With global forces impacting the availability of building materials, labour and energy, Pirin Golf & Country Club, in Bulgaria, has employed the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) to expand its real estate portfolio. A move which is proving hugely popular with buyers and investors, as Owner and CEO, Ina Kanazireva explains…
A combination of post-pandemic uncertainty, unease in the East and increasing inflation has made obtaining raw building materials a difficult process.
The availability of bricks, concrete, roof tiles, paints and electrical products have all been affected, resulting in longer build lead times, especially for European markets heavily reliant on the Far East for their materials. Surging energy costs and a shrinking skilled labour pool are compounding the challenges.
However as other resorts struggle to revise their master plan, Pirin Golf & Country Club, in Bulgaria, is sidestepping supply issues with the help of modern methods of construction (MMC), as Owner and CEO, Ina Kanazireva, explains:
“We found that our MMC approach, which we’d adopted way before the pandemic, bucks these shortage trends and meets the increasing demand for new properties.”
Modern methods of construction (MMC) is the umbrella term applied to different types of construction involving significant portions or all of the building being manufactured in a factory setting and joined together on-site.
Benefits of such a method include:
- Less material waste – and therefore more efficient use of stock
- More sustainable and better-quality housing
- Improved lead times – it is estimated construction time is reduced by 20-60% [1]
“Initially, we didn’t build using modular techniques but when an investor approached us with a request for 20 houses, we realised we needed a quick and efficient way to deliver such a project,” added Ina Kanazireva, explaining that lead times for MMC project completions at Pirin Golf & Country Club can range from six months to a year, depending on a client’s needs.
“We also needed a quieter and less intrusive method of building, as we didn’t want to inconvenience our members and golf clientele, and of course one that met the same industry regulations.”
MMC builds are growing in popularity as lenders realise it meets the same regulations, codes and guidelines as traditionally built homes and therefore are more readily providing finance for such projects.
“People were sure bricks were better insulators and thicker, but it turned out this wasn’t the case. We learned plasterboard was more efficient, it’s quieter, and it brings the same qualities,” continued Ina Kanazireva.
“Modular building has also enabled us to continue building throughout the winter, when we didn’t want heavy construction materials on site.”
Demand for Pirin Golf & Country Club’s pre-fabricated, modular-built wooden constructions is strong. The Bulgarian resort two hours south of capital Sofia is currently building 17 more Chalets, adding to the 24 units that were sold in just the last 12 months.
The level of interest has spurred on the development of much larger Eco Chalets that will be built solely from locally-sourced materials, underlining the resort’s commitment to a more sustainable future, and following Pirin Golf & Country Club’s modular construction methodology.