Timber Frame vs. Brick Houses – A Reliable Comparison of Construction and Operating Costs in 2025
Can you afford sentiment for brick in 2025?
The decision to build a house in 2025 is a high-stakes game that keeps investors awake at night due to the rising costs of traditional labor. The myth that "brick means more solid" is slowly becoming obsolete, giving way to hard math. If you are looking for a house that will not only be built quickly but also will not ruin your wallet during operation, you must look at the numbers, not at habits from a decade ago. In this article, we will break down the costs of building modern timber frame houses and then compare them with the brutal reality of a traditional construction site.
Ekodom50: Small area, big difference in price. Cost simulation
Let's start with a specific item that interests many investors looking for a starter home, a summer house, or an investment for rent. Our Ekodom50 model is an innovative "Modern Barn" that perfectly fits narrow plots and regulations for construction without a permit. But how does its price compare to building a 50-meter house from concrete blocks?
Here is a simulation for a 50 m² project with a mezzanine (as of Q1 2025):
| Stage / Cost | Ekodom50 (System-S) Timber frame house price 2025 | Brick House (Market average) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Foundations Frame is lighter = cheaper slab/foundation. | Material and concrete savings | + approx. €3,500-4,700 (Requires massive footings and deep excavations) |
| 2. Closed Shell State Construction, roof, window joinery. | €37,000 net (Certain, contractual price) | approx. €40,700 net (Risk of steel and concrete price increases during work) |
| 3. Developer-Ready State Installations, insulation, wall finishing, screeds. | €56,700 net (Quick assembly, no technological breaks) | approx. €66,300 - €69,800 net* (Expensive plastering, grooving, long drying) |
| REALIZATION TIME | 3 - 4 months | 12 - 18 months |
*Market estimate including labor and materials for WT 2021 energy-efficient standard.
By choosing Ekodom50, you not only save approx. €9,300-11,600 in cash during the construction phase alone. You also save nerves related to "paperwork" (construction by notification) and gain a year of life by moving in almost immediately.
Ekodom110: A family fortress cheaper than an apartment in a block?
Many of our clients ask: "What about a large house for a family?". Here, the price differences are even more visible. Let's look at the Ekodom110 model. It has 105.08 m² of usable area, a living room with a kitchenette, two bathrooms, and as many as 4 or 5 bedrooms. This is a full-sized year-round home.
Cost of building an Ekodom110 timber frame house (developer-ready state): €102,000 net.
Let's try to find an alternative at this price:
- City apartment: In 2025, for €102,000 in a large city, you can buy a studio apartment or a small two-room apartment (approx. 35-40 m²). At System-S, you get over 100 meters for the whole family.
- Brick house 100m²: Bringing a traditional building of this area to a developer-ready standard, while maintaining high insulation standards, is an expense of around €128,000 - €139,500 net (calculating by outsourced system).
The choice is simple. Ekodom110 offers an unrivaled price-to-area and functionality ratio, unattainable for traditional "brick" in current economic realities.
Timber frame or brick costs – where does your money go?
Building by economic method or traditional method is often a financial "bottomless pit". When you choose brick technology, you must reckon with:
- Long drying process: Plasters and screeds mean thousands of liters of water that must evaporate. This generates heating costs for an empty building to "extract moisture."
- Labor cost inflation: Construction lasting 2 years exposes you to drastic increases in construction crew rates.
- Opportunity cost (Lost Chances Rent): If brick construction takes a year longer than timber frame, and you rent an apartment for €700 per month during this time, you actually lose €8,400, which you could have spent on interior finishing.
Thermal bridges – energy-efficient house profit calculation
Construction costs are one thing, but operating costs are the second life of your home. Here, timber frame technology outclasses traditional brick walls. The key is insulation and the elimination of thermal bridges.
"In brick construction, we fight thermal bridges, trying to cover them with a thick layer of polystyrene. It's like symptomatic treatment. In our timber frame houses, such as Ekodom110, the wall structure is entirely filled with insulation. Wood itself is an insulator, not a conductor of cold like concrete or ceramics. With us, the wall is not 'insulated', it is 'warm' throughout its cross-section. This is a difference you will feel with every electricity bill."
— System-S Technical Expert
Comparative table: Timber frame vs. brick houses
Let's summarize the key differences that affect your wallet and quality of life.
| Parameter | Timber Frame House (System-S) | Brick House (Traditional) |
|---|---|---|
| Construction time | 3 - 4 months (to developer-ready state) | 12 - 24 months (risk of winter stoppages) |
| Price certainty | High (short realization time = no inflation) | Low (prolonged time threatens price valorization) |
| Insulation | Wall filled with wool in 100% of the cross-section | Insulation only on the outside (risk of bridges at joints) |
| Usable area | Larger (thinner walls with better insulation) | Smaller (thick walls take up internal floor space) |
| Heating cost | Minimal (fast heating, no heat loss) | Higher (high thermal inertia, energy loss) |
Summary – is it worth building a timber frame house in 2025?
Looking at the prices of the Ekodom50 model (€56,700 net for developer-ready) or the family Ekodom110 (€102,000 net), the answer is obvious. In the face of rising costs of traditional labor and materials, timber frame technology has become the most economically rational choice. You get a house faster, cheaper, and with an energy standard that exceeds current norms. Don't wait for material prices to soar again. Only with us: free project valuation – start planning your move this year!"