HomeblyComparisons: SIP, brick, timber, A-frame or barnhouse
All our comparisons in one place, with the same figures as the price pages: choose the technology and the format first, then the design.
The comparison guides
SIP or brick
Speed, cost, insulation, durability — and when brick remains the right choice.
Timber frame or SIP panels
The same timber skeleton, a different place of construction: price, thermal bridges, dependence on the crew.
A-frame or barnhouse
Silhouette and photos versus usable square metres — with the 19 designs in the catalogue.
Shell or turnkey
What each formula includes and how much more turnkey costs.
The technology matrix
A summary of the two guides; every row is detailed in its article.
| Criterion | SIP panels | Brick | Classic timber frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the wall is built | In the factory, cut to the design; only assembly on site | On site, layer by layer, with drying times | On site, by hand, from five or six layers |
| The structure of the house | 1–2 weeks | Months; wet processes stop in winter | Weeks of skilled work |
| Price of the shell on its foundation | From €400/m², without windows, fixed by the factory before work starts | More labour and a costlier foundation at equal quality | Same price range as SIP, but crew-dependent |
| Insulation and thermal bridges | Continuous insulation with no studs in the wall; joints and assembly decide how it performs | Good thermal mass, but needs an extra insulation layer | Every stud is a thermal bridge; compensated with one more layer |
| Foundation | Light: strip, slab or piers, by plot | Heavier and costlier — the structure is heavy | Light, timber-skeleton structure |
| Dependence on the crew | Quality is decided in the factory; in Romania the producer's team assembles | Depends on good tradesmen at every stage | The result is proportional to the hands that make it |
| When it is the right choice | New house with a rational design, fixed price, short timeline | Thermal mass a priority, heavy finishes required locally, tradition | Non-standard architecture, extensions and loft conversions, your own crew |
A-frame or barnhouse
Same factory, same price formula — the shape and who the house is for differ.
| A-frame | Barnhouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Designs in the catalogue | 6, from 45.8 to 147 m² | 13, from 39.6 to 151.4 m² |
| Shape | Two roof slopes almost to the ground; the walls are also the roof | Rectangular volume, gable roof, vertical walls |
| Interior space | High ceiling at the centre; on small designs, a sleeping loft | Furniture against the wall and normal rooms upstairs |
| For whom | Rental cabins, glamping, weekend houses, sloped plots | A family house lived in all year, with an office and storage |
| Price | Shell on foundation from €400/m², turnkey from €900/m² | Same formula |
Frequently asked questions
Which technology is the cheapest?
At equal quality SIP is usually no more expensive: a lighter foundation, fewer stages on site. But "always cheaper" does not exist — the architecture, the plot and the finishing level move the picture, so compare complete estimates for identical houses. Shell on foundation from €400/m², turnkey from €900/m².
Which builds fastest?
SIP: the structure in 1–2 weeks and the roof in about a week, and a turnkey house in up to 6 months from deposit and permits. The gain shows on site: masonry has more sequential operations and processes that need curing time, so its structure usually takes longer; a classic timber frame needs weeks of skilled work on site.
A-frame or barnhouse for a family?
Barnhouse: vertical walls give normal rooms and furniture against the wall. The A-frame wins on silhouette and photos, hence on rental cabins and glamping.
Undecided between the options?
Tell us the plot and how you will use the house — we recommend the technology and the design, with a fixed price after the consultation.