Buying a Prefab Home? Here’s What You Need to Know

Are you looking to buy a home of your own and settle down? If you’re considering a prefab home then there are a few considerations to keep in mind while shopping around. Choosing a prefab home can effectively save you some time and expense, hassle and even the stress of the process of constructing a traditionally built home. That is surely good news to anyone now getting started. Prefab homes generally come as factory-manufactured kits. These kits are then moved to your building site location for final assembly.

Once it has arrived, you or your designated contractor and builder assemble the kit. This kit is put together like the pieces of a puzzle where precision meets detail. Generally this will take less time to build and assemble and are significantly sometimes as much as 45% less costly than traditionally made units of equivalent size.

Let us consider other stuff which can guide you as you seek to purchase a prefab home.

Types Of Prefab Homes

These various types and styles of prefab can range from drivable manufactured homes to those that are like the cozy log cabins. However there are some more common types of prefab homes around.

The Modular Home

As the name implies, the modular home comprises one or more self-contained units. These modules are factory made unit by unit, and transported for assembly at the building site. Each module is fully constructed and outfitted with interior and exterior fittings. There is nominal finishing during assembly on site, and most factories tend to allow personalized interior fittings for your modular home. Modular homes offer the flexibility to modify and create your own customer floor plan, and be quite similar to what is seen in the traditional home.

One of the key benefits is that being built in the factory is one of the greatest things of modular construction.

The Panelized Home

This type of prefab building is pre constructed in smaller sections than the modular home. As the name suggests, the factory constructs the kit in the form of panels or in individual pieces. The panels are built to exacting standards, with precision and are dimensionally correct. There are generally 3 major components delivered to the site. These components in the panelized home are:

• The Engineered Floor System
• All Of The Interior And Exterior Walls
• The Roof Trusses

A panelised home retains the better aspects of the stick frame construction method with some added benefits. This is one way to construct your home and maintain an energy efficient and durable structure at the end of the day. The foundation particularly if it is concrete has to be in place ahead of the delivery of the building. Here, the interior and exterior fittings and finishes are completed on site.

The Pre-Cut or Kit Home

These prefab homes are similar to panelized homes but are meant to be assembled by the home buyer. It is here that the homes are cut and sized to the design specs as submitted by the homeowner or their contractor. This is seen as one project for the DIY person. The manufacturer makes the different parts and ships them with detailed assembly instructions to the buyer. Additionally, the pre-manufactured home may not come with the full wall or ceiling pre-manufactured, and may only be part of a bigger project. This is the type of flexibility available.

Here Are 3 Advantages

Fast Construction

It is a significant advantage that prefab homes take less time to build, as compared to others of similar size using traditional methods. From factories to on-site assembly, the time factor is reduced. A prefab home will take a few weeks to months to construct if you have an already prepared site and required permits. Man power is more effectively distributed and used.

Affordability

Prefab homes tend to be less expensive than traditionally built homes. For many this is always a plus as they move into the space of securing their own home. There are a few reasons why you can save as much as 45% in cost, this may include:

• Less use of manpower on site as compared to the traditionally home
• Weather conditions do not impact factory production of the prefab kit
• The factory will buy materials in bulk volumes, which is cost effective and can be passed on
• There is less time used in construction
• Less time loss due to unforeseen circumstances (weather, sick days, etc)

Energy Efficiency

With the precision to the details in the prefab construction process, everything is fitted together. There is no warping nor bending nor seals not aligning properly.  Along with this, the addition of airtight and insulation materials, reduces heat loss. The energy efficiency is at an optimum, this lends to saving on light and heat bills.

Phases to Prefab Home Construction

The Planning Phase

This is one of the more exciting points as you jot your idea and design down, and work with your architect to create your dream home. Of course you can see your idea in 3-D design which also gives a sense of the end result. It is here as well that you should consider your financing options. During planning, be sure to find a suitable build site, secure your building permits and also start the conversation with your contractor and prefab building manufacturer.

Manufacture And Site Prep

During this phase, you would have submitted your final design and drawings to the manufacturing plant. Additionally, by now the building site should be prepped with the clearing and processing with the utility companies. Here, your manufacturer can also provide a tentative schedule of time when the prefab should be completed for delivery.

 Prefab Delivery And Construction

This is also another exciting time for the homeowner, as it is at this point the dream and designs have opened into reality. The manufacturing plant has completed their end and shipped the prefab home to the site. The building is now put together in this phase. Once erected, the other jobs like weather-proofing, insulation and sealing,  and connecting the utilities are completed.

Move In

Once the last phase is done, and the certificate of occupancy is given, the home is now ready for you to move in.