Prefabricated timber-framed houses are constructed with major structural components, such as walls, floors, and roof sections, manufactured off-site in a controlled factory environment. These components are then transported to the building site for rapid assembly. At Senmar, we utilize both panelized and modular construction methods to ensure precision and efficiency.
Senmar prefabricated houses offer numerous benefits, including significantly faster construction times, superior energy efficiency, exceptional quality control, enhanced durability, inherent environmental sustainability, and a high degree of design flexibility. They also tend to be more cost-effective in the long run due to reduced labor and material waste.
Absolutely. Sustainability is at the core of our operations. We use sustainably sourced timber, ensuring that for every tree cut, three new ones are planted. Our production process minimizes waste by up to 70%, and timber itself acts as a carbon sink. Additionally, our houses are designed for high thermal efficiency, significantly reducing energy consumption. We aim for our buildings to sequester more CO2 than was released during their production.
Our houses are designed for superior thermal efficiency, minimizing energy loss. We offer different insulation presets, including our "Super Passive" option, which meets stringent Passivhaus standards, potentially reducing energy use for heating and cooling by up to 75% compared to standard builds. This translates to substantial long-term savings on utility bills.
Senmar specializes in a wide range of timber-framed structures, including tiny houses, cabins, family villas, residential houses, commercial buildings, saunas, and various gardening solutions. Our customizable approach allows us to adapt to diverse project requirements.
Prefabricated houses differ from traditional ones mainly in how and where they are built:
Prefab houses are faster, more efficient, and often greener, while traditional ones offer more flexibility in on-site customization.
The resale market for modern prefab/modular houses is generally positive. Built to code on permanent foundations, they often hold similar resale value to traditional ones. The historical misconception of low value is largely due to confusion with mobile houses. Growing market acceptance, demand, and quality construction are boosting their resale potential, with location and condition remaining key factors.
Prefabricated houses are generally safe, often meeting or exceeding the safety standards of traditional ones. They are built in controlled factory environments, ensuring precision engineering, rigorous quality control, and robust construction. This results in durable houses designed to withstand various elements, including fire and adverse weather.
Prefab houses can be a strong investment. The market is growing, offering faster ROI due to quicker builds and often lower initial costs. Factory-controlled construction ensures quality and energy efficiency. Modern prefabricated houses, when built to code on permanent foundations, can appreciate similarly to traditional ones, dispelling older stigmas. However, some market perceptions or fewer comparables for appraisal can be considerations.
Modern prefabricated houses are designed to last just as long as, or even longer than, traditional stick-built houses, with lifespans often ranging to 100 years or more.
Modern prefab and modular houses generally do not lose value like older mobile houses. Instead, they typically appreciate similar to traditional stick-built houses when key conditions are met. This is because they adhere to the same building codes, are placed on permanent foundations, and benefit from quality factory-controlled construction. As public perception improves, the old stigma fades, boosting their market acceptance. Like any property, their value is most influenced by location, proper maintenance, market demand, and modern features. The key is differentiating them from older manufactured houses - a well-built, well-sited prefab house is an appreciating asset.
Prefab houses support the green economy by offering a more sustainable and efficient approach to construction. Built in controlled environments, they reduce material waste, energy use, and environmental impact. Many use eco-friendly materials and feature energy-efficient designs, including insulation and renewable energy systems. Their faster build times and minimal site disruption lower carbon emissions. As demand for sustainable housing rises, prefab houses provide a practical, scalable solution aligned with environmental and economic sustainability goals.
Yes, customization is a key aspect of our service. We offer comprehensive design services, allowing you to either create a completely new design from the ground up or modify one of our existing architectural plans to perfectly suit your preferences and needs.
We typically allow up to 3 design iterations at no additional cost. Modifications during the licensing process are also included at no extra cost if the change is due to our work.
Yes, we support smart house integration, though this is not included in the standard price.
Outdoor terraces are included in the standard models. Adjustments can be made upon request.
While the core structure is prefabricated, you have significant flexibility for interior and exterior finishes. We can work with you to integrate various architectural styles, cladding materials, roofing options, and interior layouts to achieve your desired aesthetic and functionality.
Yes, we have four main technological presets to simplify your selection process:
We handle all the design aspects, including both architectural and technical designs, for a thoroughly planned and executed project. Beyond Portugal, we support local licensed specialists to manage project specifics.
