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Need a new house? Order online from China for less than $25,000 (www.straitstimes.com)
submitted 6 months ago by to c/world
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cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/64063873

Spanning about 71.5 sq m, a flat-packed house will arrive move-in ready, complete with a bedroom, kitchen, independent bathroom – and even preinstalled windows.

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[–] 11 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I worked on a house that was prefabbed in Indiana and trucked over here where we have tight building regulations. Like all electrical MUST be run through EMT conduit.

So imagine my surprise when I found a rats nest if Romex in the mechanical closet. None of the wires were even trimmed, it was a tied up ball of wires going into the panel.

I'd have the same concern getting a cheap house shipped in from overseas. What corners were cut to save money? Who can you call when you discover an issue with the construction 6 months later?

I see the appeal, I just don't think I'd be comfortable living in it

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Builders also often cut corners when building a standard build-on-site house too. If you have a newly built home, do you really think they're going to take your calls if you find an issue with the construction 6 months later?

    It's probably worse if you order something prefabbed from China where they don't have to worry about their local reputation, and they're far from any legal consequences. But, where I live at least there are a lot of very powerful builders who are extremely well connected to the government. I can't remember them ever facing consequences for shoddy building.

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  • [–] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

    If you have a newly built home, do you really think they're going to take your calls if you find an issue with the construction 6 months later?

    Yes....because that's how the law works. Builders are on the hook long after construction is complete.

    Furthermore, new construction has MULTIPLE waves of inspections throughout the build which makes detrimental corner cutting a lot harder. You obviously don't get that with prefabs of any kind.

    It doesn't seem like you're very familiar with the industry. Builders get sued every day for problems they caused years ago. If they don't fix it, they get sued. It's part of the reason they're required to have insurance.

    But, where I live at least there are a lot of very powerful builders who are extremely well connected to the government. I can't remember them ever facing consequences for shoddy building.

    There's shitty builders everywhere (Lennar lol) who seem to operate for years with impunity but they're mostly doing full cookie cutter neighborhoods. Builders who do one-offs can be shitty, too, but have a portfolio and reputation for you to consider ahead of time. You just have to trust the images when you buy a house online

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