Individually Designed House in Finland: Perspectives of Architectural Experts and a Design Case Study

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive understanding of small house practices, including the perspective of Finnish architectural experts, by conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews and proposing an individually designed house case study with a particular focus on cost and quality. Key findings based on main themes including the role and qualifications of the architect, architect’s involvement, architect’s fee, reasons to hire an architect, implementation, quality, and cost, highlighted that: (1) architect can assist small house projects in many ways, such as accurately identifying the client’s needs, choosing the most suitable layout, and applications for building permits; (2) allocating sufficient time for planning an average of six months is critical for the thoughts of both the architect and the client to mature in peace; (3) the share of architectural design in the total cost of the project is around 3–5%; (4) it is estimated that the total amount of small houses designed by an architect is between 10–20%; (5) an architect’s typical client is reported to be those who dream of a long-term home and are concerned with aesthetics as well as functional quality; (6) the client is always satisfied with the quality of the house designed by the architect; (7) while an individually designed home may seem more costly than a prefab home, an architect-designed home can be affordable as long as the budget is known from the start of the project. It is believed that this paper will encourage the participation of architects in small house projects that will be expanded and established in the Finnish residential construction industry.

1. Introduction

The term ‘small house or single-family house’ (Figure 1) refers to residential buildings without overlapping areas of different main dwellings. Small houses can be divided into interconnected (small) houses and detached (small) houses. Interconnected small houses are small houses where different flats are connected directly or next to each other by a connecting structure. For example, a carport or outdoor warehouse can connect houses. Interconnected small houses include semi-detached houses, row houses, and chain houses. Detached houses, on the other hand, mean small houses close together, with no space for different flats. Small houses are more commonly called detached houses. This paper deals with ‘detached house’, but the issue is discussed over the generalized term ‘small house’ despite the differences in meaning.

A typical concept of detached houses is type houses or standardized houses (‘tyyppitalo’ in Finnish). Type houses are based on type drawings, and they are designed to build several houses using the same plan. Construction of type houses often utilizes mass-produced elements. The design, building materials, and construction of type houses are usually the responsibility of different parties. For example, type house designs are often ordered to solve social or housing policy issues. The parcel house or package house (‘pakettitalo’ in Finnish), on the other hand, is a more commercial entity that has been formed from type house. Parcel houses are designed and implemented by the same company and houses are manufactured by the house factory.

Small house living is the most desired lifestyle in Finland [1,2] (Figure 2). Finland’s small household population consists largely of type houses built to respond to various social problems at different stages of the 20th century. By the 1960s, the type house period was over, and it was replaced by package houses. Package houses have remained popular to this day, and 65% of the 8000 small houses built in 2021 were implemented as different home packages [3]. The most comprehensive home package, the turnkey (ready-to-move-in) package, is the most popular way to buy a detached house today. In recent years, private home construction, also in corporate form, has grown in popularity. 700 detached houses were built on the site, which means only 9% of all detached houses were built.

Quality is an old and complex concept used in business and everyday language. Quality is generally understood as a concept that describes the good and successful features of an object and is seen as positive in daily life. Understanding the concept is subjective, but a more precise definition is more complex. The concept of quality has been defined professionally in many ways, and the definition of the concept can be divided into several different groups, such as product-based or monetary value-based definitions. Generally, quality is used to describe a product, i.e., goods and services. Measurables of product attributes, which may include quality, speed, or efficiency according to product-based definitions. Quality is thus understood objectively. The ISO 9000 standard defines quality as the degree to which the natural properties of an object are met as a standard [4]. However, quality can only be evaluated after characteristics that are important to customers have been identified and evaluated (e.g., [5,6,7]).

One of the focuses of this article is the quality of the small house in Finland. Quality in a small house includes the design and construction process and the quality of the finished product, i.e., the quality of the building. Therefore, this article refers to quality, for example, the design as a service or how it corresponds with its features to the needs of the clients or residents. Characteristics of quality can be read, for example, as authentic and durable materials, good functionality, or how beautiful the space is.

It is unlikely to buy a detached house completely suitable for the client’s wishes from the house package. Among others, the main plant’s production technicians are responsible for constraints, structural solutions and materials used by the manufacturer, and partner selection. Additionally, a prefab house often requires leveling of the land to make it an easy construction platform. A builder who dreams of a fully detached house must therefore plan and build the house by building it on the spot. By starting the design of the house from a blank canvas and relying on the help of an architect, a functional and individual detached house can be obtained, tailored to the needs of the user. For this reason, this study also focuses on solutions designed according to the needs and wishes of the detached house and the clients, considering the critical role of the architect in such projects.

This article explored small house practices from the standpoint of Finnish architectural professionals by conducting interviews and proposing an individually designed house case study with a particular focus on cost and quality. In doing so, this article attempted to release main themes: (i) the role and qualifications of the architect; (ii) architect’s involvement; (iii) architect’s fee; (iv) reasons to hire an architect; (v) implementation of individually designed house; (vi) quality of individually designed house; and (vii) cost of individually designed house. It is believed that this paper will encourage the participation of architects in small house projects that will be expanded and established in the Finnish residential construction sector.

The remainder of this work is structured as follows: First, the history of Finnish small house construction and its evolution to date are described. Then, in the findings section, the interview results on the role of the architect in the small house project were examined in depth and the cost estimation and benefits of individual design were presented through the “Dream Home” case study. This is followed by the discussion and conclusions section, along with prospects and research limitations.

