How to choose a houseboat manufacturer: 8 questions to ask before you order

A houseboat is built once and lived on for decades, so the builder matters as much as the layout. These are the questions we would ask any manufacturer – including ourselves.

1. Can you see the boats and the production?

Ask to step aboard a finished boat and, if possible, to see where the boats are built. A serious builder will show you both. Nordic Season boats can be viewed in the water in Svencelė, Lithuania.

2. What is built in-house?

Find out which parts the manufacturer makes itself and which are bought in. The fewer outside bottlenecks, the more predictable the quality and the delivery date. We produce our HDPE floats on our own rotational-moulding line.

3. What is the boat standing on?

The platform and floats carry the whole house. Ask about the material, the thickness and how the floats are divided into chambers. Ours is an aluminium platform on HDPE floats – light, corrosion-resistant and low-maintenance.

4. How is the living module insulated?

Insulation decides whether you can use the boat in spring and autumn, or all year. Ask for wall, floor and roof thicknesses. Our living modules are built from insulated fibreglass composite panels; the roof, for example, has 84 mm of insulation.

5. Which CE design category – and which documents?

The CE category (C for sheltered coastal waters and large lakes, D for small lakes and rivers) must match where you will moor. Ask which category the boat is designed for and which documents you receive with it: the declaration of conformity, the hull identification number and the owner's manual.

6. How long does it take, and how does the boat reach you?

Ask for a realistic lead time and who organises transport and launching. Our usual lead time is 16–24 weeks; we deliver by road across Europe and by sea further afield.

7. What happens after delivery?

Ask what the warranty covers and for how long, in writing. Ask who services the boat in your area and how quickly spare parts arrive.

8. Can you try it before you buy?

A few nights on board tell you more than any brochure. Nordic Season houseboats can be rented from Houseboat Finland in Heinola, on Lake Päijänne – the same kind of boats we build for our customers.

If you are comparing builders, send us your questions – we are happy to answer every one of them.

We reserve the right to make changes.