Prefabricated home builders put up homes that are partly made off site: nutec houses, timber and log homes, light steel frame houses, modular units and container homes. Some make the walls in their own factory and erect them; others buy in panels or kits and only build on site. For a home you will live in, the builder must be registered with the NHBRC and the home enrolled before work starts. Send one free, no-obligation request and builders who work in your area quote you directly.
What prefabricated home builders do
Builders in this trade usually work with one or two systems:
- Nutec and timber frame builders who build nutec houses (fibre cement boards on a timber or steel frame) and wooden houses clad in timber.
- Light steel frame builders who erect roll-formed frames and clad them in boards.
- Modular and container builders who finish units in a yard and crane them on.
- Wendy house builders for smaller backyard rooms and cabins.
Many also do the slab, plumbing and wiring with their own trades or subcontractors.
Choosing a builder
Compare builders on the system, the paperwork and past work, not only on the price per square metre:
- NHBRC. Check the builder's registration with the NHBRC, and that the home will be enrolled before work starts.
- System. Ask which system they use and whether it carries an Agrément certificate if it is not a standard building method.
- Past homes. Ask for addresses of homes they built a few years ago and look at how they have aged.
- Insulation and finishes. Ask what is in the walls and roof, and how the home meets SANS 10400-XA.
Plans, contracts and common mistakes
The builder or your plan drawer submits plans to the municipality, and nothing should go up until they are approved. Get a written contract with the price, what is included, a payment schedule linked to stages and how changes are priced. Mistakes that cost people money:
- Paying most of the price up front before anything is on site.
- Building without approved plans and being told to stop or take it down.
- Leaving the foundation to a different team with no one checking it is level and square.
- No certificate of compliance for the wiring at handover.
What affects the price and what to ask
Builders quote per job, usually per square metre with extras listed. The system, size, roof, insulation, finishes, bathrooms and kitchen, the slab, the distance from the builder and the site access all move the price. Ask each builder:
- What is the price per m², and what is not included?
- Are the slab, plumbing, wiring and council fees in the price?
- What is the payment schedule, and will we sign a written contract?
- What warranty do you give, and how does NHBRC enrolment work on this job?
What to put in your request
- What you want built and the size
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Whether you have approved plans
- The stand address and site access
- Who does the slab and the services
Prefab Home Builders for different clients
- Homeowners: a builder to put up a family home or a big extension on their own stand
- Backyard landlords and families: a builder pricing a block of rental rooms or a granny flat in stages
- Farms and smallholdings: a builder for staff houses on a farm, with the slab and services included
- Lodges, guest farms and resorts: a builder for chalets and staff housing on a remote site with steep access
- Schools and creches: a contractor for classrooms or staff housing, with the paperwork a department expects
- Contractors and mines: a builder erecting camp housing for a mine or a long construction project
- Shops, offices and small businesses: a builder for a clinic, shop or office in panels on a slab
- Municipalities, churches and NGOs: contractors for clinics, halls and relocation housing built with an approved system
Frequently asked questions
How do I check prefabricated home builders are registered?
How much does a prefab home builder charge?
Do prefab home builders do the foundation?
Who will quote me?
Prefab Home Builders by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg