Polish prefab plan to help struggling house buyers

By Heather Rose
Posted: 2009/04/03

A POLISH timber frame builder is coming to the aid of this country's recessionhit housing market by offering a range of homes with a build cost as low as £77,000 to construct a three bedro

Budimex Danwood, which has headquarters in Poland and sales offices spread throughout Europe including Britain, is now unveiling a new Dan-Wood Living range.

Targeted at first-time buyers and small developers, these homes can be built from foundation to completion for under £700 per square metre.
This new collection includes lower cost detached and terraced housing. Build quality, says the firm, is of a high standard and thermal efficiency is also high.

The reason the prices are so low is due to the fact that design and finishing choices have been kept simple so that buyers can select their own floor coverings and kitchens.

Tony Lunn, right, Dan-Wood's UK business development manager, explained: "The key difference with Dan-Wood is that we provide a complete turnkey service, so everything is included in the price we quote to the customer - fixtures and fittings, plumbing, wiring and decoration - and, of course, the construction, which can take as little as six weeks.

"We've maintained our normal quality of build which provides excellent thermal efficiency and, in turn, keeps running costs very low.

In addition, we give the customers options which mean they can control costs, giving them the flexibility to suit their budget."

The rate of heat loss of the external walls is about half the maximum allowed under building regulations in this country. The roof, too, has higher-than-average insulation performance.

Components for the houses are prefabricated in Poland and then shipped to the UK for assembly.

The entire process is carried out to a strict timetable. Because the heavy-duty closed wall panels arrive on site pre-fi tted with double glazed windows, nsulation, internal plasterboard, render and service conduits, the shell for the houses can be erected and be weatherproof on site within two or three days.

Purchasers are offered a selection of fi nishing features - sanitaryware, ironmongery, lighting, decoration and coloured render.

Optional features are also available including sun rooms, car ports, cladding, flooring, full tiling and balconies.

Choices also take in eco-friendly aspects such as solar panels, geothermal pumps and heat recovery systems.

Budimex Danwood, which had its own foundations established in 1972 and went on to expand into the UK five years ago, is confident that the new Dan-Wood Living collection will prove successful because of the current fi nancial climate which has hit the housing market so severely.

Mr Lunn said: "While the UK housing market remains uncertain, we believe we have a genuinely affordable self-build solution for anyone looking to build on a budget, whether it's first-time buyers, key workers, housing associations, property developers or aspiring home owners looking for high quality finish and design without breaking the bank."

As well as the new budget-conscious collection on offer in the UK, Dan-Wood also have their Limit range with prices starting at about £800 a square metre, and their Vision collection, which consists of more bespoke house designs.