Are Prefabricated Houses Occupied in China?

A large number of residents in China live in prefabricated panel buildings, but the living situation of modern prefabricated houses (such as modular homes) is not explicitly mentioned.

Current Living Situation of Domestic Prefabricated Panel Buildings

As of 2025, there are approximately 18.5 million to 18.7 million sets of prefabricated panel houses in China, involving nearly 52 million to 56 million people. These houses were mostly built in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily to address the housing shortage at that time, and are still inhabited by a large number of residents. They are widely distributed, covering old urban communities and some township areas, and are typical products of housing supply during a specific historical period.

Living Experience Issues

Although more than 70% of prefabricated panel buildings have been identified as structurally safe (Grade A or B), there are widespread issues of low living comfort due to design flaws. Poor sound insulation is one of the prominent problems. For example, residents of a Grade A prefabricated panel building in Nanjing reported that the noise generated by daily activities upstairs (such as walking and moving furniture) is significant and affects normal life. Poor thermal insulation performance is also notable. In winter, mold and condensation easily form at the corners of walls, while in summer, the roof lacks sufficient heat insulation, causing the indoor temperature to be too high, necessitating the additional use of air conditioners or fans for cooling. Waterproofing issues are also relatively common. Some houses experience rainwater leakage due to the aging of the roof or exterior wall waterproofing layers, requiring residents to carry out repairs themselves.

Impact of Renovation Policies

The government has improved the living conditions of some prefabricated panel buildings through renovation projects (such as adding thermal insulation layers, updating pipelines, and renovating facades), but it has not completely solved fundamental problems such as structural aging. For example, renovations may enhance the thermal insulation performance of houses but cannot repair sound insulation issues caused by cracks between prefabricated components. After pipeline updates, residents still need to handle local failures caused by the aging of water and electricity pipelines on their own. In addition, renovations have not covered all prefabricated panel buildings. Some houses have not been included in the plan due to complex property rights and high renovation costs, and the living environment of residents has not been substantially improved.

Situation of Modern Prefabricated Houses

It should be noted that the current discussion of "prefabricated houses" mainly refers to traditional prefabricated panel buildings, while modern prefabricated houses (such as modular and integrated homes) have significantly improved living experiences due to technological upgrades (such as the use of new sound insulation materials, overall waterproof designs, and intelligent systems). However, the reference information does not explicitly mention the popularity and living situation of such houses in China, and further attention to industry trends or policy guidance is needed to obtain accurate data.