The Design Directory - Huf Haus

Architecture from the 20th Century, from the likes of Le Corbusier and Sir Norman Foster, has a striking, impactful style that grabs your attention. Substantial homes with curtain-wall windows and robust materials. Long gone are the cute stone-built homes with roses around the door. This architectural movement used crisp, clean lines and big open spaces.

And in 1912, a company in Germany developed a construction method that creates properties with this same modern style but with a much simpler build process.

Introducing HUF HAUS.

You may have heard of these properties as they shot to fame in the UK in 2004 when a couple on Grand Designs had a team of German engineers turn up to their site with a truck filled with timbers. After only 3 days on-site and dozens of German drill-wielding contractors, the property construction was built. It was amazing.

After a week, the property was watertight, with a roof and windows in place. The interior was finished a few weeks later, and the couple moved in.

HUF HAUS are the European market leader for modern post & beam pre-fabricated properties, a quick and straightforward method to construct sustainable, eco-friendly properties.

The elements of the property are created in the factory and then constructed in place on the site. Essentially they are a kit house.

The post and beam construction method allows for a very flexible layout plan because there is no need for load-bearing walls. As a result, the interior is often wholly open plan with huge windows and panoramic views, flooding the property with natural light.

With efficiency at the core of the design, the properties use triple glazing in the floor-to-ceiling windows, solar panels, and either ground or air-source heating. The efficiency of the properties means that they retain a consistent temperature - not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter, reducing energy consumption and bills. In fact, HUF HAUS are close to zero carbon.

Why HUF HAUS?

Well, they are fast to build and very convenient. All planning, designing and making take place in a factory, so any amendments or alterations to the design are relatively easy to do until the property comes to the site. Of course, when using traditional methods to build a property, any changes decided during the build can often have huge repercussions and costs.

Although certainly not the cheapest way to build a house, this method means that the quoted price is accurate, so there are no unexpected charges or rising budgets.

But the desirability is further increased because they are limited. HUF HAUS can only make 150 properties per year for worldwide distribution. To this day, there are only 300 HUF HAUSs in the UK. So they are rare, and you may have to wait for them to turn up at the site, but once they are there, it is fast.

From a concrete raft foundation to a watertight building takes just 1 week. The interior fit, including services, plastering, fixtures, and fittings, does take a little longer, but this method is still significantly faster than traditional build methods adopted in the UK.

Building.co.uk describe HUF HAUS as "Mercedes-Benz of pre-fabricated living, " which perfectly sums up the building experience. These properties have been designed and built since 1912; they are tried and tested. The CEO is a third-generation family member - they know what they're doing. And Germany is known for expert engineering and precision.

What's it like to live in one?

The HUF HAUS mentality is to bring the outside in. www.huf-haus.com says that their properties "Provide a visual gateway to nature, thus creating the HUF HAUS feeling - a unique daily experience of light and calm."

How wonderful!? Who wouldn't want a home that can create a daily experience of light and calm?

A HUF HAUS is a sophisticated property, and the designers want the occupants to live mindfully. Panoramic views of the surroundings bring peace and comfort. They are bathed with natural light and make the most of beautiful views and nature through the enormous windows.

So there is little wonder that the HUF HAUS has caused a stir in the self-build world in the UK.

But if you simply can not wait for the HUF HAUS team to build you one of their fabulous properties, there are modular building options available within the UK. Albeit they might not have the same eco-friendly ethos and heritage, you can construct a modular home in a UK factory and have it delivered to your site. The factory-built element would be the same, with the same benefits - fixed build costs, fast construction on-site, and the ability to design to your specifications.

Are you lucky enough to live in a HUF HAUS? We would love to hear from you on info@bydesignhomes.com