01
MIMA houses comply with the current Portuguese building regulations. Every construction requires municipal licensing to be legal. Therefore, our houses can also only be built in lands where construction is permitted. MIMA is responsible for the execution of the Architecture and Specialties projects necessary for the approval of the municipal licensing.
02
MIMA Housing ensures a 5 year guarantee period after completion, in case of construction issues. The construction of MIMA houses finds inspiration in the principles of Nordic construction, using the same construction methods. These houses do not have a defined life span, as they are designed to last forever. During the life cycle of the home, the normal maintenance works that a home needs should be done whenever necessary. In the case of the thermo-treated wood on the exterior façade, it may have a higher maintenance than a house that has an ETICS coating (XPS), because to ensure a constant shade over time, the wood needs maintenance through varnishing. However, if you like to see the natural aging of the wood, maintenance is not necessary. At the moment, the protection of the exterior wood through varnishes and paints is very good and the need for maintenance in some cases does not even apply.
03
Although MIMA houses can be built in concrete, a substantial percentage bear wooden structure. Wood is a perfect natural product, very flexible and highly resistant in mechanical terms. It is a light, renewable, recyclable, versatile natural resource, with above-average durability and very profitable in the long run. In addition to these qualities, and not least: it is a naturally noble and beautiful material. There are several benefits that justify the choice of working with wood: wooden houses are environmentally friendly, have excellent insulation, have little ecological footprint, are sustainable, have previously defined and the costs can be controlled more effectively. The construction time is also a great advantage, since the time taken to assemble a wooden structure is considerably shorter than the traditional construction time.
04
MIMA houses have an above average insulation, whether their structure is made of wood or concrete. In wood construction, using the woodframe system, the walls include insulation that can be made of rock wool, wood wool or cork. In the case of construction, the exterior walls are covered with ETICS (Capoto) to ensure thermal comfort. Depending on the project, a class A + energy rating is easily obtained.
05
There are several options for heating and we normally allow our clients to chose the one they prefer. For the environmental heating, the traditional air conditioning with a fan coil unit is the simplest and least expensive option. There’s also radiant floor as a slightly more expensive option. As for water heating, we normally recommend either a generator or an electric boiler connected to solar panels.
05
MIMA House has a double inclination roof, of 3% to each side. In each corner of the house there’s a down pipe that collects all the roof water and brings it down to the ground. The down pipes are completely embedded inside the large angular frame, and therefore completely hidden.
06
Two different foundation types can be used in a MIMA House, depending on the land qualities. The most popular versions are either a simple concrete base or local concrete supports (for bigger houses and less stable lands). A wooden foundation structure is preferred when the land is protected and does not allow for a big intervention.
07
Amongst all structural materials, wood is certainly one of the most flexible building materials: it has one of the best strength/weight ratios when compared to others. MIMA’s structural solution - light yet very resistant - (micro-laminated wood made of the assembly of thin sheets of Nordic Pine) lend MIMA House an excellent stability and a great seismic behavior. The current project suits areas with average seismic activity. However, for areas with extreme seismic influence, the project must be reviewed by our engineers.
08
The molecular structure of wood makes it very resistant to high temperatures, as it neither melts nor splits. Carbonized wood acts as a barrier that does not allow gases and heat to pass through, making it difficult for fire to spread out and allowing a longer evacuation time.
09
It is possible to build houses with 2 floors or more, both in wooden structure or concrete structure. Basements are also possible, but we only build concrete basements properly waterproofed
10
The typologies presented in a first contact serve merely to exemplify the type of projects that we will be able to do, however, all projects are totally personalized personalized. Mima works with an architectural system that allows you to customize the typologies in order to be able to comply with the client's requirements, as well as the specificities of the land and the legislation. This system is designed to be able to integrate all types of solutions desired by customers, such as blinds, interior blackouts, underfloor heating, stoves, etc.
11
Modular houses do not make an exception that allows construction on these lands. MIMA can build on any land as long as it is legal. There are exceptions to the law that allows the construction of houses on these plots, but this should be analyzed first in the City Council.
12
Projects can be adapted, following the parameters of our metric. Some will have greater changes than others, but since there is flexibility in our system, everything can be done. For this type of project, it is always necessary to start the process through the Preliminary Study.
13
Our homes can easily have an A + energy rating. This type of classification will depend on the design and heating systems adopted for the house. During the project, several points should be worked on, such as solar orientation, exterior shading for the glazed spaces, heating / cooling systems, type of materials, etc., since all these elements have an impact during the thermal project.
14
Modular houses do pay IMI, just as any other permanent construction.
15
Yes, banks provide loans for MIMA houses. For the bank loan to be approved, a license approved by the city council is required. Normally a lot of banks when we talk about modular buildings, and having no knowledge of this type of construction, they may say that not, however, in our experience, after the approval of the project by the City Council, all banks give credit for this type of houses , including those who at first instance said immediately that they did not. It will be important to note that our houses are not removable, and that they are completely normal houses, where the structure will be made in modular wooden construction or if the client prefers, the same project can be done in traditional construction. MIMA does not provide any type of financing service, so in case of a loan, bank entities should always be consulted. These have different payment terms than what we normally require, however, they are adapted on a case by case basis, so as not to exclude any type of financing.
16
At the moment, MIMAHOUSING builds ONLY in Portugal from north to south, ensuring transportation and assembly. For the islands, the cost of logistics and maritime transport should be added to the cost of the house.
17
The woods used in MIMA houses ensure all treatments against termites. MIMA only works with certified wood and with the highest quality. In the case of countries outside Europe, other types of termite treatments may be required.
18
• Project configuration, designed by the team of architects MIMA Housing;
• Construction of the house, in accordance with all specifications specified in the contract;
• Drawings of external arrangements directly related to the framing of the house;
• All the internal infrastructures of the house (water, electricity, cameras, telecommunications), ready to connect to the supply networks present on the ground;• Transport and assembly in mainland Portugal;
• Interior walls, kitchen cabinets without a sink (drawing), sanitary ware, mixers, shower and shower screen;
• Monitoring of work during a construction;
• Guarantee in accordance with current legislation - 5 years in case of construction defects, excluding natural aging of materials and their permitted use. 10 years warranty for selected elements
• Final architectural drawings for the final license;
18
• VAT at the legal rate in force (23%);
• Fees, city licenses, surveys and certifications;
• Land works;
• Topographic survey and geotechnical studies;
• Heating equipment;
• Solar panels and heat pumps;
• Wooden exposed beams inside the house;
• Transport and logistics to the Islands of Madeira and Azores;
• Outdoor pergolas;
• Cabinets and decorative furniture that may be designed on the plants;
• Changes in architectural design, after submission of the project to the Chamber;
• Civil construction work on the ground (walls, network infrastructure up to the house, outdoor floors, swimming pools, etc.)
• Scaffolding, Demolitions, Slabs / Masonry blocks;
• Geotechnical studies if necessary;
• Interior decoration/ furniture;
