“We have a proven and trusted housebuilding system,” said Neil Bricher, the UK sales manager of Herrala Talot Houses. “We are looking to work in partnership with people who have knowledge of marketing houses in the UK.” Herrala Talot’s timber houses are prefabricated from large, bolt-together, factory-fabricated wall sections that include timber cladding, drylinings, glazing, first-fix joinery and doors.
“We can have a weathertight structure erected on site to pre-installed foundations in seven days,” said Bricher. “The property can be fully fitted out, decorated and ready for occupation within eight weeks. This offers a tremendous reduction in financing for contractors because their money is not tied up for as long as it would be in traditional construction.” The buildings will have doors, windows and first-fix joinery already fitted, so skilled labour costs will also be reduced.
The houses are usually clad in timber but, for the UK market, Bricher thinks most will be brick-faced. Herrala Talot plans to assemble the houses in the UK using Finnish labour, but, if a housebuilder prefers to use its own labour, the firm will train these operatives in Finland. More than 20 standard house designs are used, each of which can be customised. “Each house can be manufactured within a week of the order being placed and delivered to site in the UK within four to six weeks,” said Bricher.
The first order is yet to be placed in the UK.
“We are close to finalising details with one housebuilder that wants five houses, and we are looking at an estate of 24,” said Bricher. “But it would be wrong to name individuals at this moment.” The company is dealing with enquiries from as far afield as the Shetland Islands, the Scottish Highlands, Wales and the Home Counties.
Prices for individual houses range from £27 500 for a two-bedroom starter home to £81 000 for a five-bedroom house delivered to site and fully assembled. However, prices exclude the cost of the kitchen, any ceramics, the heating system, the cost of land and foundation work.
