Green Wednesday: The Downside of Prefab
Share on Twitter | Email To Friend | Posted by Anna in Green Remodeling.
Many people love the convenience of prefabricated homes. They can go shopping on a weekend, tour several models, sign the paperwork, and three months later have their home delivered practically move-in ready. Despite the initial convenience and possibly lower price, is it really worth it in the long run, or are you making a poor investment?
Prefabricated homes are mass-produced in factories. In years past, this allowed them to be less expensive than stick-built homes. Recently, however, with the changing market conditions, many contractors have lowered their rates making, new construction more affordable. At the same time, however, the factories’ overheads have increased with inflation. Fuel prices also have contributed to higher delivery costs. In the long run, a prefab house might actually end-up costing more than a stick-built home.
Sure, it might seem great to have a house built quickly, but what happens when you need repairs? The initial convenience may not be worth the potential headaches. Local contractors are used to working within the county building codes and already have a rapport established with the building inspectors. Additionally, with the slower construction market, many have an abundance of time on their hands. There is a good chance you’ll find a skilled contractor who will build your home quickly, with a high standard of quality, and a solid reputation to uphold by providing good call-back service.
There is something to be said for having a good relationship with your contractor. Choosing the right one is made easier by utilizing the services of a referral company such as CalFinder. To get free estimates to remodel your home, simply enter your details in the form to the right. Free estimates, no obligations.
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Reddit]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
November 5th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Interesting comments regarding “pre-fab” homes. In my experience, however, I’m not sure the basis of the argument is true. We are working with MD Construction, LLC in Ankeny, IA to build our new home. It is a component home, where the walls come with the windows installed and the sheathing on the exterior. We priced our home against stick-builders in the area, and found the home to be about 7% less than trying to build it locally.
In addition, the home arrived on the site on a Monday, and by noon on Thursday of that same week, MD Construction had the felt paper on the roof, the Tyvek was on the outside, and the house was protected from the elements. I know that stick building this home would have taken 3-4 weeks, and how many times would the wood have gotten wet during that period.
We were told that local labor costs have dropped due to the slow down in homebuilding, but the factory rates also have stopped rising for the same reason. Gas is below $2.00/gallon here, so the transportation is as cheap as it has always been. The home is built with computer run saws, virtually guaranteeing that each stud is the exact same length, each rafter tail is cut the same, etc. The walls are then built in jigs which hold them plumb and square while nailing. Even the best framing contractor can not match this precision. The home is built to meet all state building codes, and built virtually the same as if it was built on site, so any repairs, etc. would be no issue.
I would advise anyone considering building a new home to investigate pre-fab, panelized, modular, etc. such as MD Construction builds before making your decision to stick build. It will be worth the effort.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hi Steve,
Thanks for offering our readers another perspective on this issue so they can make an informed decision! As with all issues there are pros and cons, and I’m glad your experience went so well.