We’ve compiled a comprehensive FAQ section to quickly answer your questions about our Bali prefab wood homes. Browse the categories below to find the information you need. If you can’t find an answer, don’t worry you can still send us aa email, we will respond within 48 hours.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive FAQ section to quickly answer your questions about our Bali prefab wood homes. Browse the categories below to find the information you need. If you can’t find an answer, don’t worry you can still send us aa email, we will respond within 48 hours.
I. About Our Wood Prefab Homes:
II. Building Process & Logistics:
III. Protection & Maintenance:
Includes information on wood types, sourcing, and kiln-drying processes.
We only use the best Indonesian hardwoods for our luxury prefabs: Teak, Bangkirai (*) & Merbau. All our woods are legally and sustainably sourced from reputable Indonesian suppliers.
Bangkirai is a strong tropical hardwood rot proof, unlike the softer coconut wood. Only four Indonesian wood species are highly resistant to termite attack: Teak, Ironwood (Ulin), Merbau, and Bangkirai (listed in order of cost, highest to lowest). Bangkirai offers a balance of strength and cost-effectiveness, making it ideal for our homes and gazebos. Coconut wood, however, is highly susceptible to termite damage, potentially leading to significant structural problems in infested areas. (See also the question on termite resistance.)
Merbau’s termite resistance is dependent on the wood type. Only Class I Merbau, sourced from the heartwood (inner core), is highly resistant. Sapwood (outer core) is significantly cheaper but more vulnerable to termite attack.
When considering the longevity of your Bali wood prefab, “durability” takes on a specific meaning beyond simple resistance to scratches and dents. While physical strength is certainly important (and can be assessed through metrics like Janka hardness and Modulus of Rupture), the true measure of durability in this context is the wood’s inherent resistance to natural decay.
This resistance is crucial because wood degradation can stem from various sources: fungal growth fueled by fluctuating moisture levels, and infestation by termites or other destructive insects. Understanding these factors is vital for ensuring the lasting quality of your Bali wood structure.
| Classification | Service Life (in years) | Wood species | |
| Very Durable | 80+ | We use Teak, Bangkirai (*), Merbau | |
| Durable | 30-50 | Camphor, Kempas,we do not use | |
| Moderately Durable | 15-25 | Nyatoh, Kempas, we do not use | |
| Non-Durable | 5-10 | Coconut wood, we do not use | |
| Perishable | less than 5 | We do not use | |
A common question we receive concerns the lifespan of our Bali wood prefab homes. While classic timber-frame homes have stood the test of time for centuries, our modern prefabricated structures leverage advancements in materials and construction techniques to ensure exceptional longevity.
A Legacy of Durability: Contrary to popular misconception, a 2022 university study revealed that traditionally built brick houses don’t inherently outperform timber-frame homes in terms of lifespan and durability. In fact, the last 60 years have seen significant improvements in timber prefab construction. With proper maintenance, our Bali wood homes are designed to provide comfortable and safe living for at least 80 years, and potentially up to 150-200 years.
Beyond Structural Integrity: Weathering Resistance
The longevity of a wood structure isn’t solely defined by its structural strength. The wood’s resistance to weathering is equally crucial. While quantifying weathering resistance precisely is challenging, we prioritize woods exhibiting exceptional performance in key areas: minimal photo-degradation (damage from UV rays), and superior resistance to warping, cracking, and dimensional changes caused by seasonal fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
Premium Wood Selection: This commitment to quality leads us to utilize only the finest woods known for their superior durability and weathering characteristics, such as Bangkirai and Merbau. These timbers are renowned for their exceptional performance, ensuring your Bali wood prefab remains a beautiful and structurally sound investment for generations to come.
Overseas building codes are often restrictive regarding materials not native to the region. While tropical hardwoods are widely accepted globally, this isn’t always the case everywhere in the world. We successfully navigate this by demonstrating to county authorities the superior strength of our tropical hardwoods, supported by technical evidence. We have obtained special permits for using Indonesian Bangkirai in Hawaii (Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii County), Australia, Europe and the Caribbean Islands.
