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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.

A houseboat is a holiday home, a flat and a boat in one – which is exactly why a few questions are worth answering before you buy. These eight points will help you find the right boat.

1. Where will the boat be moored?

Sort out the mooring before you buy. Whether a houseboat may stay permanently or be lived on is regulated very differently by municipalities, harbours and water authorities. A confirmed berth with power and water saves a lot of trouble.

2. Which CE category do you need?

The CE design category shows the conditions a boat is built for: category D for sheltered waters such as small lakes, rivers and canals (up to Beaufort 4, waves up to 0.3 m), category C for large lakes, estuaries and inshore waters (up to Beaufort 6, waves up to 2 m). Choose the category for the waters you will actually use.

3. Cruising or staying put?

If you want to cruise, you need an engine and, depending on the country and the engine power, a boating licence. If you will mostly live at the jetty, a smaller engine – or none at all – may be enough.

4. All year or summer only?

For autumn and winter use, what matters is good insulation in the floor, walls and roof, reliable heating and frost-protected water pipes. Ask about insulation thicknesses and how the boat is run in winter.

5. Platform and materials

The platform carries the whole house. Marine-grade aluminium and HDPE floats are light, corrosion-resistant and low-maintenance. Also check for lifting points for craning and transport.

6. How self-sufficient should it be?

Fresh-water and waste-water tank sizes, battery capacity and solar power determine how many days you can stay without a shore connection. Ask what the system is designed for.

7. What will the boat really cost?

Don't just compare base prices. The engine, a sauna, a roof terrace, off-grid packages, transport and VAT change the final price considerably. On top of that, there are running costs for mooring, insurance and maintenance.

8. Try it first

The best way to find out whether a houseboat suits you is to spend a week on one. You can view our boats in Svencelė, Lithuania, and rent one for a holiday from Houseboat Finland in Heinola.

Houseboats from Nordic Season

Nordic Season builds houseboats in Finnish design on aluminium platforms with HDPE floats – from the Nordic 32 Eco 18 at €70,690 to the Nordic 47 Sea Line at €245,000 (excl. VAT). For an overview of all models, prices and what the base price includes, see our post "How much does a houseboat cost?".

We reserve the right to make changes.

Base prices for a new Nordic Season houseboat range from €70,690 (Nordic 32 Eco 18) to €245,000 (Nordic 47 Sea Line), excluding VAT. The final price depends on the model, the engine, the equipment you choose and delivery to your mooring. Below are all current models with their base prices.

Models and base prices

• Nordic 32 Eco 18 – platform 9.42 × 3.49 m, living module 18 m², sleeps 2 + 2, CE category D – from €70,690
• Nordic 36 Eco 23 – platform 10.95 × 3.48 m, living module 22.5 m², sleeps 2 + 2, CE category D – from €93,495
• Nordic 40 Eco 36 – platform 11.96 × 4.20 m, living module 34.8 m², sleeps 4 + 2, CE category D (C optional) – from €123,190
• Nordic 43 EVO 37 (Sabre 43 prototype) – platform 12.99 × 4.39 m, living module 37 m², sleeps 4 + 2, CE category C – from €163,690
• Nordic 47 Sea Line – platform 13.90 × 4.20 m, living module 37 m², sleeps 4 + 2, CE category D / C – from €245,000
• Nordic Sabre 39 and 49 – 12.0 m and 15.0 m, preliminary specifications – price on request
• Nordic Villas – all-season villas on an aluminium frame, 12 × 3.5 m, on land or on a floating platform – from €69,500

All prices exclude VAT and delivery.

What the base price includes

The base price covers a fully fitted houseboat in standard specification (engine not included): an aluminium platform on HDPE floats, an insulated living module, glazing with sliding doors at the bow, a bathroom with shower and electric toilet, a kitchen with hob and fridge, beds with mattresses, fresh-water and waste-water tanks, LED lighting, a shore-power connection, a helm console with hydraulic steering, deck railings and navigation lights.

What is not included

VAT, delivery and the engine are not part of the base price. Popular options include an outboard engine of your choice, a sauna, a roof terrace, solar and battery packages for staying off the grid, and a choice of exterior cladding. For reference, the fully equipped boats currently listed as in stock on our website are priced between €120,021 and €228,104 excluding VAT.

Delivery and lead time

Prices are ex works (EXW) from our factory in Mažeikiai, Lithuania. We deliver by road across Europe and by sea further afield. The usual lead time is 16–24 weeks.

Other costs to plan for

Mooring, insurance, registration and maintenance depend on the country and the location of your boat, so we recommend checking them locally before you buy.

Tell us which model interests you and where you plan to use it – we will send you a quotation with the equipment and delivery included.

We reserve the right to make changes.

Nordic Sabre is the new EVO series from Nordic Season: three houseboats of 12.0, 12.99 and 15.0 metres – Sabre 39, Sabre 43 and Sabre 49. The numbers stand for the length in feet.

One design language, three sizes

All Sabre models share the same architecture: a composite living module on an aluminium platform, a glass front raked forward, glazed saloon walls and a roof terrace reached by stairs from the aft deck. As an option, the bow glazing can be fitted with a sliding door that opens the saloon straight onto the foredeck. The series is designed for CE design category C (inshore waters).

Layouts and interiors

Every model sleeps 4 + 2. The open-plan saloon and galley run forward to the helm in the bow. For the sleeping area you can choose between several layouts – for example a full-beam master suite aft with a 180 × 200 cm double bed. The Sabre 49 has two cabins and two toilets. Four interior lines are available: Modern, Classic, Mega and Mega Classic.

A prototype you can step aboard

The Sabre 43 is based on our Nordic 43 EVO 37 prototype, which is in the water and can be viewed in Svencelė, Lithuania. The prototype is priced from €163,690 excl. VAT; the Sabre exterior is quoted separately. Prices for the Sabre 39 and 49 are available on request – their specifications are preliminary and will be confirmed in the quotation.

Interested? Tell us which size suits you, and we will send you layouts, specifications and a price.

We reserve the right to make changes.