I like prefabricated homes. I was first turned on to them in early 2005 when my first issue of dwell magazine reached my mailbox. It was in my first issue that I learned the difference between a prefab and a modular/mobile/manufactured home. Prefab is a term used to describe a modernist-styled home that is manufactured off-site, usually in a factory and created in sections, and later assembled on a building site.
Prefab homes feature clean lines and open floor plans. Most prefab homes combine building materials including concrete, glass, metal, and wood. Because these homes are mass-produced, they are relatively cheap compared to traditional homes that are built on-site. By using materials that are created and assembled in a controlled environment, materials are less-susceptible to being improperly installed or rotting. Most interior rooms are made of foamed glass core resulting in a structure that is incredibly light, warm, strong, and fireproof!
Once an interested home buyer has selected a site, the site is cleared, excavation is carried out, and a concrete foundation is poured (pre-cast concrete can also be used). The modules or sections are assembled on top of the foundation. The home is completed by adding rooms around the core. Because the structure is completely modular, upgrading is a snap--simply detach the old module and attach the new.
There are a number of modernist architects designing prefab homes. With a wide variety of design, sizes, and styles, there is no problem finding a prefab home to meet your sites needs. A number of designers are beginning to use environmentally-friendly building techniques and materials including reclaimed certified woods, radiant heating, living roofs, solar panels, and non-VOC (volatile organice compounds) paints or treated woods.
2 comments:
I wouldn't trust Dwell for much of anything. A trailer (as in "trailer trash") is just as prefab as the Dwell Home. Allison Arieff (editor of Dwell) doesn't want you to think so, because she wrote a book called "Prefab" and wants it to become a buzzword. Also, don't trust Dwell when they say that prefab is cheaper than on-site construction. Just look at the asking price of the Dwell Home ($550,000 - source, Dwell Home for Sale) and you can see that it cost WAY more than $120/sf, which is what Dwell wanted people to believe it cost. Dwell magazine is a bunch of lies, surrounded by a bunch of ads. Pretty pictures, but the words aren't worth reading.
Thanks for the comment.
The website you referred to, the house SOLD for $550,000. The price doesn't reflect land value or the cost of construction. If you identify its location and comps, the $550k seems reasonable for newly built construction--especially for a house of its size.
Depending on your region, the type and size of prefab you select, and the interior/exterior materials, the cost per sqft varies. For example, in the Seattle-metro region I've been quoted anywhere from $50-$100 per sqft for prefab construction alone. Not bad considering the quotes I have received for custom built stick frame homes in this region costs between $80-$150 per sqft.
Dwell is much more than a magazine of pretty pictures and worthless articles. I will agree that there is a fair amount of advertising in Dwell, but find me ANY magazine w/o advertising and I'll show you a pig that flies. The content is rich and inspiring for those who dream of owning their own home or wish to improve their current home or for those who are engaged in urbanism.
Post a Comment