The (r)evolution of residential development

Construction costs are rising before residential developers’ eyes. Many projects that are under construction are becoming more expensive, some are getting delayed, others are even suspended due to high costs. What solution do the developers have in the current situation?

One of the ways to reduce construction costs is to build from pre-prepared components (so-called prefabs) and thus reduce the construction time to a minimum. What shows a clear direction in this respect are prefabricated wooden buildings, which are built within a month. This construction pace reduces the overall construction costs and its impact on the environment. Prefabricated wooden buildings are becoming a clear choice not only for families, but also for developers. The largest Czech manufacturer of wooden buildings, RD Rýmařov, which has already realized around 26,000 buildings in more than 50 years of their existence, has therefore been very busy in recent months.

“Developers are showing more and more interest in combined buildings. Apart from fast construction, they appreciate the many years of know-how of our production plant and especially the delivery of turnkey houses. They don’t have to deal with problems that come with coordinating subcontractors or supply failures. We also offer them solutions as to how to reduce the impact of construction on the environment,” says Lukáš Foral, co-founder of the investment group Progresus Invest Holding, whose portfolio includes RD Rýmařov.

Built within a month and without raising prices

Fast construction is what cuts developers’ costs fundamentally. “Thanks to the prefabrication and complete production of our houses in the factory, the rough structure is built on the plot in a few days like a modern jigsaw puzzle. After further adjustments, you can live in the house within a month. You simply won’t get this lucky with concrete or brick houses,” Lukáš Foral describes the biggest benefit of prefabricated wooden buildings.

Fast production and assembly are also guaranteed by the automation in the production plant in Rýmařov. Thanks to its many years of tradition in the Czech construction market and long-term relationships with suppliers, RD Rýmařov was, at the beginning of the summer, able to launch an event that guarantees the price of the houses and meeting the deadline. Every month, the plant, which is located in the heart of the Jeseníky Mountains, increases its capacity, and wooden buildings are simply experiencing a boom.

“We realize that the guarantee of meeting the deadline and the price is crucial for our customers in the current economic situation. No one wants the construction to become several times more expensive in the process. At the beginning of the summer, we therefore launched an action within the framework of which we froze the prices of our houses, which was very much welcomed by our customers,” says Jiří Buchal, director of the RD Rýmařov production plant.

ESG solutions for both developers and cities

Developers and cities are beginning to realize the necessity of climate commitments, and prefabricated wooden buildings offer a clear solution there. Thanks to its ability to absorb large amounts of CO₂ emissions, wood is the only climate-neutral building material. At the same time, it is a renewable natural resource that returns to nature in the form of new plants. “Can you grow and replant concrete, for instance?” says Lukáš Foral, co-founder of the Progresus Invest Holding Group, wittily.

Careful construction based on prefabricated wooden components also fundamentally eliminates soil disturbance on the plot as well as within the surrounding greenery. Thanks to the speed of construction, the neighbours are not bothered by excessive noise and dust.

Healthy homes that save energy and money

Apart from climate neutrality, wood also stands out due to its excellent thermal insulation properties. It does not create thermal bridges which would allow for heat escape from houses. This fundamentally reduces the costs of heating, which is a key benefit for every customer these days. “You heat the house much faster than you would the ordinary brick houses, because you do not heat the massive perimeter walls, but practically only the living space. The overall operating costs are also significantly reduced by the combination of a heat pump and a photovoltaic system. These are included in our house’ price. This way you can save thousands to tens of thousands of crowns a year,” says Jiří Buchal, director of the Rýmařov production plant.

It seems we got right into a revolutionary new era of fast and sustainable living. This saves time, money and is kind to the surrounding nature. Moreover, investors, who are currently all for green investment, are beginning to realize the ecological benefits of development projects based on prefabricated wooden buildings.