2. Small House in Finland

The proliferation of small houses in Finland due to industrialization and urbanization began in the early 20th century to build cheaply for poorer social groups such as the working population [8]. The idea of type houses was to use the same drawings regardless of the construction site. The purpose of building such houses was to reduce design and construction costs, and similar building parts can be repeated. These log-framed houses, heated by a wood-burning stove with the aid of a fireplace, were one-bedroom apartments with sub-tenants [9].

Later, with functionalism, the principles of housing design changed, and the spaces of the houses consisted of living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. In the era of functionalism, efforts have been made to standardize type houses in terms of simple and building parts. These houses were typically single-story, had asymmetrical roofs, roof flaps continued up to the roof of the porch, and the window openings were wider in height and could round the corner [10].

In the 1940s and 1950s, during the post-war reconstruction period, Finland experienced a major housing shortage. The challenge was to build much more, faster, and with fewer resources, which led to the need to rationalize the construction industry. The state was also involved in the development of the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA) [11]. The architecture of the period was strongly associated with wooden construction [12,13,14]. Previously developed construction solutions have become general use, the transition from solid log construction to timber frame construction and prefabricated house production. In 1940, in the first phase of reconstruction, Sweden donated 2000 single-family homes, called Swedish gift houses, to the homeless population in Finland.

Type houses remained popular until the mid-1950s, after which they began to be replaced by prefabricated house models developed by house manufacturers [8]. Therefore, package houses are based on type houses developed during modernism. The difference between type and prepackaged homes is that the asset sold as a prepackaged home includes design and construction, while in type house solutions these are separated to be implemented by different parties. In the late 1950s, the small house typology began to materialize towards a style represented by a flatter or flat roof, slightly stretched into a rectangular mass, a new type of space partition, and a strip-like window partition [15].

The new types of houses could also be single stories, and the construction of parking areas next to the houses significantly changed their appearance. The kitchen has been made part of the living room and the location of the living room has been emphasized. Contact was sought by planning the surrounding nature. The houses of the 60s and 70s did not change much in terms of spatial organization, but for example, bathrooms and toilets began to be placed inside the house [15]. The biggest changes took place in the improvement of the equipment level of the houses.

Until the 1970s, architects designed standard and prefab houses, but in the 1980s the design changed for technical teams and anonymous designers working in home factories. In the 1980s the style of small houses became more romantic and those reminiscent of old buildings and traditional houses were popular. Prefabricated house models had historic mansion-like types that showed, among other features, decorativeness, and checkered pattern windows [16]. The industrialization of small houses continued, and a limit was reached in 1985 when small, terraced houses were built from ready-made elements rather than shoulder-height pieces.

In 2010, an opportunity was published by Finland’s best-selling home builder as the first home supplier to order a ready-to-move home directly online [17]. More than half of the small houses built in 2014 were implemented as housing package solutions of various sizes [8]. The average size of small houses increased until 2010, then started to decrease again due to increasing urbanization and environmental concerns.

Single-family homes have been built steadily over the past decade, but the volume is only nearly half of the best years in early 2000’s. In 2020 the trend has turned to a slight increase. Nearly 8000 new single-family homes were built in 2021 [3] (Figure 3) and 9000 new starts are expected for next year. As mentioned, owning a home package is the most common option for building a single-family home today. 65% of the houses built in 2021 were implemented using different housing packages, the most common being turnkey package. Amount of corporate form detached house construction is also increasing. Since corporate form detached houses are built by construction companies, it is very easy to become a detached house owner for those who prefer this type of dwellings. However, the customer cannot customize the house as much as other options. Traditional on-site construction was used in only 9% of projects. The average size of new homes has decreased slightly over the last few years, with a total area of an average family home of 158 m² in 2021 and an average apartment area of 136 m² [3] (Figure 4). About 70% of small houses are built with wooden frames [18,19,20]. The popularity of wooden construction is based on a long tradition, affordability, and simplicity of execution [21,22,23].

The interest in individuality can be seen in contemporary construction. According to the annual survey [3], the houses are of the modified type and 59% are completely individual (Figure 4). Therefore, a purely individual house may mean that in this case, the client is replacing the customized prefab house. More than half of the houses were hand-printed by home factory designers, and almost a quarter was designed by the builders themselves.

It is worth mentioning here that there are many structural framing solutions for the small house in Finland, such as timber, and logs [24,25,26]. The most common way to build a timber-framed house is to use ready-made wooden elements [27,28,29]. The second most common is to build a timber frame from a long piece, erect it as wall posts that act as a structure, and fill the gaps with insulation. A new and rapidly growing wood building material is cross-laminated timber (CLT). The advantages of CLT include simplicity of construction and easy handling. In addition, the appearance of the CLT is appreciated by many, as the wooden surface can be left inside the building and seen indoors, within the limits of the fire code [30,31,32]. Additionally, the share of log houses in detached house construction is increasing (Figure 5). Log construction has a long history, and a traditional log house is built from thick logs as a single material [9].

As mentioned earlier, most small homes today are built in a variety of home packages with a variety of delivery concepts; material package and element package and ready-to-frame, ready-to-move, and home-ready package [33]. Figure 6 shows that more than half of the housing packages sold in 2021 are ready to move into housing packages.

