Mobile Homes – A Choice Of Freedom Romanians Contemplate Warily

by Paul Ciocoiu · Published March 22, 2016 · Updated March 22, 2016

For those of us constantly craving the world behind the concrete mastodons, the mobile homes appear to be the perfect expression of freedom since mobility defines us ever more these present days. It is part of a successful recipe, and not only from a professional perspective, while more and more articulating out social behavior, always seeking to escape the ever banal daily. The mobile homes, regardless of the design they come in, are the shortest way to a pure state of mind and the authentic joys of life. But Romanians seems to be reluctant in discovering the pros of this type of housing, local producers told us, for reasons which mostly relate to prejudices.

In a country suffocated by bureaucracy, mobile homes come with the main advantage of not needing a building permit. More than that, you don’t need a foundation either and, if need be, you can easily move the home on short distances. You can order them in various sizes and designs, most of them being built from wood or prefabricated wood panels. They boast the same qualities as a regular house – thermal and acoustic insulation, fireproof treated wood and resistance to bad weather in all its manifestations – but can be raised in a much shorter interval, sometimes even within a week.

“We need to underline one thing from the very outset: there are at the moment no houses in Romania that can be listed in the A energy efficiency class. Well, these mobile homes can”, Nicolae Oiesdean, director of Autorulote Romania, a company selling mobile houses and caravans, told Houzbuzz.com His homes feature up-to-date technology, such as galvanized chassis, walls made from structural isolated panels, with the floor and roof also benefitting from thermal insulation, with layers ranging from 5 to 15 cm in thickness, and a vapor barrier, while interiors are fully furnished and can be easily connected to utilities.

The models come in different sizes and, consequently, different internal layout and prices. For instance, a mobile home which measures 2.5 meters in width and 6 meters in length cost between 9,200 and 12,800 VAT not included. The largest homes, those measuring 6 meters in width and coming close to the size of traditional houses, cost 22,300 plus taxes. They feature two bedrooms, each spreading on 9.5 square meters, a 14.5 sq. meter living, a bathroom and a 12 sq. meter kitchen with dining area included.

Mobile homes – austere exterior, but cozy interiors

These homes are manufactured at a stone’s throw from Bucharest, in the town of Jilava, thanks to a partnership with a local firm, and can be ready in two months at the most, depending on the ordered size. “These are homes manufactured in Romania and come with a price advantage of 4,000 Euros compared to imported mobile houses”, the director added. “In Romania, we sell about 5 to 10 such homes in average per year because people just don’t understand the advantages of this type of homes. Regrets only show up after people build a traditional house and realize their initial cost assessment has been seriously turned upside down. I guess it all comes down to mentality, prejudice, there’s some sort of an embarrassment of not living in such a home”, he pointed out.

Mobile homes – different plans

His company also sells RVs which seem to be more attractive to Romanians. “As far as these type of vehicles are concerned, there’s indeed been a change of optics, which is not the case with mobile homes. We sell about 20-15 RVs per year” at a price starting at 12,000 Euros. The explanation lies in a greater mobility of these vehicles which can accompany your holiday plans wherever they take you.

In Oradea, NW Romania, the local firm Marfor produces prefab mobile homes using “sandwich” type wall panels made of fireproofed wood and a 10 cm thick thermal and sound insulation in the middle which is also part of the floor and roof structure. All the materials used are again eco-friendly, characterized by a high degree of diffusion which allows the homes to literally breathe, with a direct positive impact on the dwellers. Prices range between 10,000 and 15,000 VAT not included.

In Romania, the company sells about 3-4 such wooden homes every year, while 40-50 of them are exported in the same time frame. “The mobile home culture is little known here, Romanians are not open towards it because there is this misconception the house features a ridiculously small living area”, Marius Fora, the company owner, told us. Moreover, the Romanian legislation makes no provision of this type of homes which often raises obstacles in dealing with the local authorities, he added.

Casele mobile – nu exista inca o cultura a caselor mobile in Romania

In the other corner of the country, in Suceava, NE Romania, Vlad Grigoriu owns a small firm which manufactures wooden caravans. These are genuine miniature homes which feature all the comfort elements we mentioned before. The firm produces various models, but the standard caravan, measuring 2.5-3 meters in width and 6 meters in length, sells for 25,000 Euros, with all the interior finishes, furniture and utilities included. Over the past 3 years, since the company has been active, it has sold a single caravan in Romania and 5-6 others abroad. Grigoriu, who is also a specialized wood craftsman and not solely a businessman, doesn’t evoke the Romanians’ mentality, but points directly to the price which is not affordable for average Romanians.