Update 2022: As has been reported in the media and confirmed by our own research, construction and home improvement prices in the UK have skyrocketed over the last 18 months due to inflationary pressure on materials, labour and fuel. The flat pack home prices on this page were updated in April 2022 but are subject to fluctuations.
Flat pack homes are slowly becoming more popular in the UK and it’s easy to see why; they can be customised, they’re still relatively novel, they are (sometimes) cheaper than a traditional “bricks and mortar” build and they can be constructed in a fraction of the time it would normally take to construct a home.
But how much does it cost to purchase and put together a flat pack home in 2022?
In April 2022, we contacted several flat pack home manufacturers and installers and asked them questions about prices.
On this page, you’ll find prices per square metre for each of the four most popular brands in the UK.
Prices Updated 2022
Please keep in mind that the prices we were given were estimates and not fixed quotations, although we believe them to be accurate:
Huf Haus Cost
The Huf Haus was featured in this early episode of Grand Designs and has since become one of the most popular flat pack homes in the UK.
This German manufacturer does however, come in at the top of the price range.
Since first publishing our price guide back in 2017, Huf House has added several builds to its portfolio, including terraced homes and a “Tiny House”.
Explore Huf Haus’s website here
Prices:
This is how much we told a typical 3-bedroom Huf House would cost, the figures include all the materials and labour for the installation but they exclude the plot of land, hook up to utilities, landscape gardening and legal fees:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Self project-managed, inc materials and labour | £2500 per square metre |
| Contractor led build, inc labour and materials | £3100 per square metre |
Baurfritz
Baurfritz can supply and build the walls, floors and roof structure for your project at a fixed price, you will have to pay for local tradespeople to install the plumbing, electrics, water, bathrooms and kitchens etc and fit out the building.
We think a basic build in 2022 will cost you around £3000 per square metre for a small 160 square metre home, including all the labour and materials but excluding the cost of the land, connecting to utilities, stamp duty, other professional fees and upgrades.
Explore Baurfritz’s website here
Prices:
These are the most accurate prices we could find, they were sourced from a contractor who has previous experience installing a flat pack home:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Self project-managed, inc materials and labour | £2600 per square metre |
| Contractor led build, inc labour and materials | £3100 per square metre |
Scandia Hus
This company is one of the few that publishes guide prices on their website, albeit in sq feet rather than per sq metre.
For a typical 3-bed house, pre-fabricated, delivered to site and erected with yourself as the project manager, they claim you’ll be looking at around £2350 per sq metre as a starting price.
If you choose to get an experienced project manager to oversee the work, the price rises to around £2950 per square metre.
Scandia Hus state that:
This price includes the building set, shell erection and construction costs, as well as architectural and administrative services. However, they would not include the cost of your building plot, external works, services or garage construction.
Explore Scandia Hus’s website here
Prices:
We took the published prices from the official website and cross-checked them with an experienced contractor who told us that they slightly underestimate the true cost.
This is how much we believe a Huf Haus will cost in 2022:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Self project-managed, inc materials and labour | £2600 per square metre |
| Contractor led build, inc labour and materials | £3150 per square metre |
Potton
Potton is part of Kingspan and they manufacture timber-framed houses and bungalows for the self-build market.
Two years ago they did have some handy price guides on their website and we noted a suggested price of £1600 per square metre but those prices have disappeared and haven’t been replaced with updated figures. Taking into account inflation over the last two years and the skyrocketing cost of materials, and especially imported timber, we think the cost would now be well over £2000 per square metre.
If you want a project manager to oversee the entire build, you’ll need to add around 10-15% to that figure.
Those prices include the manufacture, delivery and assembly of the house and include kitchens, bathrooms and decorating etc.
Potton’s prices aren’t too much higher than traditional brick and mortar building prices in the south of the UK so are worth considering although they aren’t technically “flat pack” homes.
As with all the other price guides on this page, the cost doesn’t include connection to the utilities, land, stamp duty, landscaping or professional fees.
Explore Potton’s case studies here (you may need to enter an email to access the library)
What Exactly is a Flat Pack Home?
A flat pack home is the latest name for a prefabricated home. These are manufactured in a warehouse and shipped to the client in sections that can be pieced together on site.
By researching this topic, we’ve discovered that there are typically three options to choose from:
- A “bare-bones” unit – this contains all the core parts you’ll need to build your home, the floor, walls, roof, doors and windows etc and is delivered to the site. You are responsible for putting all the pieces together. Most DIYers don’t actually build the homes themselves, they act as a project manager and arrange for tradespeople and businesses to come in.
- A “basic build” – this is where the company will provide all the materials and construct the home so it’s secure and watertight. You are responsible for purchasing and fitting the kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and completing the decorating etc.
- A “turnkey” project – this is where you hand over almost all aspects of the build. Your chosen company will construct the home in a warehouse, deliver to the site and erect it. They will then fit it out with kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, tiling and decorating etc.
Regardless of the option you choose, you will have to:
- Purchase the land yourself.
- Pay stamp duties and other legal or building control fees.
- Get planning permission.
- Pay to connect your home to the gas, water, waste and electric services.
- Pay for a telecommunications hookup – telephone and broadband etc.
What Are The Pros of a Flat Pack Pre Fabricated Home?
- Quick to build – often in a fraction of the time it takes to construct a typical brick and mortar home.
- The home can be customised at the design stage so it’s truly unique.
- Flat pack homes are usually much more energy-efficient compared to bricks and mortar buildings.
- The design of many flat pack homes allows for much more window space, resulting in a bright airy home.
What Issues Do Some Experience With Flat Pack Homes in the UK?
- Financing a flat pack build can be difficult if you have limited funds and will be relying on loans and mortgages.
- The cost of land is very high in the UK.
- The cost to hook up the utilities can be high but it depends on where you live and how far away you are from the existing network.
- Once the house is built, it would be very difficult to extend or alter it and any customisation needs to be done at the design stage.
Looking to the Future
Flat pack homes are very popular in Europe and the United States and have recently become more popular here in the UK but a lack of financing options means they are only a realistic option for those with a sizeable deposit.
There are several companies developing modular homes that are more affordable but most of these are still in the early design stages and aren’t in full production or they are temporary homes deployed to disaster zones.
If you have land and enough money for a sizeable deposit, a flat pack home is a viable option and you can create novel home. For those with limited funds, your choices are limited as it doesn’t work out cheaper than buying a traditional home and most lenders won’t want to take the risk of mortgaging a property that hasn’t been built yet.
You may wish to explore the following articles:
Can prefab homes solve the UK’s housing crisis? – Guardian Newspaper
Flat pack pod homes – Homes and Property
The £130,000 flat pack home where you’ll never pay another energy bill – Mirror Paper
Get a Quote
To get a written quote online, just hit the button below to see how our partner can help you:
This guide was written by Danny Woodley and the prices and information were last updated in April 2022.
Don’t forget; we have price guides for hundreds of home improvement projects.
Explore our full list of detailed price guides here.