Figure 7 shows the breakdown of the average small house project costs by different phases of 2022, while Figure 8 indicates the average costs of professionals in 2022 carried out by its net sector for a 160 m² house [3]. In 2022, the average price per square meter of a 160 m² house was 2370 €/m², with a total price of approx. 379.000 €, materials for this are covered approx. 62% and labor approx. 38%. Additionally, cost differences are caused by: (i) project program; (ii) circumstances; (iii) design solution; (iv) implementation and production solutions; and (v) price factors. After the construction process, there are life cycle costs which consist of: (1) financial costs, (2) the operating and maintenance costs of the house and plot; and (3) movement caused by the location of the construction site expenses. Furthermore, the size of the operation and maintenance costs are affected by the location.

3. Materials and Methods

This study was carried out via a literature survey, semi-structured professional interviews [34] to collect qualitative information mainly about the role of the architect in small house projects (

Table 1. Interviewees by their position/title, and organization type.

	Interviewee 1	Interviewee 2	Interviewee 3	Interviewee 4	Interviewee 5	Interviewee 6
Position/title	Architect, small house designer	Architect, small house designer	Architect, small house designer	Architect, building permit authority	Architectural specialist	Director
Organization type	Architectural office	Architectural office	Architectural office	Municipality	The Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA)	Small house industry
Charasteristics of interviewees	Long-term experience in small house design	More than 25 years of experience in residential design and especially in small houses	Decades of experience in designing different types of projects, including small houses	10 years of experience as a building permit architect and other experience as a designer	Long-term experience in SAFA	Long-term experience as a leader of the Finnish small housing industry

), and designing an individual house to compare a standardized house in terms of quality and costs. Finnish architectural experts from different fields such as architectural offices, small house industry, and municipality were selected widely for interviews in order to bring together as many various viewpoints as possible and to obtain the widest possible picture. As some research questions were not directly answered by literature sources, the professionalism and solid experience of the interviewees provided important insights and perspectives to deepen this study. The interviews helped answer these questions and confirm certain assumptions. The questions discussed in the interviews are summarized in Appendix A.

In this article, in-depth interviews were conducted with various architectural experts to gather qualitative information about the small house. This interview technique is a qualitative research method that involves intensive individual interviews with a small number of interviewees to investigate their views on a particular concept, program, or condition. The major advantage of in-depth interviews is that they provide much more detailed information than other data collection methods such as surveys offer. They can also offer a more comfortable environment for collecting information–people may feel more comfortable during the interview about their program rather than filling out a questionnaire [35].

Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were the best method; here the process allowed interaction between the interviewer and the participant, and the thematically arranged questions formed a basis for conversation. Also, in these interviews, the various viewpoints stimulate the formation of new subjects beyond those initially explored [36,37,38]. The progress of the interview depends on the emergence of the main themes.

In the interviews conducted for this study, the questions were formulated separately for each interviewee and the individual point of view of each interviewee was emphasized. In addition, as opposed to full ranking, a discussion for all interviews became partially open because it aimed to gather as much as possible based on the individual experience of pre-arranged questions and answers, new questions, and extensive knowledge of the interviewees.

Interviews were established through e-mail and performed through online video conferencing. The program employed made it possible to record the interviews, which enabled the examination of the interview results. After the interviews, the video recordings were thoroughly re-examined, and the results of the interviews were sent via e-mail to the participants for more analysis and completion.

The selection of the people to be interviewed was made by purposive sampling. The two key parameters for the selection of participants were: the professionals had sufficient knowledge of small houses and the professionals had first-hand experience in small house construction projects or had closely followed the progress of the small house construction. They have been selected among leading architectural experts with their knowledge and experience in Finnish small house projects and construction. This provided a comprehensive picture of how Finnish architectural professionals see the current state of small house projects.

The thematic assessment method was selected as it is the most widespread form of analysis in qualitative research [39]. It is a method of classifying, analyzing, and re-recording themes within data. Themes are patterns among datasets that are necessary to describe a phenomenon and are associated with a specific research question, and these themes become classifications for further evaluation. The assessment includes writing field notes, reviewing transcripts, and encrypting interviews [40].

All notions, highlights, themes, and classifications are combined and analyzed over a framework based on thematic matrices. Trends in literature surveys also play a role in creating themes. This matrix format allows for easier pattern matching and comparisons among participants. These themes and theme-related questions are provided in

Table 2. The main themes, addressee, and main purpose of the interview questions (Appendix A.1).

Main Themes		Corresponding Sub-Sections	Addressee	Main Purpose
Topics	Sub-Topics
Popularity of type houses	individualizing type house	4.1.6	Expert from small house industry	Identifying architectural experts’ views
Costs	average costs	4.1.7
	how to save on expenses
	price differences between individual and parcel houses
	impact of recent price increase
Small houses in Finland	current state	4.1.6
	expectations
	wishes and trends

,

Table 3. The main themes, addressee, and main purpose of the interview questions (Appendix A.2).

Main Themes		Corresponding Sub-Sections	Addressee	Main Purpose
Topics	Sub-Topics
Eligibility	principle designer	4.1.1	Expert from SAFA	Identifying architectural experts’ views
	designer
Architect as a small house designer		4.1.1
Architects as a package house designer		4.1.1

,

Table 4. The main themes, addressee, and main purpose of the interview questions (Appendix A.3).

