Is it cheaper to build or buy prefab?

Type of prefabricated building

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Construction of a prefabricated modular home (see also time-lapse video)

Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes or simply prefabs, are specialist dwelling types of prefabricated building, which are manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled. Some current prefab home designs include architectural details inspired by postmodernism or futurist architecture.

"Prefabricated" may refer to buildings built in components (e.g. panels), modules (modular homes) or transportable sections (manufactured homes), and may also be used to refer to mobile homes, i.e., houses on wheels. Although similar, the methods and design of the three vary widely. There are two-level home plans, as well as custom home plans. There are considerable differences in the construction types. In the U.S., mobile and manufactured houses are constructed in accordance with HUD building codes, while modular houses are constructed in accordance with the IRC (International Residential Code).

• Modular homes are created in sections, and then transported to the home site for construction and installation. Although the sections of the house are prefabricated, the sections, or modules, are put together at the construction much like a typical home.
• Manufactured homes are built onto steel beams, and are transported in complete sections to the home site, where they are assembled. Wheels, hitch and axles are removed on site when the home is placed on a permanent foundation.
• Mobile homes, or trailers, are built on wheels, and can be pulled by a vehicle. They are considered to be personal property, and are licensed by the Dept. of Motor Vehicles.[

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  ] Tiny homes with wheels are included in this category. They must be built to the DMV code, and pass inspection for licensing.[

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History

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"Loren" Iron House, at Old Gippstown in Moe, Australia

The first mention of a prefabricated building was in to by Wace as confirmed by Pierre Bouet. In the special May/June edition of the French magazine Historia, he spoke of a castle transported by Normans in 'kit' form.[citation needed] According to Bouet, Wace's epic poem Roman de Rou, verses 6,516&#;6,526, states: "They took out of the ship beams of wood and dragged them to the ground. Then the Count (Earl) who brought them, (the beams) already pierced and planed, carved and trimmed, the pegs (raw-plugs/dowels) already trimmed and transported in barrels, erected a castle, had a moat dug around it and thus had constructed a big fortress during the night."

Movable structures were used in 16th century in India by Emperor Akbar The Great. These structures were reported by Arif Qandahari in .[1]

In the United States, several companies, including Sears Catalog Homes, began offering mail-order kit homes between and .[2] The Forest Products Laboratory, a division of the U.S. Forest Service, put extensive research into prefabricated homes in the s, including building one for the Madison Home Show.[3] This research continued into the s.

In the early to mid-s, a line of inexpensive Leisurama prefabricated houses designed by Andrew Geller, were made available for purchase from a display on the ninth floor of Macy's in New York City and shown at the New York World's Fair. The precursor to the final design had been shown in Moscow in provoking the noted Kitchen Debate between Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Over 200 Leisurama houses were built at the Culloden Point development in Montauk, New York between and .

By , roughly 10 percent of new houses in the United states were prefabricated.[4]

Contemporary domestic prefabrication

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An example of a completed panelized home in Lake Whatcom, United States.

Currently, the prefabricated housing industry is divided by methodology of construction. Panelized, Modular, and Manufactured home design make up the majority of contemporary firms, with considerable overlap between the construction methods. [5]

Panelized homes

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Panelized homes (also referred to as system built homes), construct the structural components, or "panels", of a home (walls, roof and floor systems) in an off site factory where the panels are cut via automated saws and laser cutters from large wooden sheets, allowing for lower amount of waste compared to site-built construction.[6] Following their cutting and shaping, panels are stacked and delivered to the jobsite where the home is assembled piecemeal in a similar method to traditional site-built home.[citation needed]

Panelized homes are generally considered a halfway between more traditional site-built home and more manufactured prefabs, with the flexibility of site-build and efficiency of prefab. [5]

Modular Houses

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Modular houses are built using a system that involves a sequential process in which modern techniques such as 3D digital modeling are now being used, which allows for pre-planning to make the process more efficient.[7][8]

This type of construction is typically up to 50% faster and requires up to 50% less materials than conventional or traditional construction.[9] The size of the global modular construction market is expected to reach USD 271 billion by .[10]

North America

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United States

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Prefabricated housing unit in storage in Claymont, Delaware

The total market share of non-site built single-family homes (modular and panelized) was at 3% of single-family completions in , according to Census Bureau Survey of Construction data and NAHB analysis.[11] This share is expected to rise moderately in .

Europe

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In the s French designer Jean Prouvé designed an aluminum prefabricated house, the Maison Tropicale, for use in Africa.[12]

After the World War II until , Sell-Fertighaus GmbH built over 5,000 prefabricated houses in Germany for the occupying force of the United States.[citation needed]

There is no pan-EU housing standard for this kind of home construction, and regulation is at the national level. EU directives that apply to housing construction and design do not directly affect the modular home sector.[citation needed] However, each modular home must comply with EU's Eurocodes and local building codes.[citation needed]

United Kingdom

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A post-Second World War English prefabricated house, adjoining a similar property reconstructed in brick

In the United Kingdom, the word "prefab" is often associated with a specific type of prefabricated house built in large numbers after World War II,[13] such as Airey houses, as a temporary replacement for housing that had been destroyed by bombs, particularly in London. More than 156,000 prefabricated homes were built between and .[14] Prefabs were also built in World War I, such as the still-occupied houses in Austin Village, Birmingham.

