Self-Build: Timber Kit Houses through Material and Construction Systems

The term "Self-Build" refers to all situations in which individuals are involved in the production of their own homes. There are various ways for those who wish to build their own homes, one of which is kit houses. Kit houses offer individuals the opportunity to physically construct all or part of their homes. The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent kit houses enable individuals to build their own homes without professional assistance, what criteria this depends on, and to explore the potential usage of this housing type in the future. In this context, five different kit houses produced by companies using wooden materials were selected as examples. The data obtained from the selected houses were evaluated by analyzing the level of professional support required at each stage of the construction process and why this support is necessary, using qualitative analysis methods under the main headings of construction and materials, including subheadings such as square meters, number of floors, construction time, foundation type, components being assembled, assembly techniques and tools, dimensions of building components, and materials. The evaluation revealed that kit houses are prefabricated with modular coordination, and the size, weight, and connection details of the building parts affect the ease of construction without professional help. It was also found that the selection of lightweight, sustainable materials suitable for prefabrication is crucial.