Factory price is not project price
“Turnkey” has no fixed legal scope. One supplier may include foundations, connections and finishes; another may mean only a finished module placed on a prepared base.
Ask for a written inclusions schedule and a matching exclusions schedule. Labels such as turnkey, shell, complete or ready to live in are less useful than a responsibility matrix that says exactly who designs, supplies, installs, tests and certifies each element.
Foundation design is site-specific
A concrete slab, strip or ring-beam foundation, ground beams or piles can all be appropriate in the right circumstances. The choice is not a product-menu decision: it follows from the ground, levels, drainage, radon strategy and structural reactions from the building.
Information the engineer needs
- Ground investigation and site levels.
- Exact module weights, point loads, hold-down forces and connection details.
- Final openings and module arrangement—not a generic brochure model.
- Drainage, service entries, insulation, airtightness and radon details.
- Proposed finished-floor level and flood or surface-water constraints.
- Installation tolerances and the supplier's bearing and fixing requirements.
Make one party responsible for coordinating the foundation-to-module interface. A factory drawing marked “by others” and a local foundation quote based on assumptions can leave the most important junction undesigned.
The site-work packages people miss
| Package | Questions to price | Common uncertainty |
|---|---|---|
| Surveys and investigation | Topographic survey, ground testing, boundaries, services and levels | Ground risk priced before investigation |
| Clearance and earthworks | Demolition, excavation, fill, retaining, disposal and temporary access | What happens if unsuitable material is found? |
| Foundation and substructure | Design, concrete, reinforcement, insulation, radon, drainage and fixings | Whether supplier loads and tolerances are included |
| Delivery and lifting | Route survey, permits, escorts, crane, rigging, lift plan and weather delay | Crane reach and road or overhead-line restrictions |
| Module assembly | Weather sealing, structural joins, roof closure, testing and making good | Responsibility where modules meet |
| Utilities | Electricity, water, telecoms, metering, trenches and connection charges | Distance and network capacity |
| Drainage/wastewater | Public connection or site assessment, treatment system and percolation area | Whether the site can support the proposed system |
| External completion | Steps, ramps, paths, driveway, landscaping, boundaries and surface water | Planning conditions and accessibility details |
| Professional/statutory work | Designers, engineer, energy work, planning, Building Control and certification | Who inspects factory work and concealed elements |
Delivery needs a route and lift plan
The final kilometre can control the module dimensions and installation method. A preliminary review should consider bridge and road limits, bends, gradients, gate width, trees, overhead cables, parking restrictions, neighbouring land and space for both crane and delivery vehicle.
Crane cost depends on more than the module weight. Reach, setup area, ground bearing pressure, obstructions, rigging and the lift sequence matter. The crane contractor needs verified data; a satellite-image guess is not a lift plan.
Services and wastewater can change feasibility
Confirm electricity, water, drainage and communications before ordering. A nearby cable or pipe does not prove that a connection or adequate capacity is available. Obtain site-specific information from the relevant utility or competent designer.
Where public wastewater is unavailable, the EPA says a new-house planning application must demonstrate that the site is suitable for a septic tank or other domestic wastewater treatment system. That can affect layout, usable garden area and the decision to proceed.
Build a responsibility-and-cost worksheet
| Line item | Responsible party | Price status | Evidence/date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House design and factory package | Named supplier/designer | Fixed / allowance / excluded | Drawing and quotation revision |
| Ground and foundation | Named engineer/contractor | Fixed / provisional | Investigation and design revision |
| Transport, crane and installation | Named logistics lead | Fixed / route-dependent | Route and lift-plan revision |
| Utilities and wastewater | Named designer/contractor | Confirmed / estimate | Utility or site-assessment evidence |
| Compliance and completion | Named project professionals | Appointment/fee agreed | Scope and inspection plan |
| Contingency | Owner | Ring-fenced | Risk register review |
Update this sheet whenever the design, site information or supplier scope changes. Do not let a provisional sum silently become a fixed-budget assumption.
Quote red flags
Undefined “turnkey”
No room-by-room specification or list of excluded site work.
Foundation by others
No loads, tolerance, fixing or interface-design responsibility.
Delivery included
No surveyed route, crane reach or failed-delivery terms.
Services nearby
No written connection route, capacity or charge.
Certification extra
No named Irish design team or factory-inspection plan.
One total, no schedule
Deposits and stages do not correspond to measurable deliverables.
Frequently asked questions
Is a modular foundation cheaper than a conventional foundation?
It may be simpler for a particular lightweight system, but the answer depends on loads, ground, access, drainage and specification. Compare engineered solutions for the same site rather than generic claims.
Should I get a ground investigation before choosing a model?
Obtain professional advice on the appropriate investigation early. Ground information helps avoid selecting a system or budget that depends on unsupported assumptions.
Does a quoted crane price include road closure or traffic management?
Not necessarily. Ask whether permits, escorts, traffic management, rigging, setup, weather delay and a second attempt are included.
Can the supplier arrange everything?
Yes, if the contract truly gives one party responsibility and the necessary competent team. Verify the detailed scope and the Irish planning, design and Building Control roles rather than relying on the label “one-stop shop”.
Official sources
Reviewed: 6 August 2026. General budgeting information, not an estimate, foundation design or professional advice. Prices and feasibility depend on the exact site, design and contracts.