Customization is virtually unlimited, but environmental impact and cost-effective solutions usually guide us to the right choice of materials:
Our prefabrication process drastically cuts on-site construction time. While production for a typical house can take a few months, assembly is usually completed in just 1-2 weeks. This means you'll be in your new house much faster than with a traditional building. We'll provide a precise timeline once your project is finalized.
Once your foundation is ready and components arrive, our skilled builders will efficiently assemble your house on-site. For projects outside Portugal, local crane services may be an additional cost. This process ensures flawless construction with minimal disruption.
To ensure a smooth build, proper site and foundation readiness is essential. We manage this for our Portuguese clients. If you're outside Portugal, we'll provide all the necessary guidance and specifications for your foundation.
Our typical workflow involves initial consultation and needs assessment, design and planning, detailed quotation, factory production of components, transportation to the site, on-site assembly, and final handover. We maintain clear communication throughout each stage.
Yes, we can build on sloped terrain using concrete or screw piles. This will require proper site evaluation and calculations during the Project phase. The price will always increase with complexity.
We primarily use high-quality Scandinavian timber sourced from sustainably managed forests, where responsible forestry practices are rigorously followed. Our commitment ensures that for every tree harvested, three new ones are planted, supporting forest regeneration and environmental health.
We produce our prefabricated components in a state-of-the-art factory, leveraging automated machinery and BIM design for core production. This controlled environment ensures strict quality control, high precision, and consistency across all elements.
Our modules undergo multiple quality control checks during production and assembly, all overseen by a supervisor specialized in this technology. The quality control procedures according to ISO 9001 are under evaluation/implementation.
Photo or video documentation of the production process can be delivered upon request, but we will standard report with the help of SAP and other software, a documentation process for after sales and warranty purposes.
Some municipalities require Inspection reports to ensure the project was done according to the submitted plans. that can be provided by independent companies.
Absolutely. Senmar houses are built for resilience and durability in any environment. Our advanced engineering and high-quality materials ensure they stand strong against seismic activity (thanks to timber's inherent flexibility), extreme heat, harsh winters, and even the humidity of coastal regions.
We use premium insulation materials like mineral wool, cellulose, hemp fiber, and cork panels for superior thermal efficiency. The specific insulation type and thickness are customized based on your chosen preset (Basic, Optimal, Passive, Super Passive), your requirements, and the local climate.
We can design houses to meet Passivhaus standards, ex. (ensuring 1 full air renovation every 2 hours).
The external walls have a minimum of 250mml thickness that includes multiple materials layers, which give us a soundproofing insulation in the range of 45-50 dB;
Inside walls feature 130mm thickness giving a range of 50-55 dB soundproof insulation, which can be improved if needed.
We also offer projected cork finishing for soundproofing enhanced, with extra insulation and fire resistance properties.
Up to 3-story buildings, our timber frame panels don’t require reinforcements or pillars.
Our timber frame constructions offer exceptional seismic resilience, inherently outperforming more common heavy structures like brick or concrete in earthquake-prone areas. The lightweight nature of timber significantly reduces the seismic forces a building must endure. Unlike brittle materials such as masonry or concrete, wood possesses natural flexibility, allowing our structures to absorb and dissipate seismic energy effectively. This is further enhanced by ductile connections, robust shear walls, and a continuous load path from roof to foundation, ensuring forces are safely transferred to the ground. The result is a building designed not just to withstand an earthquake, but to minimize damage and allow for rapid recovery.
To meet diverse project needs and specific performance requirements, we offer a range of insulation materials for our timber frame constructions. Among these, hemp wool stands out for its notable environmental benefit: as a plant-based material, hemp actively captures and stores atmospheric CO2 during its growth cycle. This sequestered carbon becomes part of the insulation itself, contributing to a structure with a lower embodied carbon footprint and aligning with sustainable building goals.
For applications prioritizing fire safety, we also utilize Mineral Wool and Rock Wool. Both these materials are non-combustible and boast excellent Class A fire ratings, providing robust fire resistance within wall assemblies, facades, or around base concrete elements.
Additionally, for specific insulation needs such as below-grade concrete slabs, XPS Foam is an option, valued for its high resistance to moisture and degradation, ensuring long-term thermal performance in demanding environments. Our selection of insulation is tailored to optimize the overall performance, safety, and sustainability of your timber frame building.
Yes, we offer worldwide delivery of our prefabricated houses. We collaborate with trusted logistics partners who specialize in transporting prefabricated structures, ensuring a smooth and timely delivery regardless of your location.