Yes. Bangkirai will turn a medium grey, with occasional lighter areas. Merbau will develop a grayish-brown hue.
While Bangkirai’s density means some minor cracking is possible due to changes in moisture content, this is a natural process and doesn’t usually affect structural integrity. Wider cracks, potentially from improper air drying, are rare and addressed on a case-by-case basis, in this case, it will not pass our quality control.
Our timber comes from Borneo (Bangkirai) and Irian Jaya (Merbau) in Indonesia. Indonesian regulations under the V legal SVLK wood tracing system prevent us from sourcing logs illegally, requiring checks for governmental legal paperwork at the origin (supervised and authorized wood logging} and again at the factory before containers loading. A traceable paperwork is attached to the shipment.
Heartwood is the central, strongest, and densest part of a tree. Hardwood is a general term for wood species with hardwood characteristics.
Kiln drying is a controlled process where lumber is dried in a heated, enclosed chamber. Unlike air drying, which can take months or even years, kiln drying significantly reduces moisture content in a much shorter timeframe (typically weeks). This is vital for Indonesian hardwood because it prevents warping, shrinking, cracking, and insect infestation. The precise control over temperature and humidity in our kilns ensures the wood maintains its strength and beauty while minimizing stress and potential defects.
We utilize a computer-controlled dehumidification kiln which allows for precise monitoring and adjustment of temperature and humidity throughout the drying cycle. This technology helps prevent rapid drying that could damage the wood, resulting in a superior final product.
Choosing kiln-dried hardwood ensures:
Covers wall, floor, and roof construction; structural integrity; custom design options; architectural details; doors and windows; and drawings/plans.
Roof Construction:
All our prefabs come with an engineered three-layer roof system with asphalt shingle roof covers.
Our three-layer roofs utilize a marine grade plywood sub-layers, a bitumen membrane and a final asphalt shingle layer, ensuring superior waterproofing. (See also the question on detailed roof structure.)
Our building designs incorporate hurricane anchors and are built to withstand high winds, category 3 hurricanes; however, we cannot offer a 100% guarantee against damage in higher conditions. (See additional questions on hurricane and earthquake resistance).
Floor Construction:
Our four-layer flooring system prevent any floor deflection through the use of an OSB layer 15mm, a cement composite layer 20mm, a waterproofing coating and a final Teak hardwood flooring; supporting beams spaced no more than 500mm (1’8″) apart. This design prevents any bending under normal foot traffic and ensure higher isolation and an efficient moisture barrier.
Wall Construction & Claddings:
Single cladding uses one exterior board, suitable for simple, tropical cottages without strict temperature control needs. Double cladding uses two boards separated by 60mm slats creating an insulated cavity, good for temperature regulation, small soundproofing, and concealing wiring/plumbing in hotter climates or areas with significant temperature fluctuations. Our exclusive hybrid three layer wall design is specifically engineered to optimize thermal and phonic insulation offering a better wall system overall for your new prefab.
All exterior cladding boards have a specially designed tongue-and-groove profile, joined with beveled edges and an expansion gap to ensure optimal rainwater runoff and wood stability.
Structural Integrity & Design:
While we cannot share exact construction details, our roofs are of course 100% waterproof, even in high winds & and heavy storms (up to category 3 hurricanes), and use our engineered three-layer system.
While our engineers and architects are highly qualified, we don’t provide overseas building permits directly as we don’t hold overseas licenses. However, we collaborate with overseas engineering firms to refine designs for local code compliance and assist with permit applications.
We provide a 12 month liability warranty and a 5 year limited warranty. Please read our warranty section.
Depending on humidity levels and temperature fluctuations, re-tightening of bolts after a long period may be necessary due to wood expansion and contraction. While not dangerous, it’s recommended to do so until the wood reaches equilibrium.
We utilize 304 stainless steel threaded rods with nuts and washers or 304 stainless steel Phillips head screws.
