Modular housing has undergone somewhat of a renaissance in recent years with many of these prefabricated homes featuring stunning, modern designs. Truth be told, however, modular homes -structures that are assembled off-site- have always been at the cutting edge of architecture. After all, even Frank Lloyd Wright -an architect of almost mythical proportions- was fascinated with pre-fab homes. He even spearheaded a company called American System-Built Homes, a catalogue of standardized, affordable homes that customers could choose from.
From 1908 to 1940 in the United States, the Sears Roebuck catalogue also featured a selection of prefabricated homes in a variety of styles and sizes, from vacation homes to multifamily residences. Prospective homeowners could literally order their new home through the mail.
Flash forward once again to the 21st century, and prefabricated housing is being seen as a crucial component in mitigating the growing housing crisis. This is because -as we will shortly see- these homes are more affordable, less environmentally harmful, and can be built much expeditiously than “traditional” homes.
In fact, those in the market who have the financial means to purchase just about any home on the market are actually choosing to go the prefab route, and many building firms are specializing in modular homes. We’ll tell you about who the best prefabricated home builders are, but first, let’s look at what makes these homes so appealing.
A Bespoke or Custom Home That’s Fit to Size
The main advantage associated with pre-fabricated modular housing is that the structure is built piecemeal or by sections. Given that each section is built separately in this way, it allows for greater flexibility and variety as far as different designs are concerned.
In other words, in now way is buying a modular home entail a one size fits all proposition, and if you see a prefabricated structure that you like, it can easily be adapted to your particular needs, wants, and terrain.
More Affordable
As is the case with a structures that are built on-site, modular homes also vary markedly in price. Nonetheless, we can say that it is generally the case that a modular home will be between 10 and 20 percent cheaper than an onsite counterpart with the same dimensions and features.
Reduced Environmental Impact
Because of the assembly method involved in the construction of modular housing, the building process is typically much shorter than that of a conventional home. This means that, in addition to being quicker, the entire process is also cleaner and much less invasive. What’s more, the more modern designs include thermal floors (that can easily be fitted with hardwood) that reduce energy consumption (and keep bills down too!). Solar panels can also be incorporated in a modular home with a lot more ease than they can with most homes constructed in the traditional way.
Who to Trust
Although there are many options for residential prefabricated homes, when it comes to commercial modular structures, the leading company in the United Kingdom is undoubtedly Elite Systems. Since 1991, this firm has specialized in modular buildings for health care facilities, educational institutions, and more.