Gwen Vriesema found himself short on space when he began working from home during the pandemic, but he didn’t want to renovate his 1950s thatched cottage in Oosterbeek, the Netherlands. The solution? A tiny prefab dwelling from Swedish company Manta North that strikes a sharp contrast with his historic existing home.

After perusing the company’s four models of prefab homes, Gwen settled on the 270-square-foot Weekend unit. The $67,260 price point was attractive, and with shipping, construction, and utilities the total came to less than $100K. (For North American customers, the fully finished Weekend unit would cost $149,000 as most of the materials are shipped from Europe and assembled in the U.S.)

$1,630 Groundwork	$1,085 Foundation	$2,170 Utilities (Water, Power & Sewage)
$67,260 Manta North Prefab	$10,850 Transportation	$7,050 Crane
$540 Installation	$5,970 Terrace
Grand Total: $96,555

“We think of our houses as products, much like cars,” explains Linda Kletniece, business development manager at Manta North. “We know how frustrating traditional construction can be—long timelines, fluctuating costs, and unpredictable results. With Manta North, you get a ready-built house made from sustainable cross-laminated timber (CLT), and you can move in the same day it arrives.”

The design of each Manta North prefab is led by Zurich-based architect Reinis Salins, who draws on Scandinavian and modernist design principles to create homes that harmonize with nature. Each unit is prefabricated in one of Manta North’s factories, which are located in Riga, Latvia, and Salt Lake City, Utah—and then delivered to the site ready for immediate use.

“The plug-and-play concept of our Manta North prefab is great,” says Gwen. “One day you’re just looking at some concrete slabs on the ground with some utility works sticking out of the plot, and the next day—with some help from the plumber and electrician—you have a fully operating addition to your home.”

The ADU features a small bed and a desk for working. “Although the new prefab was intended solely as my office, it is now also frequently used as a hang-out and sleepover spot for my daughter and her friends,” says Gwen." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Jussi Puikkonen" photoUserId=""/>

Aside from the quick build, another major perk for Gwen was that he didn’t have to make any technical decisions. “We ordered a standard Weekend unit, so all materials and the design were selected by Manta North,” he says. “It’s great and meets all our expectations—we particularly like the fact that everything is so solid and well insulated.”

The unit is designed around a simple, open floor plan. The entry opens to the living area, with space for a kitchenette, desk, small bed, and sofa. a small hallway leads to a bathroom on the left and a utilities and storage zone on the right.

The Weekend model can be ordered with a pitched roof (as Gwen selected) or a flat roof, and the thermally modified wood facade is available in a natural, red-painted, or black-stained finish. Gwen selected the darker option so that it would blend in with the dark foliage in the garden and emphasize the sleek, modern form.

“The final location of the unit required the crane company to drive a crane through our garden all the way around our house and to lorry the unit in via the same route,” says Gwen. “Due to the location being so far from the nearest road, this was quite a challenge.” In addition, the transport costs were higher than originally expected, as the home is not in the vicinity of a large port—an important factor, as the unit was shipped from Latvia to the Netherlands." layout="" credit="Photo by Jussi Puikkonen" photoUserId=""/>

In hindsight, Gwen admits that he probably should have opted for an additional window to help cool the unit in the summer months, and solar panels to make it more sustainable. “We initially selected a shaded spot, so we decided not to include the solar panels, but this site was ruled out based on zoning limitations,” he explains.

“This project shows that prefabricated designs can fit perfectly into historic settings,” says Kletniece. “It’s great to see how functional and beautiful solutions can respect the site’s architectural character while making it easier to expand living spaces.”

More Budget Breakdown stories:

In Texas, a Designer Clears Out His Overgrown Backyard to Build a $318K Studio

They Built a Minimalist $437K ADU—to Live and Work Out of Themselves

It Took Twice as Long, But This $266K ADU Built a Close Friendship

Project Credits:

Architecture & Construction: Manta North / @mantanorth

Photographer: Jussi Puikkonen