Main Themes		Corresponding Sub-Sections	Addressee	Main Purpose
Topics	Sub-Topics
Small houses in Finland	current state	4.1.6	Experts from architectural offices	Identifying architectural experts’ views
	expectations
Involvement of an architect in a small house project	typical client of an architect	4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.6
	design process
	implementation
	benefits of architect’s involvement
	wishes and trends
Cost	costs of design	4.1.3, 4.1.7
	explanation of the value

and

Table 5. The main themes, addressee, and main purpose of the interview questions (Appendix A.4).

Main Themes		Corresponding Sub-Sections	Addressee	Main Purpose
Topics	Sub-Topics
Building permit for small houses	problems with the process	4.1.2	Expert from municipality	Identifying architectural experts’ views
	differences; individual/type design
Exceptional license		4.1.2
Small houses in Finland	expectations	4.1.6
	current state
	type designs and supplemental construction

, and Appendix A.1, Appendix A.2, Appendix A.3 and Appendix A.4, respectively. In addition, interview questions were made by considering the knowledge and experience of the professionals interviewed on matters related to small house construction. Questions in Appendix A.1, Appendix A.2, Appendix A.3 and Appendix A.4 were used during interviews with experts from the small house industry, SAFA, architectural offices, and municipality, respectively.

In this research, the authors examined the data. Since the number of participants was at a manageable level, analyzes were carried out manually, without utilizing any numbering system for the responses, by going over the responses, underlining, and categorizing the points highlighted by the interviewed professionals. Categorization of the data obtained is a significant part of the analysis [41]. When evaluating the reliability of the findings, it should also be stated that the views are geared towards showing a broad picture of the future over fact-based prediction.

Answers from the interviews were categorized under the identified recurring themes: (i) the role and qualifications of the architect; (ii) architect’s involvement; (iii) architect’s fee; (iv) reasons to hire an architect; (v) implementation of individually designed house; (vi) quality of individually designed house; and (vii) cost of individually designed house. The identities of the participants and the results of the interviews were kept anonymous and confidential.

In addition to the literature review and interviews, in this article, architectural design was utilized as a research method that is frequently utilized in the solution of research and design issues in the architectural field [42,43,44]. This approach allows architects to think, write, debate, and publicize as a bridge from theory to practice [45,46]. Features of applying the main business applications used in contemporary architectural design practice, complex object modeling methods (such as ArchiCAD), parametric modeling, and information modeling methodology of buildings are considered in the studies (e.g., [47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54]). In this context, an architectural proposal was made for an individually designed house, which will be detailed in Section 4.2. That section includes initial research of the project and construction site, dream home with architectural drawings, cost estimation, and benefits of individual design to compare individually designed houses with standardized houses in terms of quality and costs.

4. Results

The findings were mainly divided into results obtained from interviews and designing an individual home with cost estimation and benefits of individual design, detailed below.

4.1. Interviews

As stated in the earlier section, the results of the interviews are divided into themes that provide an understanding of how the architect can be involved in the project and what benefits the architect’s participation will bring to these projects in Finland, representing the architect’s perspectives. Regardless of whether the question addressed a particular theme or who the interviewee was, the themes arose in more than one context in the interviews. Interview results were presented according to the following classes: (i) the role and qualifications of the architect; (ii) architect’s involvement; (iii) architect’s fee; (iv) reasons to hire an architect; (v) implementation of individually designed house; (vi) quality of individually designed house; and (vii) cost of individually designed house as given in Table 2, Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5.

4.1.1. The Role and Qualifications of the Architect

Responses from the interviewees emphasized that architects could help the project in different ways. In its simplest form, an architect can act as a consultant helping the client identify the needs and goals of the project, choose a location, or sketch the appropriate home type. For example, for this purpose, a day plan is available, which includes a land use plot that allows the client to decide regarding the purchase of the land. It was also stated that however, for now, such tasks are extremely rare and often the architect acts as the main designer of the project and the construction designer.

Moreover, the interviewees’ answers highlighted that the categories of difficulty were defined for the different design tasks of the construction project; small planning task, mundane design task, difficult design task, and extremely demanding planning task, but the projects themselves do not have a separate category of difficulty. It was also mentioned that small home projects are usually all planning tasks in the usual difficulty class. An exception to the practice is Helsinki, where the city’s building control has recognized that due to space requirements, all the city’s small house projects meet the tough planning project difficulty class. Small houses in the capital area are most often built on cramped annex construction sites.

According to SAFA, it was stated that the main designer is a new player in Finnish legislation. In 2000, however, the master planner was registered as an actor in the law in connection with general land use reform and the Construction Act. The reason for the creation of the role of the chief designer was complaints to SAFA about the ministry and the construction of small houses. The contacts also made it impossible to show who was responsible in case of major mistakes and problems in the small house construction.

It was also reported that attempts were made to rectify the situation, with someone taking charge of the entire project. Therefore, the title of the chief designer in all construction projects is enacted specifically for small house construction due to quality issues and consumer protection. Before 2000, the architect was responsible for many of the chief designers’ tasks, and many engineers and contractors were also doing the construction planning.

4.1.2. Architect’s Involvement

According to the responses given to the interviews, the time it takes to design a house varies a lot. The duration of the design also affects the decision-making ability of the client, and the total duration of the project depends on the client’s own project management skills.

It was stated that an architect-led small house project begins with the planning of the house and the needs and wishes of the entire construction project. At the very beginning of the construction project, it is important to establish a trusting business relationship with the client. Projects begin with an interview where the designer and client find out if they have common goals. Listening to the client and participating in the planning influence the result to success. The client may not be able to put all his thoughts into words, so the job of the architect is to know how to choose the right line from among the lines and use his expertise to weigh the solutions. In addition, the architect is defined as an expert on the animation requests of the client.

