Our most asked questions

FAQ

1. Combien coûte une maison en A ?

C'est la question la plus fréquemment posée.

Combien coûte la maison ?

Quel est le budget total d'un Trio 100 ou d'un autre modèle ?

Il n'existe pas de réponse unique au budget total d'une construction terminée.
Dans notre Guide budgétaire, nous approfondissons ce sujet et proposons une méthode et un outil utile pour répondre à cette question, adaptés à

votre projet spécifique.

En résumé, il faudra prendre en compte des plusieurs facteurs du prix.

Par exemple :

2. Pouvez-vous livrer sur mon chantier ?

Nous livrons partout dans le monde : en Australie, Canada, Japon... et bien sûr en France.

Les kits sont livrées en pack plat, ce qui les rend très compactes et faciles à transporter. Nous avons expédié des maisons jusqu'en Corée du Sud et aux Açores !
Toutes les régions du monde, sauf pour les États-Unis, reçoivent leurs kits de notre usine en Estonie ; nous pouvons livrer presque partout.
Les frais de transport ni la TVA (si s'applique) ne sont pas inclus dans le prix de nos kits affichés sur le site : contactez notre conseiller pour des precisions.
3. Savez-vous quel type d’impôts vous devrez payer pour une nouvelle construction ?
Contactez-nous directement pour obtenir plus d'informations - Nous contacter
4. Où puis-je obtenir la Feuille de calcul du budget ?

Nous avons réalisé une vidéo  sur la budgétisation il y a quelque temps afin de vous donner quelques conseils pour budgétiser une maison en A prédécoupée. Elle vous présente les outils nécessaires pour établir votre budget de construction.

Aujourd'hui, nous avons créé une ressource plus complète et plus utile: le Guide budgétaire

5. Can you alter the floor plan?

Yes, we can alter floor plans. The only load-bearing element in an A-frame house is the A-frame itself. It doesn't need additional support or any load-bearing interior walls, so we can play around with the floor plans quite a lot.

It is also possible to make changes to any of our model’s interior design.
If you want a balcony looking down into the living room, we can do that for you. We can add decks, door mirrors, balconies skylights, and other design elements as well.

6. Can you customize my AVRAME house?

Yes, we can change a lot.
Here are a few ideas of what you can customize.

7. How much does it cost to deliver the kit to my location?

The exact sum of shipping depends on the house size and distance from the factory to your site.

Generally, shipping is up to 10% of the kit cost.

Shipping smaller kits might be more expensive as they do not fill one entire truck and we end up transporting air (expensive and useless exercise).

For more accurate shipping costs feel free to reach out to our team

8. How long does it take to receive my kit?
Production time is 10...12 weeks (depending on the season).
Shipping in Europe takes 2...6 days.
Shipping to North and South Americas takes about 4...6 weeks.
Shipping to Asia takes up to 8 weeks.
9. Which heating system can I use in an A-frame house?

A-Frame is a regular timber frame home, so all heating systems are possible. It really depends on the fuel source you have available.

On our YouTube channel, we have a video covering this topic

10. What kind of ventilation system is recommended?

You can install any kind of ventilation system.

We prefer to use natural ventilation (skylights, window ventilation strips, etc.).
In some building regulation, mechanic ventilation is mandatory therefore it is recommended that you check which is the ventilation option you should go for (we cover this in the 100 Questions Guide)

11. Is there a walkthrough video of each model?

We get a lot of comments asking for more walk-through videos on our finished houses. We understand that photos don't always help put the actual size into perspective, so we are definitely planning to roll out video walkthroughs of each model soon.

Right now we have walk-through videos for four models:

More videos are uploaded each month. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss them

12. Do you offer assembly service?

Not directly.

Depending on your location we might have a preferred contractor we can put you in touch with.

We will also assist you in finding a local contractor if you require assistance

13. Which is the level of complexity of building an A-frame kit house?

A-frame is a very simple construction.
It is more like putting together an IKEA furniture than the traditional house building process.

You will get very detailed drawings with step by step instructions to help you on your every step of the build

14. Which kind of foundation is required for the house?

The most economical (and practical) way to go is the concrete stripe foundation (up to 60% cheaper than the slab and has the same kind of durability and functionality).

You can also do the post foundation.

Please keep in mind that the type of foundation you can actually use depends on the condition of the ground on your location.

Foundations for A-frame Cabins

15. Can I build a basement under the house?

Yes, a solution with full basement is easily doable.

A-frames need just 3 support points. They can be supported by a metal beam in the middle and by the stone part on the sides.

16. Why are the prices for the U.S. higher?

We made a video that explains this in detail.
You can find it here.

