Iconna Home brings a unique concept in the housing sector. What is it about? Modular wooden buildings from the Italian manufacturer A-Fold, from which Iconna Home has been given official representation for Czechia and Slovakia. So far, they offer two types, the third is in development. We talked to the company's "founding fathers" Petr Vorba and Tomáš Volf about how modular houses actually work, what they offer and how they can be used.
How did you actually get together?
Petr Vorba: Tomáš and I have known each other for over twenty years. Both of us worked in a completely different industry, however, over time we’ve had a common interest in the property development sector. More than two years ago, I saw a presentation of wooden modular smart homes, which appealed to me. Subsequently, Tomáš and I sat down and came up with the idea that this could be a great way for the current trend of fast and relatively cheap housing for people who want to escape from the bustle of the city. It seemed clever and interesting, as there was nothing like it on the market. The modularity of those houses is great and allows customers to adapt them to their wishes and ideas.
That sounds like you hadn’t done any property development before?
Petr Vorba: That’s right. I ran a trading company with my partners. But real estate, design and architecture had always attracted me. So I started flirting with smaller projects - from construction through to renovations, interior design and the like. Over time, these branches became my main path and when Tomáš and I said that modular houses were a product that could be our pillar with great potential not only for the Czech market, it was clear what was the way to go.
Tomáš, in what sector did you work before founding Iconna Home?
Tomáš Volf: I was an employee of a financial company. But I was thinking of going my own way, and when I saw the website of the house producers two years ago it really appealed to me. Imagine that you are at a stage where you want to move on, looking, thinking - and suddenly something comes up that you immediately think that is exactly it. Petr and I quickly agreed. We teamed up with Italian manufacturers A-FOLD Houses, went there and viewed the factory producing these houses. We were excited. I found something that made sense, and I knew I wanted to do this in the future.
One visit, and you immediately became the exclusive partner for Czechia and Slovakia? That was a quick deal ...
Petr Vorba: It wasn’t as quick as it sounds... (laughs) Nothing is that simple. However, the well known maxim “being in the right place at the right time” did make a difference.
Tomáš Volf : Which worked out perfectly.
Petr Vorba: Exactly. They had just finalized their strategy, and we were among the first to contact them from abroad, and we wanted to get that representation at all costs. At the same time, they were doing their projects in cooperation with the Swiss at that moment, and due to licensing conditions and similar issues, they were changing their strategy in general, which opened the door for us as well. We presented them with our projects from the past and introduced them to the concept of how we would imagine the whole cooperation - how we wanted to proceed, what we wanted to achieve. They liked it and we made a deal.
Tomáš Volf: Moreover, there was immediate chemistry among us, mutual sympathies worked. And we also had the same goals and vision how to achieve them, i.e. how to profile the cooperation so that it benefits everyone.
I have noticed that there is representation in the neighbouring countries - Hungary, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but not in Poland, for example. Have you thought about expanding your territory?
Petr Vorba: That would be a natural step, as Polish clients are geographically right next to us. But currently we only do some business support and the like. We want our services to be of a truly professional level, we are not interested in selling such houses like buns in a shop.
Do you all do your own thing within those countries? Is there any cooperation or, conversely, a competitive struggle?
Petr Vorba: As Tomáš said - we want cooperation that would benefit everyone. This logically follows that the individual representations won’t cannibalize each other. Which by the way, generally, happens a lot - I'm talking about stealing customers and the like. Nothing like this is happening here and we are very happy about that.
I assume you don't do everything, just the two of you...
Petr Vorba: That wouldn't work. We’ve managed to gradually build a great team. For example, one of our colleagues is a lawyer, but also skilled in the construction of real estate, her English is amazing and she also speaks perfect Italian, Italy is basically a second home for her - what more could we ask for? We have clicked as people, she is very communicative and can open the right doors. And, of course, we also have excellent colleagues for professional fields - such as civil engineers, designers - and people who must in reality ensure the actual delivery of the house and its installation.
Do you focus only on larger projects, or do you also supply houses to individuals?
Tomáš Volf: Of course, we also work for individuals. For example, a client has a plot of land, so they only want a house from us. We take care of everything, put down the foundation slab, bring the house, install it and hand it over on a turnkey basis.
Petr Vorba: There are several channels through which people contact us. The first is a property development group that says "yes, we like those modular houses and we want them in our holiday resort". This is the option in which - as in the case mentioned by Tomáš - we ensure just the delivery and installation. Then there is another path, which we are now working very closely on - we are preparing two projects for the construction of houses, including the land.
So can someone contact you who has no land to house and you will find it?
Petr Vorba: We are convinced that everyone should do what they are good at. So we don’t do this ourselves, but we work with experts on real estate, who can find the perfect land fast and better than us. The client provides us with the specifications, idea, requirements - some do not want to be far from the city, others, on the contrary, prefer solitude, different people need different sizes of housing and the like. Well, some don't even have the exact idea, so we meet them and try to figure out with them what would suit them best.
