07 April 2022, 21:27
By: Luisa Dahianna Trujillo López
Prefabricated or “pre-fab” homes are designed and manufactured in a warehouse or a factory. The pre-fab method includes modular houses, panel construction, steel frame design, among others.
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A Modular Home is built off-site, transported, and anchored to a permanent location. It is not a mobile home and it is almost complete when arrived (it may have kitchen appliances, flooring, etc). It is transported using flatbed trucks and trailers. Keep in mind, not all prefab homes are modular, but all modular homes are prefab. A great example is Boxabl where you can unbox your house in one hour.
Courtesy of Signature Building Systems of PA, LLC
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Panel Construction Homes are built using factory precast concrete panels. It is a hybrid between traditional and modular construction. Surprisingly, this model has been around since the 1930s, but it is just until recent years that it has become popular for residential buildings.
Courtesy of Avada
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Steel frame constructions refer to one of the most popular choices for commercial construction. Steel frames have superior strength, flexibility, and they will never get termites or mold! Steel is one of the most sustainable building materials in the world, which makes it fantastic when looking for energy-efficient and eco-friendly prefabricated homes. If you’re interested in this method, you can read more here.
Courtesy of ©ECOSTEEL
Benefits:
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Money saver: Time, material waste, energy, and labor costs are reduced thanks to the work off-site.
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Resilience and Durability: To ensure compliance with industry standards modular homes pass rigorous testing and quality checks. So, sealings are better -which reduces heat loss- and are built to withstand wind storms.
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Construction Time: Prefab and modular homes are constructed in factories so there are no weather delays. Houses can be built in a matter of weeks instead of months.
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Unique Designs: You can customize styles or architectural details depending on the company. This means that you can create your ideal home.
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Reduces Environmental Impact: Prefab and Modular homes are more sustainable than traditional home buildings. They can actually reduce waste by 52%
Courtesy of Openhousebcn
Energy Efficiency in Modular Homes
Materials and energy consumption when building traditional homes are major contributors to carbon emissions. Besides, it is very expensive! The best green and cheap alternative are prefab modular homes. According to Undecided with Matt Ferrell “some [modular] homes can be as much as 75% – 85% more efficient than a standard built home”. For example, Shelter Dynamics, BrightBuilt Homes, or Unity Homes are Net Zero and energy-efficient ready homes.
Bottom line: Besides time and costs savings, it is a secure, unique, and eco-friendly option to explore homeownership. If you’re interested in selling/buying your perfect home, make sure to find the ideal real estate agent that meets your sustainable needs.
Check out Realty Sage’s pre-fab and modular inspirations for more ideas. Also, get a $50,000 USD Pre-Fab home delivered to you! Unbox your home with our partner Boxabl.
Image courtesy of Boxabl
RealtySage is a partner with Boxabl. Which means should you click through and purchase their products, Realty Sage may earn revenue.
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