Business Forum • 22 July, 2024 at 6:44 PM
Dwellii, a new player in the premium modular home market, introduces a unique concept in Romania: homes designed by top architecture firms from Romania and Germany, ready – including finishes and furniture – in 30 days and assembled in just one day. Prices for such homes start at €1,300/sqm, and currently, there are 7 individual models available for order.
In the current socio-economic context, with increasing challenges in the real estate market and a clear deficit of housing and highly skilled labor, Dwellii offers a perspective-changing proposition. Thus, within a maximum of 30 days, a client can move into a fully furnished and equipped new home, with a 10-year warranty. The homes currently in Dwellii's portfolio range in size from 52 to 70 sqm, and after assembly, the client can move in immediately.
It is increasingly difficult to obtain a quality product at a fair price and within a reasonable timeframe, given the difficulties in the labor market and beyond. That's why Dwellii started with the idea of doing absolutely all the work in its own factory – in Brașov – down to the last finish, to deliver a turnkey product that requires no further intervention from the owner, explained Horia Bălan, co-founder and Managing Partner of Dwellii.
The characteristics of Dwellii's modular homes make them ideal for those who own land and want a home – for vacation or permanent residence – without spending time on the construction site, but also for those looking to start or expand a tourism business.
”Our current production capacity allows us to meet the needs of investors who, for example, need 5-10 accommodation units quickly, which we can deliver within the same 30-day timeframe, turnkey. Assembly also takes one day per house, and they are ready to welcome guests the very next day,” added Horia Bălan.
Line-up of top architects
Dwellii homes have been designed by award-winning architects and architectural firms such as Cristian Corvin, Eliza Yokina, Craftr, LAMA Architecture, Sigurd Larsen, and BAAB. Detailed design is done in-house by a multidisciplinary team of structural, installation, and energy compliance engineers, along with experienced architects.
Designed to passive house standards, which translates into minimal energy consumption, Dwellii homes are built to last a lifetime. All 7 models currently available are designed for maximum living comfort, with large floor-to-ceiling windows, an interior height of 2.8 meters, a ventilation system with heat recovery, underfloor heating, anti-glare lights, a bathroom with a minimum area of 7 sqm, and a 2 sqm walk-in shower, and triple-glazed aluminum joinery.
The only task left for the owners is to build the foundation. However, Dwellii has also thought of quick and efficient solutions for this step. Thus, Dwellii provides its clients with the foundation project based on a geotechnical study, and after its completion, a company technician will inspect it so that installation can be scheduled.
”Our goal is to build durable homes that offer safety, comfort, and long-term pleasure. We use the latest and most advanced materials on the market, which contribute to the durability and energy efficiency of the homes. The important aspect is that all execution takes place in the factory, in a controlled environment, on a production line with clearly defined technological steps. This makes it much easier to monitor quality control as each step is defined, executed and verified,” Horia Bălan added.
Production capacity: 50 houses/year
The investment in launching this new concept on the Romanian market was €500,000. This included the development of concepts, design of production flows, prototyping, and optimization for seven individual models.
Dwellii's products are already available for order, and the Romanian company has already entered the international market by participating in the New Housing Germany fair at the end of June, where it was one of over 80 exhibitors from all over Europe. By the end of the year, Dwellii aims to produce and sell 16-20 modular homes. For 2025, the goal is to double the volume and turnover, with 30-40% of production dedicated to international orders.