Where does the real lower limit for turnkey lie?
Short answer: A reputable, turnkey prefab house realistically starts in 2026 at around €2,350/m² of living space; comfortably fitted or premium houses reach up to about €4,500/m². For a compact house of 100 m², this results in a six-figure build sum — still without the plot and without 15–20% additional construction costs. Very low advertised prices, by contrast, almost always refer to the kit or shell stage.
"Turnkey" is not a protected term in Germany. Two providers can use the same expression and still deliver completely different services — one hands over move-in-ready including floors and painting, the other only services-ready without floor coverings. That is why the pure "from" price says little. The decisive factor is the construction and services specification. We show the offers transparently by price, but recommend checking each scope of services carefully before you commit.
Completion stage and realistic final turnkey price (as of 2026).
| Completion stage | Realistic final price* | What else comes on top |
|---|---|---|
| Kit house (shell + self-build) | lowest entry point | Complete interior fit-out + materials yourself |
| Shell house (partially fitted out) | mid level | Remaining fit-out, foundation slab, additional costs |
| Turnkey (services-ready) | from ~€2,350/m² | Floors, painting partly yourself |
| Turnkey (move-in-ready) | towards €2,900–4,500/m² | Highest degree of completion, little self-build work |
| Plot | never included | Regionally the largest and most variable item |
*All values are indicative ranges excluding the plot and additional construction costs (typically +15–20%). You can calculate your realistic final price in the cost calculator.
Which cheap houses are actually available?
These three examples are sorted purely factually by the catalogue "from" price in ascending order — no editorial ranking. The cheapest offers are mostly compact modular, kit or small houses, the cheapest from €55,000. Each card leads to the house detail page with living space, completion stage and fittings.
How do I find the truly cheapest offer?
The lowest advertised price is rarely the cheapest final price. These seven points protect you from expensive surprises:
- Check the scope of services carefully: "turnkey" is not a protected term — ask for the construction and services specification.
- Firmly budget 15–20% for additional construction costs before deciding on fittings.
- Calculate the plot separately — it is never included in the house price.
- Consider a kit or shell house as a cheaper alternative if you can do self-build work.
- Plan compactly: every additional square metre noticeably increases construction and additional costs.
- Obtain at least three offers — this is the only way to recognise a real price advantage rather than an advertising promise.
- Run through the final price in the cost calculator before you sign a contract.
Note: price ranges, eligibility for funding and plot prices vary by region and provider — only an individual comparison of offers provides binding figures (as of 2026).
Anyone who wants to save through self-build work will find the fundamentals in the guide self-build work in house construction and in the comparison shell house or turnkey.
Which cheap alternatives are there to a turnkey house?
If the turnkey budget is not enough, two routes lead to the goal: more self-build work or a more compact building type. As a kit house you lower the price the most, while a modular house scores with a short construction time and a compact footprint. Anyone with a fixed budget compares the matching price brackets directly: prefab house up to €80,000 or prefab house up to €100,000.
A larger, but still affordable turnkey budget is shown on the page prefab house up to €150,000. Anyone who wants to spend particularly little will find realistic options with the small prefab house up to €50,000.
Find the cheapest turnkey offer for your region
Answer a few short questions about completion stage, desired size and region — we match you with 140 providers and send you suitable offers for free. In parallel, calculate your realistic final price in the cost calculator.
