Anyone have a prefa...
 

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Anyone have a prefab extension?

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While looking for at cabin costs for a potential house move I became aware of a thing called an extra room which then led to a whole prefab extension.

Mrs Zip is not keen on building work which rules a few houses out of our potential purchases.

A prefab extension looks a lot easier to do with less upheaval and would give her that Grand Designs kitchen with the bifold doors she’s always wanted.

Anyone have one? Do you wish you’d invested more time and money in a brick built one?


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 6:38 am
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From a buyers point of view I'd always see something like this as a depreciating asset that needed replacing at some point (like a static caravan). Yep, may be 20, 30, 40+ years lifespan but not as good as bricks and mortar.

Proper extensions don't have to take ages to build if you get a good builder.


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 7:15 am
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Hopefully this is our last move and  in 20 years we will probably not be around!

 


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 7:30 am
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Having just had a very significant extension built (2 floors, 2 sides of the building, complicated construction and footings) I’d say the actual construction bit of the process isn’t the bit that causes “upheaval” that instead comes when you break through into the existing house. You’d have to do that in either method 

If all you’re looking at is a single room spanning the width of the rear, single pitch roof with a couple of velux and a big bifold door, steel to enable removal of existing back wall - any competent builder would consider that bread and butter stuff and would have it up in no time at all 

does mrs zip have any experience of building work upheaval or is the reluctance based on anything in particular? 


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 7:30 am
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Mrs zip watches all the house programmes . Dust and diggers scare her but she always raves about Huff (?) houses


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 8:36 am
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You'll still get dust and diggers with a pre-fab extension. Most of the big mess comes with the groundwork which would still be needed.

I suggest moving house or a new patio!


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 8:40 am
 wbo
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If bricks and mortar are required for a proper house, then I haven't lived in one of those for 25 years ! 🙂

If I was getting an extension built it would be concrete base with wood frame construction and wouldn't even think about it


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 8:53 am
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Mrs zip watches all the house programmes . Dust and diggers scare her but she always raves about Huff (?) houses

If we ever won the lottery we'd be ordering a Huf house, **** messing around with architects, who live in dream land

https://www.huf-haus.com/en-uk/


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 10:22 am
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If it's clad nicely I doubt anyone buying it will ever question it's construction. Certainly not if it's in good order at the time.  It's not as if anyone really knows how a house is constructed until you come to deconstruct it. 


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 11:24 am
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if shes into the house shows, im pretty sure there was a Kirsty and Phil fronted one fairly recently where they ripped down a crappy pre-fab plastic extension and gave the owners a *what the f were you thinking* condescending look before ultimately building a small but transformational proper extension. 

ultimately, if these things were even a halfway good idea, the volume house builders would be doing it, but even they find a way to make block and brick the cheapest option. 


 
Posted : 13/05/2025 11:41 am

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