Our delivery service includes nationwide and international transport via specialized vehicles, coordinated scheduling to align with your construction timeline, on-site delivery support during unloading, and handling of all necessary permits and legal assistance by our logistics partners. You'll also receive transparent tracking updates.
Our trusted logistics partners are responsible for arranging any required permits for the transportation of large structures, ensuring compliance with all local and international regulations. We oversee this process to ensure all paperwork is handled efficiently.
Our delivery times are based on production planning, and since much of our work is industrialized, it’s easy to predict. However, delays from external parties can occur. Penalty clauses can be discussed and added if it brings value to our offer.
The maximum transportable dimensions are 10m x 2.5m x 3m for open platform transport. We can go wider, but it will be less cost-effective. For prefabricated panels in standard containers, we can transport double the area, with lower cost and risk.
It will take around 1 or 2 weeks to assemble a 200m2 house on a concrete (slab previously done) if we pre-fabricate panels in our factory.
It will take 2 or 4 days to assemble a 200m2 modular house considering 4 to 5 modules (screw piles are previously installed).
The cost of a Senmar prefabricated house varies depending on the chosen design, size, level of customization, and selected technological preset (Basic, Optimal, Passive, Super Passive). Our structure presets start from approximately €155/m2 for Basic up to €345/m2 for Super Passive. We recommend contacting us for a personalized quote.
Key factors influencing the final price include the total build area, the complexity of the architectural design, the chosen insulation preset, the level of interior and exterior finishes, site-specific considerations, and transportation distance.
The price of prefab and modular houses varies widely.
While prefab offers cost predictability and faster builds, the total "turnkey" price in the EU depends on many factors, similar to traditional construction.
While Senmar does not directly provide financing, we can guide you on the general process for securing financing for prefabricated houses. We recommend exploring options with your local financial institutions and can provide necessary documentation for your application.
The base price estimation includes:
Local taxes are usually not included.
We usually work on milestone payments
For finishing and additional work the payment is also similar.
Our buildings are designed to meet and exceed local building codes and regulations in the regions where we operate. We work closely with clients to ensure all necessary permits and compliance requirements are met for their specific project location.
Senmar is committed to meeting and exceeding the highest environmental and energy certification standards. Our buildings can be designed to comply with rigorous standards such as Passive House, LEED, and BREEAM, ensuring exceptional performance in energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impact.
Since we use wood in our production, EN 1090 is not applicable to our technology (it’s for steel and alluminium structures). All materials we use are CE marked, and if not produced in Portugal, they are sourced from the EU.
Our membranes have a fire safety rating of Class-E. However, we can improve fire resistance, up to Class-B, upon request (which will incur additional costs).
Currently, we manually calculate the CO2 emissions of each product and technology, and this report is available for an additional cost. Soon, we will be able to generate these reports automatically after the production and reporting software (offered to the client at no cost).
We ensure the longevity of your house by impregnating all structural and timber elements against fungus, insects, and fire, before securely embedding them within our prefabricated wall panels. As with any quality house, regular maintenance is essential, including periodic checks of the exterior cladding, roof, and foundation, alongside ensuring good ventilation. Properly treated timber is an exceptionally durable material, and our buildings share the same fundamental need for high-quality materials and proven finishing techniques as any other well-constructed property.
We're committed to the quality of your Senmar house. While the standard EU warranty is 10 years, we offer the possibility of extending it if work not performed by us adheres to building codes, as verified by our technical supervision. Full warranty details, covering structural integrity and components, will be in your contract. Feel free to reach out for more information.
Our commitment to customer satisfaction extends beyond project completion. We offer ongoing support for any questions or concerns you may have regarding your Senmar house. Our regional sales and partnerships managers are available to assist you.
You can reach us through the contact form on our website, via email at info@senmar.pt, or by calling our regional sales and partnerships managers directly. Contact details for specific regions and languages are available on our "Contact Us" page.
Yes, we offer maintenance and after-sales support upon request. Additionally, any necessary repairs or support within the warranty period are covered as per the agreed terms.
Expansion is possible but should ideally be planned from the beginning to ensure seamless integration. Retrofitting additional modules later can be more expensive, as it may require structural adjustments and could lead to duplicated external walls. Therefore, careful planning is essential to ensure a cost-effective and efficient expansion.
Absolutely! We're happy to give you a firsthand look at our factory and introduce you to examples of our completed houses. If a show house isn't immediately available, we can often arrange site visits to past projects or provide an extensive portfolio. Get in touch with us to explore your options.