You mentioned that you hand over the house on a turnkey basis. So you also set up the water grid, electricity, gas and heat...?
Petr Vorba: Yes - turnkey is turnkey, from A to Z. But if the client wants to get something done themself, we definitely don’t stop them. And they get from us the documents or conditions they have to comply with.
Tomáš Volf: Which is mainly due to security, laws and the like. In any case, the installation of the house itself is up to us, or the company we hire for it. Because it is certified by the manufacturer who knows exactly how to build a house and what is essential to ensure that it is in order and safe.
Petr Vorba: When ordering it, the customer chooses, for example, what kind of roofing they want to have, what floors, what material colours. And when we hand over the house, everything is ready for immediate use, except for the kitchen and, of course, the furniture. Because the selected house already comes to us from the manufacturer with water heating, heating and cooling, all this is already prepared. It has an air conditioning unit and a heat pump to make it economical. The manufacturer takes great care to ensure that their products are environmentally friendly and economical, so that the house consumes little energy. However, if the client says, for example, that they don’t want our ceramics in the bathroom, which is already included in the price, we will remove them and only the preparation for the connection remains there. The same goes for heating - it is possible to leave only the preparation and the client can theoretically connect what they want.
How about a fireplace? After all, these are wooden houses...
Tomáš Volf: There can also be a fireplace, but as it is a wooden building, the choice needs to be specific and it is necessary to find the right type.
Petr Vorba: We have a partner company that focuses on fireplaces and stoves, assessing what, where and how to place it.
Model A can be used both for recreation and permanent living. Thanks to its modularity, it can be modified.
You say that the client can choose adjustments. But when you supply the given types of houses, they probably cannot accommodate some kinds of modifications...
Petr Vorba: Of course not, the modules are given. For example, the parameters for the location of the kitchen, bathroom, staircase, etc. are constant. The shapes of the houses are also given by the manufacturer, it is not possible to make a flat roof instead of a sloping one and so on. Currently, there is a choice of two types - model A, which is really a kind of "A", and model T, which has a modified roof and provides more space on the floor under the roof. And we are about to offer the third model C, i.e. Cube, which is, simply put, made of cubes that can be variably set and connected on each other and next to each other. And features are optional. The client can order, for example, an all-glass front wall, a modularly connected balcony, a skylight, the mentioned fireplace and much more.
Tomáš Volf: For instance, it’s possible to agree with the manufacturer if the client wants two windows instead of one – that’s no problem. They are very flexible.
Do you also cooperate with interior decorators, designers, etc.?
Petr Vorba: Yes, we also have these services. and thanks to the houses being modularly built, the client can determine the specifications themselves, with our help or with the help of an architect - from the roofing through the type and modification of the facade or wood panelling to other details. We are also able to provide the final landscaping, including garden construction. And we work with interior designers to help customers adapt the house to their style. All this is possible, and I think that thanks to that it is possible to profile a really ideal house for very decent money.
I assume that if someone wants a house for themselves and in the neighborhood, for example for parents, it is not a problem to supply two different types...
Petr Vorba: Sure. The young family can have the larger, and the retired parents a smaller one. Or other way round, or both can have the same - as they wish.
One of the types that ICONNA HOME imports from Italy is the Model T. It has a modified roof shape providing more space on the top floor.
I was surprised by the speed with which you deliver the houses. You state that from the moment you agree with the customer, it takes three months to deliver it from Italy and the installation itself is completed in ten days.
Tomáš Volf: Yes – it’s ten days including everything.
Petr Vorba: If the client meets the conditions for installation and doesn’t have extra, above-standard requirements for modifications, then due to the fact that the whole house arrives modularly assembled almost finished, the handover will take place within this time period.
So if I had a plot of land and decided that I no longer want to live in Prague, sold the apartment and went somewhere for two weeks, could I come back to a new house, put on my slippers, open the fridge, take out a beer and turn on the TV?
Tomáš Volf: You would have to leave for at least three months, you forget the delivery time from Italy ... (laughs) But otherwise you 're right. And maybe in the future we will have modules in stock here, so everything will be faster.
I assume that all Czech and European standards and certificates are a matter of course...
Petr Vorba: Exactly. The whole house needs to pass certifications for standards within the European Union. In addition, Czechia has some of the highest requirements for quality and workmanship. Of course, we adhere to all standards and norms. By the way, a small note - some interested parties initially thought that houses in Italy are all about working with the sun, so they assumed the houses would be suitable only for summer. But they forgot that Italy also has mountains, so the houses are made to meet the criteria for severe winters. They meet even the criteria of Nordic winters, because many of these houses are now installed in Nordic countries, where winters are much harsher than in our country.
What wood are the buildings made of?
