What is a prefab home?

With cheaper and shorter time for assembly, prefab homes are getting trendy as they own many benefits that homeowners want to have. Whatever types of houses you want to build or buy, you just hate to make them with challenging designs, long working hours, and complicated installation, which is much more time- and money-consuming.

Instead of a stick-built house, more and more people would like to ease their worry by building an affordable pre-built prefab home themselves. You might think prefab homes are new style homes, but indeed, it has a history of over 100 years and getting more popular now.

What are prefab homes?

Prefab homes, which are short for prefabricated homes, are primarily ready-built in factories and delivered to the site where assembly will be done. They are sustainable and moveable housing. Traditional personal house is built on-site and pieces by pieces and days by days. Unlike that, a prefab home can be finished in fast construction since all the parts are done before being transferred to the job sites. All homeowners need to do is a simple assembly or even zero assemblies in some prefab homes, which means to move into it immediately.

A modern prefab home is energy efficient due to its tight seams and construction, which is also one of the reasons why homeowners like it. Not only will you save more cost and time on installation, but also prefab homes are relocatable if you consider moving. Prefab homes are versatile; they can be in pitched or flat roofs or other types. What’s more, a prefab home is affordable as it is much cheaper than a stick-built home.

Types of Prefab Homes

There are various styles of prefab homes for you to choose from according to your preference and budget. The three main prefab homes are manufactured homes, modular homes, and kit homes according to how proportions they are done in the factories.

Manufactured Homes

Manufactured homes, also known as mobile homes, are totally made in factories and you can travel with them. They need to follow U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. Manufactured homes are removable and have no impact on the land, which means they are environmentally friendly. However, the quality tends to be less than other types.

Kit Homes

Kit homes are easier than manufactured homes and homeowners can assemble them by themselves. You are free to choose treated pine or steel to make the framing material. They are usually delivered to you in pieces and you can design the way of assembling by yourself if you are good at wiring and installation by putting the “kits” together. They can be made in any shape or size, leaving you flexible choices to design your unique kit homes.

Modular Homes

Modular homes have more options to choose from. You can design your own modular homes. They have an immovable or permanent foundation, which is one of their key features. Modular homes usually arrive at your job site completely and get everything inside ready for you, such as doors, closets, and kitchens. Since they are ready-made and you don’t need any work of installation anymore. And you can combine those modules to make a bigger house.

What is the average price of a prefab home?

It’s important to know the general price for a prefab home before you decide whether to get one or not. Most prefab homes offer friendly pricing, as they are pre-made in the factories that aren’t affected by weather or other elements and they are fast and easy to assemble in a few days, some even requiring no installation work. Generally speaking, the price of a prefab home is about 15% less than a site-built home, even for modular homes, which is the most expensive prefab home. But the price can vary with different types of prefab homes and different designs. Noted that some prefab manufacturers could also combine different types of prefab homes to feature a different design. Even so, a prefab home is still an affordable and sustainable home.

Would the prefab home works for me?

You have a lot of options when it comes to house buying. There are many factors to consider. You need to figure out what is the most important element for your house before you consider whether to go for a prefab home. Have a look at the pros and cons of a prefab home and find out if it is good for your new home. A prefab home is affordable and safe and sustainable, but you also need to pay high upfront. The golden rule is: always go with the proper one, not the most popular or the luxury one. In the end, it’s you that make your decision based on all the factors. However, it doesn’t hurt to consult an experienced prefab company for professional suggestions.