Often, the terms prefabricated house and industrialized house are used interchangeably, causing confusion. However, understanding the nuances between them is crucial for making the best decision in your housing project. While both concepts involve manufacturing in a controlled environment, industrialized construction offers a level of flexibility and customization far superior to more standardized prefabricated solutions.

What is a prefabricated house?

A prefabricated house refers to a building where most, or even all, of the modules are constructed in a factory and then transported to the site for final assembly. This means that the level of completion when it arrives on-site is very high, often including interior finishes, installations, and equipment. Its construction resembles a product that «arrives almost finished» at its destination, which can limit design options and adaptation to the terrain.

What is an industrialized house?

This concept is broader and represents an evolution. It focuses on the application of industrial manufacturing processes to construction, where significant structural or modular components are produced in a factory environment, under controlled conditions, and then assembled with precision on-site. Clear examples include concrete or wood panels for the structure, bathroom or kitchen modules, or complete facades. The key here is that, while produced in a factory, the design and composition of these elements can be fully customized, allowing for perfect integration with the plot and the client’s preferences. Industrialization aims to optimize time, reduce waste, and improve the overall quality of the final product, while offering unparalleled design freedom and on-site adaptation.

In summary, while a prefabricated house may offer speed, it often sacrifices customization. An industrialized house, on the other hand, represents the perfect synthesis of factory production efficiency and the ability to create a unique design perfectly tailored to your needs and the particularities of your plot. It is the way forward for a custom home, built with 21st-century precision and quality.

What are the advantages of building prefabricated houses?

Choosing a prefabricated house, while limited in customization, can offer certain benefits in specific situations:

Speed of execution: As they are built in a controlled environment, much of the process takes place simultaneously with land preparation, drastically reducing on-site construction time for standard models.
Control of initial costs: For repetitive or highly standardized designs, the cost can be more predictable due to mass production.
Less waste on-site: Factory production significantly reduces the generation of waste at the construction site.

What are the advantages of building industrialized houses? The customization and quality you’re looking for

Industrialized construction not only inherits the efficiency of prefabrication but takes it to a new level, offering decisive advantages in terms of design, adaptation, and superior quality, making it the preferred option for those seeking truly exceptional housing:

Custom design and unique adaptation to the plot: This is the distinctive advantage. Unlike more rigid prefabricated solutions, industrialized construction allows each component to be custom-designed. This means your home will integrate perfectly with the topography, orientation, and specific features of your plot. We can create unique architectural designs that maximize views, optimize natural light entry, and adapt to any terrain shape or slope, without the limitations of a pre-existing module.
Greater architectural flexibility: The ability to manufacture panels, modules, and structures individually opens up an endless range of design possibilities. From cutting-edge homes to more traditional styles, industrialization allows the creation of unique spaces tailored to any vision.
Superior quality control and precision: Manufacturing in a controlled industrial environment, with state-of-the-art machinery and strict quality protocols, ensures millimeter precision in every component. This translates into more robust structures, flawless finishes, and exceptional durability, far exceeding traditional construction standards.
Process optimization and efficiency: Digital planning and factory production minimize errors, waste, and downtime, significantly accelerating delivery times without compromising quality.
Advanced sustainability and energy efficiency: Industrialized construction facilitates the integration of the latest technologies in sustainability. It allows for the construction of nearly zero-energy consumption homes (nZEB) with superior insulation, efficient ventilation systems, and optimized resource usage, reducing your home’s carbon footprint.
Economic control and no surprises: Process standardization and reduced on-site surprises allow for much stricter budget control, offering greater transparency and predictability in your project’s final costs.
Improved workplace safety: Much of the work is done in factories, under safer and more controlled conditions, significantly reducing the risk of on-site accidents.

Kaitek Arquitectura: Your expert ally in customized industrialized house projects

At Kaitek Arquitectura, architects in Barcelona, we are pioneers and experts in industrialized construction, fully understanding its potential to create high-quality, efficient, and above all, customized homes. Our extensive experience, especially with concrete and wood construction systems, allows us to offer you innovative solutions that will exceed your expectations and adapt perfectly to your vision and plot:

Projects tailored to your needs and plot: From the very first stages, we establish open and constant communication. Our priority is to listen to you, and based on your ideas and the specific characteristics of your land, we design a building that integrates harmoniously with the environment and reflects your lifestyle. Your home will be unique, designed for you and your location.
Design with added value and personality: Our experience in sustainable and industrialized design allows us to offer high-quality architectural solutions that go beyond the conventional. We create spaces that are not only functional and efficient but also have aesthetic value and an unmistakable personality, always thinking about perfect integration with your land.
Strict control of deadlines: The precision of industrialization allows us to commit to tight and reliable delivery deadlines, ensuring that your dream becomes a reality within the expected time frame.
Rigorous economic control: We maintain constant oversight of prices and avoid budget deviations, offering you complete transparency and the assurance that your investment is protected.

Do you dream of a home with a unique architectural design, perfectly integrated into your plot, and built with the highest standards of quality and efficiency? At Kaitek Arquitectura, we are here to help you plan and bring to life your future industrialized home. Contact us and discover how we can build the home of your dreams, customized and limitless.