Finns increasingly forego do-it-yourself construction of prefab elements in favour of completely completed homes.
Turnkey homes (where homes are fully finished and owners can immediately occupy them) have become more popular than traditional house packages, says the Finnish Association for Manufacturers of Prefabricated Houses.
“About 7,500 detached homes are built in Finland every year, and about 70 percent of them are prefabricated houses of some kind,” says Director Kimmo Rautiainen from the association.
Traditionally, prefabricated elements are delivered to buyers who then assemble the house themselves. On occasion, the sale of elements includes some construction work, such as building the roof.
In contrast, turnkey homes contain everything, including kitchen appliances. "All you need to do is to carry in the furniture," says chief executive Jukka Vaaramo from Kastelli, a major prefabricated home supplier.
Vaaramo says detached homes are mostly built in growth centres and the surrounding areas. At the same time, the average size of a prefabricated home has fallen to 165 square metres from 175 square metres 10 years ago.
“This is because plots in big cities are smaller and a simple rectangle-shaped house offers the most efficient use of space,” says Rautiainen.
The average price of a turnkey home in Finland is 230,000 euros. This does not include the cost of the plot, landscaping or permits.