Ele George visits WeberHaus on her Churchill Fellowship fact-finding mission to discover how Germany excels in home manufacturing.
The Fellowship was established to offer funding for overseas research that benefits society. Ele explained, “My research is centred on one question: How can we use industrialised construction to make commissioning a home tailored to your needs a realistic option for more people in Britain?”
On arriving at WeberHaus in Germany, Ele was immediately struck by the sense of order and purpose. Her conversation with Stefan Weisshuhn, a lead architect at WeberHaus, highlighted the first key to Germany’s success: land access. In Germany, local councils prepare serviced plots with clear design codes covering details like roof pitch, materials and footprint (known as the ‘Bebauungsplan’) and sell them directly to individuals. This system lets companies like WeberHaus focus on delivering excellent products and customer experiences.
WeberHaus disproves the idea that prefabricated houses must look the same. As Stefan explained, about 80% of their sales start with pre-designed catalogue models, but these are just the beginning. Each model has 10 to 20 variations, and customers can personalise their homes at the “World of Living” sampling centre. For instance, you can change almost anything - shift walls, move or add windows, make them bigger, and much more. Each home is tailored to reflect the customer’s unique vision. This customisation approach is particularly relevant for the UK market, where WeberHaus builds exclusively bespoke, architect-designed homes rather than catalogue-based models.
This “mass customisation” is possible thanks to one of Europe’s most advanced automated production lines. Robots handle the heavy timber for precise cuts, and digital tracking ensures every part for a unique house arrives on site in the right order. The result is impressive: a weatherproof shell can be assembled by a team of four in just three days, using only five or six lorry loads. The UK does have a timber‑panel supply chain, although it is far less developed than Germany’s. "Despite significant investment in volumetric modular construction, we still haven't managed to replicate the German model," notes Ele.
Ele’s visit confirmed her belief that the UK’s housing crisis is not just about the number of homes, but also about choice, quality and dignity in how homes are built. The idea that WeberHaus offers more than just houses strongly resonated with Ele's findings. They provide a proven, holistic system that empowers people, respects the environment, and delivers lasting value.