Custom Design & Architectural Details:
Yes, our team can work with your drawings; however, the feasibility and associated costs depend on the complexity of your design.
Doors and Windows:
Yes, various types are available, doors and windows are supplied with tempered glazing with all our prefab house order.
Yes, based on our standard system and glass types/thicknesses.
We offer many kinds of doors (panel, sliding, folding, louver, French, pocket, double swing, etc.) and windows (fixed, sliding, louver, awning, French, etc.), all built in house for optimal fitment and quality control.
Drawings and Plans:
We don’t send out detailed plans for free. Screen captures from our model pages are available. Detailed architectural drawings will be sent with a confirmed order under our licensing fees.
Details on wood finishing options and coatings.
We work exclusively with WOCA products. WOCA is an internationally recognized brand who offers a wide range of finishing products.
Exterior: 3 layer applied WOCA exterior oil
Interior: 3 layer applied WOCA water based finishing.
Kitchen: 3 layer applied WOCA food grade water based finishing
Yes, our floors have an applied 9 layers UV finish scratch resistant coating from WOCA.
No, please use the same WOCA products for maintenance.
No, our standard WOCA coatings are lead-free, mercury-free, and contain no photochemically reactive solvents.
We provide complimentary tins of WOCA coatings to help you repair any minor damage that may occur during the assembly process.
Yes, WOCA products are very user-friendly but appropriate experience and skill are required for a professional result.
Includes information on the prefabrication process, re-assembly instructions, and estimated assembly times.
Lead time depends on the prefab model. Smaller models typically require 6-8 weeks, up to 3 months for our larger models. Shipping time averages 4-6 weeks.
Our team can work with your drawings, but the project feasibility and cost depend on the design complexity. Our standard architectural service agreements apply in such cases.
Yes, we are here to help and can answer any questions during the building process. Also a well detailed instruction manual is provided with all our builds.
Parts are well packaged and organized into numbered batches (e.g., “Floorboards 1-20,” “Floorboards 21-40,” etc.). A 3D assembly manual shows part numbers and installation instructions. Essential parts are placed at the container’s front for easy access.
We don’t use nails. Connections are made using threaded 304 stainless steel rods with nuts and washers, or stainless screws. Screw holes are pre-drilled, requiring only drilling into the support and tightening.
Covering isn’t necessary before installing flooring or siding as all the structure elements are finished in the factory. However, we recommend covering before the roof is installed to protect from the weather.
Yes, we offer on-site assembly services at extra cost for large projects only. Contact us via our contact form for more information and pricing.
The number of people required depends on the project size and desired completion speed, usually 4 to 6 workers. While a small team can complete the assembly, it may take 1 to 2 months for a large house. Adding more people may increase speed up to a certain point; beyond that, adding more workers may actually decrease efficiency. Some DIY experience among the team is recommended.
Our assembly manual provides detailed instructions, including the placement of temporary stability bracings and scaffolding.
Yes, easily, because we don’t use nails for connected parts!
Covers packing, container space requirements, and shipping details.
Fumigation uses gas to eliminate pests (spiders, ants, beetles, rodents, mildew, etc.) and other organisms that may be present in the shipping container. It’s mandatory in most countries. Wood requires Methyl Bromide fumigation.
The number of containers depends on the house size and the volume/weight of materials. We use 20ft, 40ft, or 40ft high-cube containers. Volume estimates are available for our standard houses. For custom designs, we need to finalize the design before providing accurate estimates. Bangkirai wood is heavy (900 kg/m³), so multiple containers may be necessary if the total weight exceeds 23 tons.
While we are not responsible for shipping damage, we include extra wood and materials to allow for repairs.
Shipment insurance is optional, costing 2.5% of the declared value on the pro forma invoice.
Packing is handled by us if you use our preferred partner or by your chosen cargo forwarder. We deliver the materials to the forwarder; their responsibility begins once they collect the materials.
Yes. Search online for “Bali cargo forwarder” to find options.