Tomáš Volf: It is spruce, from Austrian and German forests, prepared at Austrian sawmills. Of course, it is certified for constructions in terms of, for example, load. The wood is treated, and the manufacturer pays great attention to ecology, so all impregnations and coatings used are water-based. Insulation is made of natural non-flammable materials, again to achieve the smallest environmental impact. Unlike brick or concrete buildings, this house leaves an absolutely minimal carbon footprint. All that can be done naturally is done naturally. It goes without saying that everything is completely harmless to health.
Do you think that people no longer believe wooden buildings are only suitable for mountain cabins or cottages - just for summer time away - and a proper house is only made of bricks?
Petr Vorba: I am convinced about it, the perception has been completely different for the last ten or fifteen years. Not only does the generally clean building built in a dry way wins, but variability also plays a big role, and the acquisition and construction are also significantly easier. We know from the feedback from the owners of wooden buildings that they would not change. This trend is growing every year and I think it is the right way to go. Incidentally, our Italian partner has a lot of experience in this sector - including providing high-capacity modular construction of wooden buildings, such as university halls or houses for state institutions in areas where there are earthquakes, and there is a ban on building classical brick houses.
Recently, there have been news on how the prices of cottages, cabins, but also land are going up, and previously unsaleable places or derelict buildings are being sold for a lot. So there is probably a lot of interest in living outside the city...
Petr Vorba: This is exactly what we discussed recently with a colleague who is in charge of the construction section, as we were making estimates for some land. And the trend – despite the stage of the pandemic and people's behaviour changing, for example in leisure – is a disproportionate increase in demand for any land. Even some municipalities that intended to expand construction have exhausted the possibilities, and new projects, including land management and the like, take three or four years. There is a deep deficit in supply, which is the reason for the excessive price increases. In addition, people assume this will continue.
Tomáš Volf: A lot of people are moving from expensive city flats to countryside properties also because they are cheaper, and other costs are lower than in the city.
Isn't it also about people wanting to invest, have it built and then rented?
Petr Vorba: That as well. We have several investors who have approached us with such an intention. In terms of profitability, it is more interesting for them to invest in houses such as we offer than in regular flats.
What is the price comparison like of the houses you offer compared to regular flats?
Petr Vorba: It depends on the region, because the pricing policy is different. But in general - the price of our house can easily compete with the price of a flat. If we convert it to metres, we are even cheaper.
Tomáš Volf: For some flats, for example, by up to half. Of course, it always depends on the land and the location. The house on its own costs the same, whether we deliver it to Prague, Pardubice or even Moravia. And I can say that, for example, in Pardubice, we are absolutely competitive with flat prices. What changes the price is the land and its location, and of course any above-standard modifications required by the client.
Where is it possible to see your houses?
Petr Vorba: Now we want to install two and later on three more model houses. The first should be on the development land we are planning for six of our houses - and it will already be the updated version. Our idea and goal are to have model houses in Prague, in Eastern Bohemia near Lázně Bohdaneč, in Brno, and then also in Slovakia near Bratislava. If anyone wants to see them now, they are being installed, for example, in Vienna and also in France.
Has the year-long COVID pandemic slowed you down at work?
Petr Vorba: The interest in houses has definitely not slowed down, but the coronavirus has affected the development, supply and subcontracting. Just remember that at the beginning of the pandemic, Italy had something like a three-month total lockdown, during which it wasn’t possible to produce.
Iconna Home has been operating for two years. Are your ideas and plans being fulfilled?
Petr Vorba: Of course, we have set a business plan. The primary goal was to secure the representation, which was successful. Then build a team that will be able to provide services at the level we want to offer. Even that has worked out. And thirdly - that we wanted to participate in the final development of the houses, that has also worked out. The real estate business is a long process. That’s why we are now working intensively on the preparation of construction in Lázně Bohdaneč, because it is a beautiful place connected with nature, which will have a greater charm for potential clients. We also participate in several other projects, either for us or for our related partners, and of course we want to strengthen our base by reaching out to clients through social networks. These are the things that we are spending the most time on at the moment.
Petr Vorba (18th December, 1977 in Pardubice) is the managing director of ICONNA HOME s.r.o.
#He graduated from the University of Business and Sports, in Human Resource Management and Marketing, followed by an MBA programme specializing in Commercial Law at the Institute of Law and Legal Science in Prague. He has been doing business in the field of trade and investment since 1998.
He likes modern architecture and design, he also likes to jog and ski.
Tomáš Volf (23rd January, 1978 in Polička) is the director of ICONNA HOME s.r.o.
#He graduated from the University of Business and Sports, in Human Resource Management and Marketing. After that, he worked for eighteen years in various positions (from business through education to management) in the largest leasing company on the Czech market.
#He loves "smart" housing and modern technologies; he does road and mountain biking and alpine hiking. He also likes to cook and his great love is also airliners. He likes most winding down in the sun, by the sea and with a glass of good wine.
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