research by the Nordostniedersachsen Polytechnic has shown that the property value of these houses – the objective basis for the assessment of the mortgage value of a house – has been similar to conventionally-built houses since the 1980s. Today’s off-site manufactured houses have improved considerably since then, in particular regarding technical construction details and finish, and regularly outperform conventionally-built houses.

Offsite-manufactured houses score particularly highly on energy efficiency – a vital factor for the future value of any newbuild. The experts all agree: energy costs will continue to rise. And governments continue to raise the bar concerning statutory requirements for energy efficiency. The quality of the construction of a house is far more important for the long-term value of a house than the heating system, which can be easily replaced. An optimally insulated timber pre-manufactured home gives the self-builder security for the future.

certified quality: meisterstueck wall panel on site after quality check

This is a translation by Meisterstueck-HAUS UK of a document issued by the Bundesverband Deutscher Fertigbau e.V ( German Federation of Off-Site House Manufacturers).

References: The research paper from the University of Leipzig, “ Research to objectify the assessment of the property value of pre-manufactured timber houses in comparison to other construction methods”, Leipzig 2002, can be ordered from the German Timber Research Institute.

The study “ Comparing the influence of construction methods on the property value of individual dwellings in timber off-site construction and brick buildings” was published in the trade journal “The Specialist - Der Sachverstaendiger –“ , March 1999, p. 27 – 31.