There are usually at least two draft rounds. The important thing is to allocate enough time for planning. The interviewees underlined that both sides need time to think through the plan. First, it was stated that the client’s thoughts should be allowed to mature in peace, and care was taken not to act too quickly in the wrong direction. It was also stated that the six-month period is a good time for planning.

Building permit authority’s answers pointed out that sometimes, in connection with a building permit application, permission to deviate from the site plan is sought to achieve the desired result. Applicants for plan deviation in station-planned areas are rare, but it is more common to apply for minor deviations when applying for a building permit.

It was also highlighted that in built environment construction deviates from the formula, there is usually little plan change when station plans are old or have already been made. Divergence processes are time-consuming and therefore often cost-intensive, so it is not worth applying for exemption permits when planning construction sites for major cities and additional growth centers. In existing family housing areas, it is difficult to deviate from the formula because neighbors may complain about the decision.

In the case of prefabricated houses, the most typical points are those that lead to minor deviations, differences in the interpretation of the definition of attic and basement, and there are also different ideas about the division of floor space, for example, 1 ½ floor by house type. It was noted that it can be very difficult to resort to formula deviations without the help of an architect. It was emphasized that justifying deviations requires familiarity with the Land Use and Construction Act, zoning and building regulations, as well as professional skill in justifying the environment with suitability and aesthetic quality.

It was mentioned that the client, in addition to the building itself, can comprehensively order the design of other elements of the house from the architect. An architect can design, for example, surface materials, fixed furniture, stairs, a fireplace, a sauna, an interior, separate courtyard buildings, courtyards, and fields. It was also emphasized that the highest quality of the result is achieved by the combined planning of the different areas, in which case the additional plans are worked out at the same pace as the plan of the building.

4.1.3. Architect’s Fee

According to the answers received from the interviewees, although the architect’s fee varies according to the degree of participation in the project, the planning costs are approximately the same even if it is a smaller or larger house. A larger house has more to plan for, but when planning a smaller house, you need to think more about the solution. It was reported that the share of architectural design in the total cost of the project is around 3–5%.

Architectural experts surveyed emphasized that architectural design is often expensive, design is often the initial cost of the project, and the contractor does not know how the amount is commensurate with future costs. It was also noted that the architect’s fee would likely have looked much lower had it been paid only at the end of the project.

It was mentioned that the contractor’s discretion was not enough to understand the value added by the architect and that it was difficult to justify that the builders looking for the cheapest possible designer found the price expensive. It was also noted that there are builders who attach great importance to both aesthetic and functional quality and dream of a long-lasting house, devoted to the very uniform example of the builder.

Interviewees highlighted that the great role of prefabricated houses in the construction of small houses also hides the importance of planning, its costs, and its share in the overall process. It is not possible to see what the share and cost of the house are from time to time. the design of a house is split, for example, 10 or 50 houses are sold, which makes the difference as to why the individual design is so expensive.

Experts noted that statistics do not show the number of small houses designed by architects, but stone houses are almost always designed one by one under the guidance of an architect, and the total amount is estimated to be between 10–20%. About 65% of small homes built in 2021 were packaged or prefab homes, about 26% were institutional construction, and only about 9% were built on-site (Figure 3), which helps to understand the situation where only a small fraction of the small houses built were designed by architects.

4.1.4. Reasons to Hire an Architect

According to the responses from interviewees, an architect’s typical client was reported to be those who dream of a long-term home and are concerned with aesthetics as well as functional quality; some of them had a history of failed single-family homes projects, while the other part reportedly had no construction experience, relying on expertise.

It was underlined that the main benefit of the architect’s skills was to fit the structure on site and assist the builder, but an architect was rarely hired in the very early stages of the project. According to the interviews, clients usually contact the architect when the plot is ready. It was reported that the problem when constructing a prefabricated house is the adaptation of the house to the environment and the land, and it may be difficult to meet the requirements of the site plans for ready-made house types.

Responses from interviewees highlighted that a professional architect knows how to consider the individual characteristics of the site, such as landforms, wind, neighbors, landscapes, nature, and microclimate. The architect considers how to place different functions in the garden and learns what is being done to the neighboring plots. At best, the architect’s observation of the space can improve both the architect’s quality and the well-being of the occupants.

It was also noted that the most important advantage of individual planning is that the individual needs of the residents are considered and that an architect’s job is to support the client’s thoughts and have multiple conversations with them to reveal real needs and preferences. Architects can evaluate project costs or price ranges, and this is especially critical for projects with limited budgets, and traditional construction techniques.

The fact that the authorities demand a certain quality designer and that the municipalities determine the difficulty categories of the projects shows the importance of choosing a professional designer. In addition, since the amount of work done is more than the wage, the difficulties of running architectural offices by designing only small houses were mentioned.

In the interviews, it was stated that the client is always satisfied with the residences designed by the architect and this satisfaction stems from the client’s involvement in every stage of the design through a strong communication channel.

Experts noted that in the future, the individual may plan to become more important in small house construction as urbanization makes construction sites more challenging and congested. The manufacturing-oriented small home industry has been able to dominate the small house market quite extensively in urbanized areas in recent years. However, as the construction volume gets smaller, the need for an architect may come to the fore as the universally applicable house model can no longer fit everywhere.