In short, several US states have very strict building regulations that require the use of stronger wood material + steel hardware.
These components increase the overall cost of materials in the kit.

Also, still due to the more strict regulations, the step between the frames of the structure is about half compared to the EU version... which results in about twice the material for the framing of the structure. 1250mm for the EU version compared to 600 mm for The US version.

17. Are special parts included in the kit?

We sell worldwide and each Country has different regulations for technical installations, therefore we focus on supplying the structural part of the house and all the special parts have to be sourced locally.

Here is a list of the parts you will have to source locally:

You can find a more detailed list here.

We have a video that covers this topic more in detail:
Kit Home Building: THIS you have to source locally

IMPORTANT: this list is not complete nor exhaustive. For more information on what you shall take into account, you should consult our Self-building Guides.

18. What is the expected lifespan (+warranty) of the houses and how often do they need maintenance?

Wooden structures can last for centuries. We have a wooden church here in Estonia on one of our islands standing there for more than 370 years.

If the foundation is solid and raised (min. 30 cm) from ground and roof covering is tight, your home will outlast your grandchildren.

The wooden parts we sell have 2 years warranty.

Ruukki classic c has 50 years of technical warranty and 20 years of aesthetic warranty.

The Velux skylights have 10 years warranty.

The builder has to give its own final warranty for the final build and product (5-10 years usually).

We use only high-quality materials (see this video).

Maintenance is very low.

You have to service the gable walls. Depending on the conditions repainting the cladding once in every 5-10 years.
That is pretty much all you have to do from
the outside.

From inside it is like any other house - the maintenance depends on your choice of materials and usage.

If maintained properly then the house will last for many generations.

19. Can the houses stand my climate?

Compared to a traditional timber frame buildings a-frames are very well insulated.

The total energy performance of the house depends on the insulation material and heating system.

Avrame houses are designed to perform well in the Nordic climate and it can withstand very harsh winters.

Snow is not an issue: it will simply fall off the roof because of its steep angle.

The houses can also do very well in hot temperatures (rock wool works in both conditions – keeps the house warm in winter and
cold in summer).

The insulation material has to be sourced locally since there is no point of transporting it (high volume and no cost saving).

The thickness of insulation material in the different model is:

20. Is living off-grid really affordable? Can I have all my energy and heating need and also keep a job with this lifestyle?

Yes, you can.
Indrek (Avrame CEO) has been living off the grid for already many years and he obviously has a job.

To live off-grid successfully you need to prioritize your energy needs and cut everything superfluous.
Living off-grid will make your life easier and will less financial burdens. It will grant you more time to enjoy the things you really like to do.

The TRUTH about living off-grid

21. Where can I find real life pictures?
Click here to see the gallery.
22. What should I do to get preliminary approval from my local planning officials?
You should start with our initial views and plans and they can be found here - avrame.com/drawings
23. What are the financing options?
We don’t offer financing through Avrame and would suggest contacting your local loan provider.
24. What are the payment options?
Our payment terms are straight forward. 50% pre-payment when signing a contract and the other 50% on the 6th week of production. Production takes 10-12 weeks. Later deposit might cause delay in delivery.
25. What are the things to think through before going off-grid?

Yes you can do it and here you can find one helpful video -

Before you go off-grid..

26. How are the houses shipped?
Shipping is done either with containers or with truck transportation.
27. Would it be possible to purchase plans and do the cutting locally?
No, it’s not possible with larger houses, but we do have DIY drawings for our smallest models, which are Solo+ - https://shop.avrame.com/collections/diy-plan-sets
28. Can two houses be joined together?
Yes they can. The connection of the two models will be thought through in the drawings phase. One example can be found here.
29. What type of insulation is used with Avrame houses?

Insulation materials are not part of the kit and have to be sourced locally because they are bulky and will take a lot of room in cargo. You can use fiberglass, rockwool, or spray foam insulation.

Insulation for A-frame houses

30. How insulation works?

Here you can find a video about this topic -

How Insulation Works - in 57 seconds

31. Can A-frames be built in seismic areas?
Due to the low center of mass a-frames are great option for seismic areas. Our houses have been built in Japan, South Korea and California which are prone for earthquakes.
32. What is the simplest way to have electricity when going off-grid?

A video about this topic -

Off-grid with a Battery Bank?

33. What is a dormer?

It is mostly used to create the main entrance of the
house or to enlarge the bathroom.

Dormers for A-frame houses

34. Y a-t-il un responsable Avrame dans ma région ?

Ici vous pouvez voir une liste de nos responsables -

avrame.com/representatives