We can provide quotes using our interactive price list (covering 25 popular destinations). For other destinations, we will contact our forwarder for a quote based on estimated volume (allow a few days for this).
Explains foundation requirements and considerations.
No, foundation design is not included in our standard packages. However, we can advise you on the appropriate foundation type for your site conditions.
Simpson anchors are widely available and are an effective solution. We will specify the appropriate type for your project. Alternatively, we can supply similar anchors sourced from Bali.
Footing dimensions depend entirely on the soil conditions at your building site. Weak subsoil requires larger footings, while firm sand may allow for smaller footings (as small as 300 x 300 mm or 1ft x 1ft). You will need to consult with a local engineer to determine the appropriate footing size based on the column load calculations we will provide.
Discusses termite prevention and fumigation.
Termite Resistance:
Bangkirai, a durable tropical hardwood, offers superior resistance to termite infestation. Only four Indonesian wood species boast exceptional termite resistance: Teak, Ironwood, Merbau (Class 1 heartwood only), and Bangkirai (heartwood only). Bangkirai provides the best balance of strength, resistance, and cost-effectiveness. Using Bangkirai significantly reduces the risk of termite damage. This is what we use exclusively.
Only Class 1 Merbau (heartwood) offers high termite resistance. Sapwood (outer core) is more vulnerable. This is what we use also.
Only Bangkirai heartwood is 100% termite-resistant. Termites can still affect sapwood or if the heartwood is compromised. This will not pass our quality control and wood selection process.
No. Only the heartwood of these species is 100% resistant. Using a mix of sapwood and heartwood compromises the termite resistance. We only use heartwood in our fabrications.
While termites primarily target wood, they can sometimes create pathways through cracks in concrete or around metal components.
Fumigation:
Fumigation uses gas to eliminate pests and organisms (spiders, ants, beetles, rodents, mildew, etc.) from shipping containers. It’s a prerequisite in most countries. Wood requires Methyl Bromide.
Yes, fumigation (with Methyl Bromide) is still mandatory for wood shipments.
Addresses hurricane and earthquake resistance.
Our Bali prefab homes are engineered for resilience against various weather conditions, including hurricanes (max force 3) and earthquakes.
While we prioritize cost-effectiveness for our globally exported wood prefab homes, we adapt designs to meet specific regional building codes and weather conditions. For areas prone to hurricanes or earthquakes, we implement modifications to enhance structural integrity, including reinforcements and the addition of hurricane anchors and earthquake-resistant features. Our structural calculations adhere to international standards. Our track record includes successfully delivering homes to hurricane-prone regions that have withstood significant storms.
Details the warranty offered on the prefab homes. Exuberance Studio’s Commitment to Quality.
At Exuberance Studio, we stand behind the quality of our Bali prefab homes. Unlike some companies, we provide a comprehensive, written warranty to ensure your long-term satisfaction. This warranty is issued upon project completion and covers defects in materials and workmanship for five years.
1. Defects Liability Period:
Our defects liability period addresses potential issues that may arise within a specified timeframe after project completion. “Defect,” in this context, refers to work not meeting the standards outlined in our contract, including aspects such as:
The length of the defects liability period is specified in your contract and typically ranges from 12 to 24 months, though it may vary depending on the project’s complexity and the type of work performed. During this period, Exuberance Studio is legally obligated to repair any defects that appear in our work.
2. Five-Year Limited Warranty:
Exuberance Studio provides a five year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use conditions. This warranty covers the replacement of defective parts, excluding labor costs for installation. The warranty is transferable to the original purchaser only and explicitly excludes damage resulting from:
Exuberance Studio is not responsible for labor charges or damages incurred during installation, repair, or replacement, nor for incidental or consequential damages.
3. Warranty Exclusions:
To ensure clarity, please note the following are specifically excluded from our warranty coverage:
D. Maintenance & Warranty Validity:
The duration of warranty coverage for each component is contingent upon proper maintenance, correct installation, and typical residential use, as detailed in the Exuberance Studio care instructions manual. We recommend regularly reviewing this manual to ensure the longevity of your investment.