4.1.5. Implementation of Individually Designed House

It was emphasized that critical assistance can be obtained from an architect in the implementation of a self-built family house through a complex process. For example, at the point of reviewing various documents, applications for building permits, and plans specific to the builder. Builders were reported to be generally satisfied with a situation where the architect makes the plans holistically. In this way, builders can avoid the responsibility of decision-making and do not have to think with the client. Even in a ready-to-move house, the responsibility should rest with the client and all plans must be checked to achieve the desired result, where the coordinating role of the architect comes into play.

Changes are often encountered during the project; in which case the architect will lead an individually planned house to be more flexible than a house package. An individual home is perceived as both successful and meaningful because the client is intimately involved in the planning and feels involved in the decision-making procedure. In all the interviews with the experts, it was clear that people were quite satisfied with the architects of the houses they designed.

4.1.6. Quality of Individually Designed House

It was underlined that the quality of the building can mean a lot. For example, the functionality of the space can be attributed to experience, long-lasting materials, healthy structures, good indoor air, pleasant acoustics, ecology, beauty, detail, environmental compatibility, and protection.

According to the responses from interviewees sustainable solutions can be achieved with individual planning and the most ecological house will be the apartment where you will live as long as possible. It was mentioned that the building can be used for generations if the client purchases a good plot to live on for the next decades or centuries, the house is suitable for the environment, has functionality and aesthetics, and is made of durable materials. According to interviewed architects, the ecological nature of the interior comes from long-term solutions, which also means original materials.

It also defined a well-designed building in terms of the carbon footprint as a durable, long-lasting, timeless, and well-fitting solution. However, it was stated that concessions are often made in these matters in construction, and it was emphasized that good architecture promotes sustainable values and reduces the carbon footprint as the life cycle of the building increases.

Trends and fashion trends guide contemporary builders’ images of life and their own homes. According to the interviewed architects, people follow the architects of the moment in housing fairs and social media where the same design solutions are repeated. It was hoped that spacious living, comfort, privacy, and a garden would gain importance instead of an efficient layout in small house design.

4.1.7. Cost of Individually Designed House

Experts reported that the building image is usually due to the large budget and expensive construction site, and these big goals will prompt the builder to contact the architect. Architects design small homes at all costs and an experienced designer is very helpful in controlling the costs of a small home. It was also stated that a house designed by an architect will be cost-effective as long as the budget is known from the beginning of the project.

For a client requesting a cost estimate, it was recommended to involve a construction consultant to estimate the project. The advantage of supplier-oriented construction is that the builder can better visualize expenditure items that differ from total costs and can cover 85% of home delivery. It was also noted that costs are easier to handle when package house delivery has a fixed price. It was underlined that the risks of cost changes and overruns would increase with many different suppliers and contractors involved in the project.

It was noted that being able to compress 10 square meters of a house larger than 200 square meters without anyone noticing pays the cost of architectural design. By setting the budget at the beginning of the project, and especially if the builder is cost-conscious, a house can be obtained for the same price as a prefab house, but with much better architecture. Actively bidding on building parts and materials can result in significant savings.

A skilled architect knows how to design reasonable and viable structures, in which case the application can be rational and cost-effective. In addition, the architect can more creatively use familiar materials found in the hardware store. It was also noted that an individually designed house is more expensive than a safe and ready-made solution. However, it was emphasized that the price difference was not because the house was structurally more expensive, but to the different levels of need. When it comes to making individual solutions, it was mentioned in the project that there are features that would make even an industrially produced house more expensive, for example, more square meters or civil engineering challenges.

4.2. Designing an Individual Home

This section introduces a small house designed by the author for a middle-aged couple as a client. It includes initial research of the project and construction site, dream home with architectural drawings, cost estimation, and benefits of individual design to compare an individually designed house with a standardized house in terms of quality and costs.

4.2.1. Initial Research of the Project and Construction Site

The process started with the client’s views on their wishes and needs for a new home. An individual appearance in a compact size is intended to be associated with peace and spaciousness. Even if the couple lives alone, the children and their families who come to visit frequently were also asked to be taken into account in the space planning. Mechanical ventilation and geothermal heating are planned. It was also thought that the shape of the house and its roof would make it possible to use solar panels as an additional energy source.

The client’s current home was approximately 145 m² but lacked a garage and garden storage. Cost savings were achieved as a new residence was planned on the existing residential land. Since the interior stairs in the existing two-story building take up space and increase costs, it was requested that the new building be made without a basement and that the interior spaces should be accessible as much as possible.

The spatial program included: entrance hall + toilet; utility room + drying room; dressing room + washroom + sauna; kitchen + dining area; living room; bedroom; cloakroom; WC (possibility of accessibility); room 1, music and guest room; room 2, work and hobby space; garage + storage, and technical room.

The planning area is located in Kuortane (Figure 9), close to the city center (a municipality of Finland, located in the South Ostrobothnia region) (Figure 10). The size of the plot was approximately 1400 m² and was detached from a larger plot. The conditions of the land are suitable for planning. The site plan of the parcel was free in terms of zoning. The only planning regulation requires the building to adapt to the block, landscape, and cityscape. In addition, afforestation should be done between the land and the road. The building can be a single story, but ½ of the floor area of the main floor could be placed in the basement. In addition, it was obligatory to place a parking space for 1.5 vehicles on the plot.

