Prefabs homes are nothing new. A prefab home is simply one that has the major components prefabricated ahead of time away from the build site and then finally assembly takes place on the actual home site. This has been around for a long time in the form of modular or manufactured homes. I remember growing up there was always one builder who had a manufactured home display at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. These were typically marketed as a step up from a mobile home. On the other hand, the term “prefab” implies a more modern, stylish, green, and unfortunately more expensive home.
Low Impact Living recent posted about this on their blog. This particular post focuses on a new designer collection partnered with Dwell magazine. Prefab homes have often been criticized in the past for being bland, generic, ugly, or all of the above. The homes sponsored by Dwell, while not traditional, represent a much more stylistic, modern type of home. I think this is the direction that these sort of homes needs to move. Granted something cheaper the Dwell options would be nice.
The advantage to Prefab is a standardized design and mass production environment that leads to a lower price. In the current market the demand is not high enough and so the prices still have a lot of downward potential. Not all prefab homes are the same though and the possibilities exist to have a large amount of customization. An on-site build will always offer more customization, but I think the Dwell homes are a good example of the range of design available. As more architects and designers take on prefab homes, the prices will come down and more people will adopt them.
Efficiency is another trademark of the prefab homes. Most promise a greener home with more efficient materials. These homes should be cheaper to operate than a traditional home. Efficiency plus good design? I look forward to this type of home becoming more cost effective and widespread.
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