Which is better: a solid brick house or a prefabricated house?

The fact check: Where the real differences lie

answer the question " Solid house or prefabricated house ?", we need to break down the construction methods into their individual components.

1. The time factor: patience or speed?

Perhaps the most obvious difference when comparing a solid brick house to a prefabricated house is the construction speed.

• Prefabricated houses: Here, prefabrication wins. The walls are produced in a factory, independent of the weather. On the building site, the shell is often erected in just two to three days. Since no construction moisture is introduced (drywall construction), long drying times are eliminated. Those who need to move in quickly will often opt for a prefabricated house when deciding between a traditional brick-and-mortar house and a prefabricated house .
• A solid brick house: Building brick by brick takes time. Concrete needs to harden, plaster needs to dry. A solid brick house is a project that can take several months to a year. Weather conditions like frost can lead to construction stoppages. If you're pressed for time, the choice between a solid brick house and a prefabricated house is often already decided at this point.

2. Flexibility and individuality

How committed are you?

When comparing solid houses to prefabricated houses, solid construction scores points with its flexibility during the construction phase.

• Solid construction: Are you in the shell construction phase and realize that the non-load-bearing wall in the living room is bothersome? With solid construction, this can often still be changed. The planning is more dynamic.
• Prefabricated house: Here, the plans must be finalized months before construction begins ("design freeze"). Once the computers in the factory start cutting the walls, changes are expensive or impossible. Therefore, the decision between a traditional brick-and-mortar house and a prefabricated house is also a question of your confidence in making that decision.

3. Lifespan and value retention

A crucial point for the bank and your assets.

For a long time, in the debate between solid and prefabricated houses, solid construction was considered more durable (often 80–100 years vs. 50–70 years). Today, prefabricated houses have caught up and, with proper maintenance, achieve similar lifespans.

Nevertheless, the resale value of a solid brick house is often higher in Switzerland. The market trusts brick more than timber frame construction. If you view the house as an investment, the pendulum often tips in favor of solid construction when deciding between a brick house and a prefabricated house .

4. Indoor climate and building physics

Here, philosophies clash.

• Solid construction: Walls made of brick or concrete have a high thermal mass. They store heat in winter and coolness in summer. This ensures a stable, balanced indoor climate.
• Prefabricated houses: These (mostly wooden structures) have low thermal mass but excellent insulation. The house heats up quickly but also cools down faster (resulting in a barracks-like climate if no countermeasures are taken).

When choosing between a solid brick house and a prefabricated house, you have to decide: Do you want the comfort of thermal mass or the fast reaction time of insulation?

5. Sound insulation

An often underestimated point when it comes to the topic of solid house or prefabricated house .

Mass absorbs sound. A solid house naturally offers very good sound insulation against external noise and impact noise inside, thanks to its heavy walls and concrete ceilings.

A prefabricated house needs to be technically upgraded (decoupling, multi-layered walls) to achieve the same levels of sound insulation. Those building on a noisy street will often end up choosing between a traditional brick-and-mortar house and a prefabricated house.

6. The costs: A misconception?

Is a prefabricated house cheaper? Not necessarily.

Comparing the costs of a solid brick house or a prefabricated house is difficult.

• Prefabricated houses: Often offer fixed-price guarantees. You know the cost early on. But: Special requests are expensive.
• Solid construction: Often billed according to effort. The risk of cost overruns is higher, but the initial price for a simple construction method can even be lower than for a highly technical prefabricated house.

The decision between a solid brick house and a prefabricated house should therefore not depend solely on the catalog price.

7. Ecology and Sustainability

In times of climate change, this aspect is gaining importance in the debate between solid houses and prefabricated houses .

Prefabricated houses are mostly made of wood, a renewable resource that binds CO2. That's ecologically excellent.

Solid brick houses require cement (concrete), the production of which releases a lot of CO2. While eco-friendly bricks exist, in terms of "embodied energy," prefabricated houses usually win in a comparison between solid brick and prefabricated houses .

Decision matrix: Solid construction or prefabricated house?

To make your choice easier, we'll summarize the trend:

Choose the solid house if:

• You place the highest value on sound insulation and protection against summer heat (storage mass).
• You own a property on a noisy street or in a damp environment.
• Resale value is your priority.
• You want to change details during construction.
• You perceive "brick by brick" as a synonym for security.
• The decision between a solid brick house and a prefabricated house is for you a matter of tradition.

Choose the prefabricated house if:

• You have a fixed move-in date and want to save time.
• You prefer cost certainty through fixed prices.
• You want to build ecologically with wood.
• You are looking for excellent energy efficiency with slim walls (more living space).
• You are ready to finalize the planning early.
• When it comes to choosing between a solid brick house and a prefabricated house, precision and factory quality are important to you.

The hybrid solution

It doesn't always have to be black and white. When it comes to the question of a traditional brick-and-mortar house versus a prefabricated house, there are hybrid options. For example, traditional houses with prefabricated concrete elements or prefabricated houses with solid floor slabs. A solid ground floor with a timber frame is also popular. The lines between traditional and prefabricated houses are becoming increasingly blurred.

Conclusion

The question "Which is better: a solid brick house or a prefabricated house ?" cannot be answered definitively, as both construction methods now achieve extremely high quality standards. Solid brick houses remain the king of individuality, sound insulation, and long-term value. Prefabricated houses are the champions of efficiency, energy efficiency, and planning reliability.

Your decision between a traditional brick-and-mortar house and a prefabricated house should depend on your property, your timeline, and your personal philosophy. Don't let yourself be guided by prejudices: A modern prefabricated house is sturdy, and a modern traditional brick-and-mortar house can be energy-efficient.

If you are planning to buy an existing property and are unsure about its construction and whether the price is justified, Loft can help you independently assess market data and valuations and provide clarity.

Glossary

• Solid house: A building whose walls and ceilings are constructed on-site from solid materials such as concrete, brick, or sand-lime brick ("brick by brick"). Compared to a solid house or a prefabricated house, it offers high thermal mass.
• Prefabricated house: A house whose components (usually timber frame construction) are prefabricated in a factory regardless of the weather and assembled on the construction site in a few days.
• Thermal mass: The ability of a building material to absorb heat or cold and release it over time – a major advantage of solid houses compared to prefabricated houses .
• Construction moisture: Water that penetrates the building through mortar, screed, and plaster and must dry out. This is a typical characteristic of solid construction, which is not present in prefabricated houses (drywall construction).
• U-value (heat transfer coefficient): A measure of thermal insulation. Prefabricated houses often achieve better U-values than solid brick houses, even with thinner walls.