The optimum layout of the area according to the wind directions ensured that the microclimate was taken into account in the planning. The forest on the north side acted as a buffer against the north wind. On the south façade, the positive effects of solar heat and light on energy efficiency and living comfort were utilized both indoors and outdoors.

4.2.2. Dream Home with Architectural Drawings

The design of the building began by outlining its location and mass on the plot. Land and tree shape, wind conditions, and the appearance of the plot were effective in the settlement. The large trees on the north side of the plot needed to be protected. A natural construction site has been chosen in the northeastern part of the plot, where the building was located at the highest point of the plot, creating a long view towards the south, serving as a protection between the driveway and the courtyard, and creating a pleasant plot. Different massing sketches were produced (Figure 11).

The sketch turned into a finished plan. The dream home consists of two separate building blocks (Figure 12); the residential building and garages, which are separate but still under the same roof, to the sauna and warehouse building (Figure 13). The building was built on a block foundation wall and a reinforced concrete slab based on the ground was used as the foundation. The exterior walls were ordered as factory-made elements, the structure of which is a wooden frame structure with wood fiber insulation (Figure 14 and Figure 15). In the main building the living room, dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom were spacious at room height, with lattice railings upstairs. Elsewhere, the upper floor of the main and auxiliary buildings was made with traditional sleepers.

4.2.3. Cost Estimation

An indicative cost estimate of the plan was made in two different ways. The initial cost estimate was created using Haahtela Oy’s Kustannustieto TAKU^® software [55]. The software is designed for budgeting larger scale construction projects, financial control of buildings, and price evaluation. The pricing procedure included in the program can be used, for example, to calculate new or repair project budgets during the needs assessment and project planning stages. Although this software is not specifically designed for small home projects, a region-specific price estimate also guides costs for a small home.

The price estimation made by the program is based on the definition of the spaces. The space program list is added to the plan, and the properties of the fields can be determined together with the fields and their quantities. For example, area, dimensions, room height, and floor height can be defined for facilities. Further, more detailed specifications can be made regarding indoor air conditioning, soundproofing, lighting, or HVAC systems. It can also be calculated by adding furniture, doors, fireplaces, or balconies to the building. The quality level of the interior surfaces can be defined. The program does not offer, for example, the possibility of modifying and comparing different structures. The user can also add other costs such as land cost for calculation. By taking into account the location of the building, the index level correction is made, and the price prediction is directed to a more accurate level.

Another cost estimate is made in the TaloPeli calculator [56]. The TaloPeli calculator was made specifically for small home projects to support cost estimation. In the calculator, the project can be set to a location first and the index value of the location describing the price level currently relative to the growth center can be set to the cost level. This program is an independent, non-commercial online application available free of charge to consumers and professionals. It promotes energy and cost-efficient construction by demonstrating, imagining, and otherwise promoting to construction options in a visible way on a graphical user interface.

The cost estimation takes into account the potential purchase cost of the land, subscription fees, site management, site technology, and planning. The building’s features can be described more broadly, such as TAKU^® software [55]. The number of floors of the building, the shape of the floor, and the roof can be adjusted for the structures and technology of the house. The room height of the building is defined in the calculator, quantity, size, quality level, furniture, and equipment. Separate buildings such as the garage and garden storage can be added to the bill. The estimate given by the TaloPeli program [56] may also cause an error, such as an initially incorrectly defined index level, estimated design price, deviating structures, and self-estimated and recorded cost items.

TAKU^® software, the estimated cost (including tax), is approximately 630,000 € and the cost per square meter is approximately 2900 € (Appendix B), while in the TaloPeli program, the cost estimate was 495,000 €, which is roughly 2300 € per square meter. There is no detailed calculation for the free version of the TaloPeli software report. Overall, estimates average around 560,000 €. While price estimates are indicative only, they can be used as a tool for the construction project to review and guide the budget.

4.2.4. Benefits of Individual Design

The planning process focused on customer needs took approximately 9 months. In the process, it was returned several times for inspection of the construction site, as contours and elevations are critical, for example, to the success of reaching the construction site. For example, the road to the land was finally placed in the most advantageous place.

At the beginning of the project, an interview was held with the client. What features of their daily lives and what kind of facilities would support life were discussed. They were asked about their needs and wishes for both functionality and architecture. During this fruitful process, new drafts were often presented, and positive responses were received. Finally, when the developed plan was presented to the client, it was better understood how the development improved the plan.

Spatial solutions, structural options, structural materials, construction technology, and cost were discussed throughout the process. Considering the costs, a meticulous focus was placed on what to invest in and where to save. In the frame solution of the building, the most cost-effective option, namely timber frame, was decided. However, since wood fiber insulation was desired as insulation material and the structure should not contain plastic a vapor barrier was chosen. Geothermal heating, which is a smart solution in the long term, was planned. The shape of the roof was designed to allow the installation of solar panels.

The planning was made by considering the topography, elevations, wind directions, and aspects of the site. The shape, size, and layout of the buildings were used to create a private space for the courtyard. The buildings were placed at different heights according to the shape of the land and required as little tillage as possible. Thus, additional land contracting costs were saved. The height difference of the landforms was also reflected in the interior designs. It should be noted here that typical solutions are generally designed for plains, so there are problems in adapting to the topography.

In terms of costs, an individually designed house was probably estimated as more expensive than the standardized house type. Determining the standard quality level of surface materials was among the factors that significantly increased the higher furniture and hardware costs. Placing the sauna section in a separate building and separating the garage into its building made the public service building implementation more costly. The savings came from easy-to-build sandy soil and the need for minimized earthworks.