Despite the intention that these dwellings would be a strictly temporary measure, many remained inhabited for years and even decades after the end of the war. A small number are still in use in the 21st century, but others are being demolished. In it was announced that Britain&#;s largest remaining prefab estate of 187 homes in Lewisham, South-East London, was to be redeveloped except for six homes.[15]

MMC and modular homes

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During the s, as government backing (including via Homes England) for 'modern methods of construction' (MMC) grew, several UK companies (for example, Ilke Homes, L&G Modular and Homes by Urban Splash) were established to develop modular homes as an alternative to traditionally-built residences. A development of 36 apartments, called y:cube, was constructed by SIG Plc Building Systems for the YMCA in Mitcham, South London in .[16] From its Knaresborough, Yorkshire factory (opened in , closed in ), Ilke Homes delivered two- and three-bedroom 'modular' homes that could be erected in 36 hours.[17]

In January , following the high-profile failures of Ilke Homes, L&G Modular and Homes by Urban Splash during and , the House of Lords Built Environment Committee highlighted that the UK Government needed to take a more coherent approach to addressing barriers affecting adoption of MMC: "If the Government wants the sector to be a success, it needs to take a step back, acquire a better understanding of how it works and the help that it needs, set achievable goals and develop a coherent strategy."[18][19][20]

Australia and Asia

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In , Bali exported 98,417 prefabricated houses, but in the region only exported 5,007 units due to the global economic slowdown that affected a number of export destinations. These Balinese prefab houses are well known for their artistic design and practical value.[21]

See also

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References

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Is it cheaper to buy a prefab home or build? (Pre Fabricated Homes)

The general rule of thumb is that prefab construction is cheaper than stick-built homes by an average of 10 to 25 percent. Why? Mass-produced materials on an assembly line cut down costs because factories buy supplies in bulk.

The cost of labor is also less because you don&#;t have to send carpenters, plumbers, and electricians to individual construction sites. And a faster build time saves money too.

You can expect to pay a starting cost of anywhere from $150 to $400 per square foot, and this price can sometimes (but not always) include the home&#;s interior fixtures. You should pay attention to whether your prefab package includes appliances, windows, flooring, insulation, wiring for electrical, and doors.

Beware, however, that the sticker price of a prefab home isn&#;t actually how much that home will cost. First, you have to pay for the land to build the house, and you&#;ll also have to account for soil testing, site surveys, permits, and utility hookups. Preparing the site for construction can be either relatively minor or very expensive depending on the landscape; prefab packages also usually don&#;t include the foundation.

Other costs might include landscaping, driveways, garages, and the cost of a local contractor or builder to finish the home. All of these expenses vary&#;a plot of land and a contractor just outside Boston could be much more expensive than in rural South Carolina, for example.

How long does it take to build a prefab home?

Depending on the size and finishes of your prefab, you can build a home in as little as three months. Most prefab homes can be built in four to six months from start to finish. This is much faster than traditional homes, which average about eight months to build, and in some markets, custom home construction can drag on for years.

Why is it up to 50 percent faster? Building most pieces in a factory limits weather delays, makes construction more efficient, and creates predictable delivery dates. You also don&#;t have change orders or as many labor scheduling conflicts. That being said, the prefab permitting process can be lengthy in some regions, adding time to the estimates above.

Is prefab more sustainable than traditional homes?

Prefab is generally considered more eco-friendly than traditional stick homes.

First off, the prefab construction process produces less waste. Instead of having lots of different people delivering materials to a site and producing excess wood, tiles, and trash, factories are more efficient. Prefab companies are also more likely to reuse or recycle their waste at a factory.

Factory-built homes and parts may also have tighter seams than stick homes, which makes heating and air conditioning more efficient. And prefab companies are more geared toward eco-minded packages than many spec home builders; most prefab builders offer energy-efficient appliances, while some include sustainable materials (think: bamboo flooring) and add-on amenities like solar panels and rainwater collection systems.

And in an era of increasing climate challenges, prefab construction scores another point due to its resiliency. Because prefab homes have to withstand being transported by truck, they are often structurally stronger than stick homes, a major plus in regions prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, or high winds.

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Can you customize a prefab home?

Yes! Depending on the company you choose, there are various ways you can customize your prefab. Most builders offer different finish packages or upgrades, and some will allow different layout configurations, but beware that these changes could raise the price of your home.

Can you finance a prefab home with a traditional mortgage?

The main difference between financing a prefab home and a prebuilt home is the down payment. Before you choose a prefab manufacturer or plot of land, you need to know how much home you can afford. Your loan will need to factor in all the costs of construction&#;including the price of the land, the home, and any finishes.

Once you contract with a home manufacturer, the actual financing of a prefab house is similar to stick-built homes. But because you&#;ll be using a home construction loan, these often require a greater down payment than pre-built homes&#;you&#;ll likely need to put at least 20 percent down. Once construction is complete, most banks will approve a construction loan that transfers to a permanent mortgage.

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