Provides information on pricing, taxes, and payment plans.
Exuberance Studio offers transparent and competitive pricing for our Bali prefab homes. To obtain a detailed quote tailored to your specific project, please contact us directly. We are happy to discuss various options and provide you with a comprehensive cost breakdown.
Pricing Structure:
Our pricing is ex-factory. This means that the price quoted excludes shipping and associated costs. We maintain a long-standing relationship with a reputable Bali cargo forwarder and can provide you with a shipping quote upon request, or you are welcome to use your own preferred freight forwarder. In either case, the forwarder will need to collect the goods from our factory.
Pricing Per Square Meter/Foot:
Pricing varies depending on several factors: the specific house design (standard or custom), materials selected, and the level of finishes. As a general guide, our pricing ranges from approximately USD 1000/m² (USD 46/sq ft) for our naked build option to USD 1500/m² (USD 88/sq ft) for our full build option (prices are ex-factory and current as of 2024). Please note that prices are subject to change and may increase by approximately 5% annually. For precise pricing, we encourage you to contact us directly.
Payment Currencies:
While our standard pricing is in IDR, we accept payments in other currencies, applying the current Bank of Indonesia exchange rate on the date of payment.
Taxes & Export Fees:
The export of our prefab homes is exempt from Indonesian VAT tax. However, there are small, standard fees, namely an endorsement fee and a V-legal retribution (reforestation fee) applied per container. These fees will be clearly outlined in your final invoice.
Price Negotiation:
Our prices are fixed to ensure fairness and transparency.
What’s Included in the Price:
For a breakdown of what’s included in the price of your prefab home, please refer to each model page.
Obtaining a Price List:
To receive a price list based on your project’s specifications, please contact us.
Explains insurance requirements and recommendations.
Exuberance Studio is not responsible for insuring shipments; however, we strongly recommend securing adequate insurance coverage for your prefab home during transit and after delivery. We can assist you in obtaining a quote from our preferred freight forwarder for cargo insurance, typically at a rate of 2.5% of the total value of the goods.
Post-Delivery Protection:
Following delivery and installation, your Exuberance Studio prefab home is protected by our comprehensive five year limited warranty. This warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship. It’s essential to maintain appropriate homeowner’s insurance to address risks beyond those covered by our warranty.
Covers MEP, electrical, plumbing, and water installation.
Utility Connections & Installations:
Exuberance Studio provides detailed plans for the integration of electrical, plumbing, and potable water systems within your prefab home. We design and provide these systems for you at extra cost, ensuring optimal placement and functionality.
You will need to engage a licensed local contractor to execute the installation based on our provided blueprints and materials. This ensures compliance with all local building codes and regulations.
Tap-In Specifications:
Our designs include specific diagrams for tap-in points (threaded ends or pipes) that will need to be installed by your local contactor, extending from the house’s walls to connect to your property’s existing water supply and sewer mains. These tap-in points facilitate a seamless connection by your chosen contractor.
Lists available built in and furniture options and integration.
Exuberance Studio offers a range of options to furnish your Bali prefab home, seamlessly blending functionality with the natural beauty of your surroundings. We provide high-quality built-in furniture as part of our full packages, and offer an array of additional loose furniture options at an extra cost, all locally sourced to support the Indonesian economy.
Built-in Furniture (Optional Extra Cost):
Our built-in option include carefully crafted built-in furniture, designed for both practicality and aesthetic appeal. These include:
Loose Furniture (Optional Extra Cost):
For additional comfort and style, we offer a selection of high-quality loose furniture sourced from skilled artisans across Indonesia. This locally-sourced furniture adds a unique touch to your home, supporting the local community and ensuring high-quality, handcrafted pieces. Our selection includes:
For a detailed catalog of our available furniture options and pricing, please contact us or visit our showroom. We’re happy to assist you in creating a perfectly furnished and functional retreat.