Portuguese 
Spanish 
Prefabricated house imported from China cost about US$ 50,000, has three bedrooms, and was installed on the land in approximately one hour.
The influencer Leti Leites, known on social media as @leticomunica, installed a prefabricated house of 72 square meters on a plot she already owned in Santa Fe, Argentina, after being informed that she would need to leave the property where she was renting. The structure was purchased online, manufactured in China, and transported inside a container.
The residence was chosen as a temporary solution while the project for a permanent house is not yet executed. According to Leti, the total investment was close to US$ 50,000, a value that included manufacturing, transportation, importation, and installation.
Between the first contact with the manufacturer and the arrival of the module on the land, the process took about four months. The physical assembly, however, was completed in approximately one hour.
-
Brazilian Architect Patents Styrofoam House 20% Cheaper, Maintains 23°C Year-Round; Client Builds 280 Meters of Wall in 40 Days
-
Roof Tile Made from Recycled Milk Cartons Lasts 100 Years, Supports Over 150 kg per Square Meter, and is Produced in Brazil’s Passo Fundo Factory
-
Affordable Housing Project in Brazil’s Mato Grosso Aims for 700 Deliveries and $34 Million in 2026, Outpacing Major Developers in High-Demand Areas
-
Brazil’s Largest Port to Accommodate Bigger Ships by October as Ibama Approves Non-Explosive Removal of Hidden Rocks and Sediments
Prefabricated house was chosen after price comparison
Before finalizing the purchase, Leti evaluated different ways to build on the land.
The conventional option was discarded because of the cost and time required to complete the construction. According to the values provided by the owner, a traditional construction would cost approximately US$ 1,400 per square meter.
The modular properties produced in the country ranged between US$ 1,000 and US$ 1,200 per square meter. Meanwhile, the Chinese prefabricated house had an estimated cost of US$ 700 per square meter.
Comparison presented by the owner
- Conventional construction: about US$ 1,400 per m²;
- national modular model: between US$ 1,000 and US$ 1,200 per m²;
- model imported from China: approximately US$ 700 per m²;
- total investment: close to US$ 50,000.
The numbers were used by Leti to determine which alternative would be compatible with the available time frame and the need to leave the rental. Although the installation occurred quickly, the purchase involved several prior steps.
The period of approximately four months included the initial contact with the company, the production of the structure, international transport, and the release of the container. Leti also hired a specialized importer to handle the documentation and customs procedures.
This professional was responsible for the necessary procedures for the prefabricated house to enter the country and proceed to the site.
Process Steps
- model selection;
- floor plan definition;
- manufacturing in China;
- hiring the importer;
- container transport;
- customs procedures;
- transport to the site;
- structure installation.
Assembly of the prefabricated house took about an hour
When the container arrived at the site, the structure was opened and positioned on the land. The assembly took approximately an hour, according to the influencer. As access for machinery was restricted, relatives and friends participated in the installation and helped place the module in the necessary position.
The speed of this stage is due to the fact that a large part of the residence arrives ready, reducing the volume of services that would need to be performed on-site. The floor plan of the residence distributes the 72 square meters between living areas and private spaces.
The prefabricated house includes:
- three bedrooms;
- one bathroom;
- integrated kitchen;
- electrical installations prepared for connection;
- pre-installed sanitary system;
- basic kitchen furniture.
The configuration allowed the structure to arrive with part of the necessary components for use already incorporated. The final connections of the electrical and sanitary systems depend on the connection with the available infrastructure on the site.
Structure combines steel and bamboo fiber panels
The construction system uses steel in the structural part. Internally, the surfaces receive panels made with bamboo fiber. The combination of the two materials forms the body of the residence and reduces the need to build walls by the conventional method after delivery.
The basic finishing is also carried out during manufacturing, before the module is transported. The buyer can change the internal layout according to their needs. This possibility allows for modifying the quantity or organization of the rooms before the manufacturer produces the structure.
In Leti’s case, the choice resulted in a residence with three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen connected to the other areas. Customization occurs during the design phase, before the prefabricated house is sent inside the container.
Another feature of the model is the ability to reassemble the structure. The module can be folded, transported, and reinstalled at a different address. This feature relates to the influencer’s initial goal, who was looking for a residence to use while the permanent construction had not yet begun.
If it is necessary to clear the land or change the structure’s position, the property can be moved to another location. With an investment of around US$ 50,000 and a total period of four months, the prefabricated house started functioning as a home while the permanent project continues without a set date to begin.
Source: Portal6
