Germany is a global pioneer in prefab housing, with more than 20% of all existing housing coming from a factory. That number will continue to rise as the precast sector is expected to outperform the general housing market by 3.2% per year over the next five years.
So it's no surprise that Germany has a long list of very successful prefab companies. Many of today's market leaders are over 100 years old and started as small carpenters or sawmills that morphed into ready-made companies in the postwar real estate boom. Today, they build houses to the highest environmental standards, virtually indistinguishable from "regular" houses, often delivered within a few weeks.
So here is a selection of our favorite German prefab companies:
Founded in 1881, this family-owned prefab company is the oldest on our list. Fertighaus Weiss is a typical champion of the German "Mittelstand" and makes around 240 architect-designed houses every year. Customers can choose between different categories such as bungalows, wooden houses or Bauhaus style, with around 15 models per category. Each house can be equipped with the latest smart home technology that, for example, simulates that someone is home by randomly closing the blinds. Fertighaus Weiss can enhance each home with sustainable features like solar panels, exterior wall insulation or glass windows and even operates a carbon positive factory.
Our favorite model -Erlangen Prefab House
Favorite house price: from €200,000
Construction style — Modern, Wooden house, Bungalow, Bauhaus
Available in — Germany
Number of models: approx. 120
Finishing grades - Turnkey
(Image: white prefab)
With annual income of more than 140 Mio. € and around 80,000 houses built to date, Bien Zenker is one of the leading precast companies in Germany. Their portfolio offers a wide variety of houses, from modest bungalows to luxurious two-family houses that do well in the €2,000/m2 range. At the top range, features include solar panels, electricity storage from German battery maker Sonnen, and a charging station for electric vehicles. For those who are more budget oriented, the Bien Zenker also offers high quality and lots of customization, such as optional balconies, carports, or different roof shapes. We especially like thevirtual tour functionon their website, where you can simulate walking through one of their model homes.
Our favorite houseCELEBRATION 139
Favorite house price: from €190,000
Style of Construction — Modern, Bungalow, Brick Style, Bungalow
Available in — Germany, Switzerland
Number of models: approx. 232
Finishing grades: turnkey, in-home finishes
(Image: Bien Zenker)
Living Haus is the sister company to Bien Zenker that focuses exclusively on what is called the "Ausbauhaus" or "finishing house". While conventional manufactured homes are usually fully assembled by the seller, a cutout home has owners complete a portion of the home. For those who are construction experts or have their own subcontractors, this can save costs and is a common variation on prefab construction. Living Haus usually lays the groundwork and provides the main parts such as the walls and roof, so it is up to the clients to decide how much is left to be done for them. The selection of homes available is as wide as that of other manufactured companies and even large multi-family homes can be completed by the owners themselves.
Our favorite housesol 143
Favorite house price: from €100,000
Construction style: modern, bungalow
Available in — Germany
Number of models: approx. 130
Finishing Grades - Finishing House
(Imagen: Living Haus)
WeberHaus regularly ranks among the highest in customer satisfaction and build quality for German prefab companies. They create personally designed turnkey solutions as well as customer finished homes. One of its latest innovations is the association with Apple Homekit, which allows residents to control their devices by voice. WeberHaus is known for its high energy efficiency standards. As the first German company, it introduced the principle of low-energy construction into its homes, and today customers can choose highly energy-efficient options, such as passive houses or more energy houses (more energy generated than used). By the way, WeberHaus continues to manage the “World of Living”, the first and only theme park in Europe related to construction and housing.
Our favorite housegeneration 5.5—Haus 200
Favorite house price: from €250,000
Construction style: modern, bungalow
Available in: Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom
Number of models: approx. 50
Finishing grades: turnkey, in-home finishes
(Image: Weberhaus)
SchwörerHaus has one of the largest networks of show houses in all of Germany that we could find, making it easy to try their houses before you buy. The manufactured home builder ranks high on sustainability, offering Passive Homes and Higher Energy Homes. One of their innovations that we like the most is a relatively young product line called “flying spaces”, which are flexible modules that come on a truck and can be easily added or removed from each other. Flying Spaces have a fixed price and are perfect for small houses, student residences or vacation rentals, without the need for a foundation or basement. SchwörerHaus really expects this product to generate more income than their regular homes for the next 20 years.
Our favorite housesunny island house
Favorite house price: from €280,000
Construction style: modern, bungalow, wooden house, Mediterranean
Available in: Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Luxembourg, United Kingdom
Number of models: approx. 180
Degrees of finishing: turnkey, different degrees of finishing of the house
(Image: SchwörerHaus)
Büdenbender started as a sawmill and frame carpentry shop in 1946 and moved into precast construction in 1962. Its leading technology is a patented wall system that works like a natural air conditioner, releasing moisture but keeping it out . models with a more modern and clean appearance, with some wooden details on the façade. The general design of each model is defined, but customers have a lot of freedom to individualize specific characteristics and decide the degree of finish.
Our favorite houseCamaro
Favorite house price: from €260,000
Building style: modern, Bavarian, bungalow
Available in — Germany
Number of models: approx. 40
Finishing grades: turnkey, in-home finishes
(Image: Budenbender)
7.Baufritz
Baufritz is one of the best-known precast builders in Germany. FOCUS magazine ranked it the most sustainable German prefab company of 2018 and it is one of the most international, with sales also in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the UK, Spain and Italy. Baufritz is a full-service construction company that supports clients from property analysis to post-construction maintenance management. Their homes have a distinctive look that includes warm wood elements on the exterior and a very high score for eco-consciousness. No construction foams or toxic glues are used on any project and clients can opt for fully detached houses or houses with a positive outcome.
Our favorite houseFrey passive house
Favorite house price: from €320,000
Construction style: wooden houses, modern, Scandinavian, bungalows, terraced houses
Available in: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy
Number of models: approx. 90
Degrees of finishing: turnkey, different degrees of finishing of the house
(Image: Baufritz)
8.Regnauer
At Regnauer, customers can choose from 65 different models, divided into themes such as classic design, Scandinavian country style or home in nature. Regnauer has an Online configurator, where the client can customize their future place to live by choosing the style, size, number of inhabitants and other requests to receive the first budget. All Regnauer homes come fully finished and feature a designer aesthetic with an elegant blend of natural elements, glass, and a minimalist concrete look. Don't be fooled though, as all the houses are mostly made of wood, just like all the other houses on this list.
Our favorite houseKufstein
Favorite house price: from €420,000
Construction style: wooden houses, modern and Scandinavian.
Available in — Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Number of models: approx. Sixty-five
Finishing grades: turnkey, in-home finishes
(Photo: Regnauer)
LUXHAUS is a family business that produces about 250 prefabricated houses a year. Its main innovation is the patented “climate wall”, developed in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institute. It uses only natural and chemical-free materials and creates a very healthy indoor climate while being very energy efficient. LUXHAUS homes can be equipped with multiple possible sources of alternative energy, such as solar panels or geothermal energy. LUXHAUS uses only reforested wood from German forests and recently announced a collaboration with battery manufacturer Sonnen to store energy directly in the home.
Our favorite houseCountry house with a gable roof 207
Favorite house price: from €350,000
Construction style — Wooden houses, Modern, Bungalows
Available in — Germany, Spain (Mallorca), Luxembourg
Number of models: approx. 90
Finishing grades: turnkey, in-home finishes
(Image: LUXHAUS)