With a long list of amenities and finishes to choose from, prefab concrete houses offer the fastest, longest-lasting and most sustainable solution to owning your own home
Prefabricated houses made of modular concrete panels offer an increasingly viable alternative to traditional construction thanks to shorter construction periods, reduced environmental impact and the increasing number and variety of options available.
The manufacture of modules has taken a qualitative leap in recent years, and future homeowners can now benefit from improved design and a wide range of basic models to choose from. The process involves manufacturing the panels to the required measurements, transporting them and then assembling them on-site in much the same way as flatpack furniture. Installation takes far less time than conventional construction.
The resistance and durability of concrete lend prefab housing several advantages, not least its capability to adapt to any environment and its excellent thermal insulating qualities that make the house more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. In fact, the environmental impact of prefab houses is significantly lower than with traditional construction projects.
Prefabricated, or manufactured homes, also offer great versatility with infinite possibilities when it comes to customised finishes, such as stone and wood cladding. What’s more, most manufacturers offer guidance from their own in-house designers.
Generally speaking, high transportation costs in the Canary Islands affect the economic viability of prefabs, but some companies like InHAUS, which designs and manufactures modular houses with type-A energy ratings on the other side of the Atlantic, or ModularHome with its MH System, do have the logistics to be able to operate in the archipelago.
The first milestone with this construction method was reached in Spain in 2006, when PMP Prêt-à -porter Casas, a pioneer in the sector, presented their Casa Kyoto. It was the first prefabricated bioclimatic house in the country and received several awards and recognitions. This company continues to offer clients a wide selection of exterior and interior design options.
Other prefabricated construction firms in Spain include Hormipresa, NIU Houses, Cortabitarte, Atlántida Homes, Eurocasas, Addomo, Homm, Casas Cube, and so on. Of course, this type of construction is not limited to housing, and some of these companies also offer options for different kinds of commercial premises.