The client, who had experiences and positive memories of the house designed by the architect, was of the opinion that his current house fully met their needs. In this context, their views on the process were positive. For example, while the downstairs kitchen and living areas are in use, we were pleased to position the bedrooms, which require more peace, on the upper floor.

The client commented in favor of the planning process, they were first directed to learn the layout of the space, and together with the architect, they explored the boundary conditions and possibilities that this brings. It was important to have enough time to focus on the project. For example, they were pleased with the well-furnished design solutions that separate the living room with fireplace and the kitchen, separating them according to floor differences, carefully thought-out room sizes and heights, and daylight.

Clients were satisfied with the individually designed house, in which the architect was directly involved, and the plan was determined to be a sustainable, multi-generational solution that included what a home should have.

5. Discussion and Conclusions

This article explored small house practices from the standpoint of Finnish architectural professionals by conducting interviews and proposing an individually designed house case study with a particular focus on cost and quality. In doing so, this article attempted to release main themes: (i) the role and qualifications of the architect; (ii) architect’s involvement; (iii) architect’s fee; (iv) reasons to hire an architect; (v) implementation of individually designed house; (vi) quality of individually designed house; and (vii) cost of individually designed house. It is believed that this paper will encourage the participation of architects in small house projects that will be expanded and established in the Finnish residential construction industry.

Although the interviewees came from various fields of small house projects, their perspectives expressed in the interviews were coherent, supportive, and complementary. Highlights of small house practices in Finland include:

(a)

as in many other projects, architect can assist small house projects in many ways, such as accurately identifying the client’s needs, and choosing the most suitable layout for the house;

(b)

allocating sufficient time for planning an average of six months is critical for the thoughts of both the architect and the client to mature in peace;

(c)

although the architect’s fee varies according to the degree of participation in the project, the share of architectural design in the total cost of the project is around 3–5%;

(d)

even though statistics do not show the number of small houses designed by the architects, the total amount is estimated to be between 10–20%;

(e)

an architect’s typical client is reported to be those who dream of a long-term home and are concerned with aesthetics as well as functional quality;

(f)

the problem when building a prefabricated house is the compatibility of the house with the environment and the land, and it can be difficult to meet the requirements of the site plans for ready-made house types. In this context, a professional architect knows how to consider the individual characteristics of the site, such as landforms, wind, neighbors, landscapes, nature, and microclimate;

(g)

critical assistance can be obtained from an architect in the implementation of a self-built family house through a complex process including reviewing various documents and applications for building permits;

(h)

quality of the building can mean many things, such as functionality, durable materials, good indoor air, pleasant acoustics, and ecology. In this context, the client is always satisfied with the residences designed by the architect, and this satisfaction stems from the client’s involvement in every stage of the design through a strong communication channel.

(i)

while an individually designed house may seem more costly than a prefab home, an architect-designed home will be affordable as long as the budget is known from the start of the project. Additionally, architects can evaluate project costs or price ranges, and this is especially critical for projects with limited budgets and traditional construction techniques.

The results of interviews with architectural experts in different fields were also supported by the case study “Dream Home” results in terms of cost and quality issues. As mentioned before, in 2022, the average price per square meter of a 160 m² small house was 2370 €/m², with a total price of approximately 379,000 €, while in 2022, the average cost per square meter of a 217 m² (gross floor area) “Dream Home” was 2600 €/m², with an average total price of approximately 560,000 €. The cost of the house designed by the architect may be higher than the prefabricated one. Here, the cost of the house designed by the architect may be higher than the prefabricated one. On the other hand, according to the results of our case study, the clients were really satisfied with the houses designed by the architect. The fact that the user is in the design itself, that is, the decisions taken in the design are also the decisions of the user, has critical importance in ensuring this satisfaction.

Small home construction in the form of a home supplier has also been able to respond well to construction in urban areas over the years. But in the future, the individual design may increase its position, due to which the volume of construction is reduced, and additional structures are increasingly being replaced. Plots are becoming more cramped and more difficult, and a construction site becomes a special need for careful consideration of conditions. Reproducible solutions are designed to meet the needs of as many customers as possible and the job site is not taken into account. This means that a universal solution does not work for everyone or everywhere. The individually designed house corresponds to the conditions of the construction site and the needs and wishes of its inhabitants.

While urbanization is a constant trend, the population moved to smaller cities from the rest of Finland in 2021. The corona pandemic, which started in 2020, has affected people’s housing demands and need for space. It seems realistic that the lifestyle has changed significantly with the housing conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in the country-style lifestyle, where outdoor use is predominant, and therefore the demand for the small house.

Additionally, with the increasing popularity of working from home and working, people need more space in their homes to work. This phenomenon increased the construction of small houses, and study rooms were built in new houses. The development will probably continue in the same direction in the future. Population growth in the capital area has slowed and the housing supply needs to be diversified, such as through the development of small houses, to strengthen the region’s attractiveness. It could also mean, for example, that in the future people are living in smaller cities and land sizes are starting to increase again.

This research has some limitations. A larger interview group could be employed to gather data to add a deeper dimension to the study. Therefore, results that are more applicable for generalization can be achieved. In this perspective, results that are especially beneficial for the small home market should be seen as information worthy of further study to confirm on a larger population scale. Additionally, this paper is geographically limited to the Finnish context. In other areas where small housing is popular, various viewpoints may have formed.