Are You Thinking About Living In a Prefab Home?
Are you thinking about living in a prefab home? Prefabricated homes, “prefab” for short, are homes that are built from a primary location (typically a warehouse) and then shipped and erected on-site for the homeowner. Prefab homes is a general term that can include trailer homes or double wides, modular, log and timber home and panelized homes. We are kind of a hybrid as a Panelized Post & Beam Timber home package.
Like all things with real estate, there are pros and cons of prefab home living. Factors to consider are cost, benefits, time factors, and government building requirements. Here are things to consider when living in a prefab home.
Pros and Cons of Prefab Homes
Pro 1: The Home Buying Process
While this process may vary depending on the contractor that the home buyer chooses, the general outline will be similar. First, the home buyer will need to determine home design and location needs. Then the home buyer will typically need to decide on things like window placement and general design features. Third, consult with a local builder for things like excavation and foundation cost. And finally, begin the actual construction of the home. At Logangate homes, our process is designed to be as efficient and stress-free as possible.
Pro 2: The Prefab Home Build Time
Fortunately, one of the benefits of prefab homes is that our panelized homes typically take around 2-4 weeks to erect getting you quicking in the dry. Compared to a traditional house around 6-12 weeks! Additional benefits of prefab homes are that there are usually many different options that can be customized to fit the dimensions of your property.
Pro 3: Efficient Building Practices
Living in a prefab home means living a greener lifestyle. Traditional homes often have waste materials that are leftover from the construction process. These materials are typically discarded and burned or shipped to a landfill or otherwise labeled as unusable waste. One of the benefits of prefab homes is that any waste material is collected at the fabrication warehouse and is recycled to use in other homes, thus minimizing the amount of wasted material
Pro 4: Energy-efficient Luxury Modern Homes
Most modern prefabricated homes are designed and constructed to be energy efficient. Logangate homes use an insulation board that serves as a barrier to thermal conductivity. In addition to insulation boards in the walls, most modern homes feature windows that are double-paned and sealed. Coupled together, these techniques ensure that when you’re living in a prefab home from Logangate homes, you can rest assured that the home is well insulated and energy-efficient.
Pro 5: Undeniably Durable
Prefabricated homes are surprisingly durable. While the general public may believe that because prefab homes are built so quickly, the quality of the structure may be negatively impacted. Fortunately, this belief has been proven otherwise. Prefabricated homes are built with the same structural requirements as traditional homes and often exceed the expectations of some traditional home building practices!
Pro 6: Looking for a Mountainside View? No Problem!
With modern building practices, living in a prefab home can be done anywhere. Prefabricated homes are often preferred when choosing to live on a steep hill or mountainside, most feature a post and beam style that is just as safe and structurally sound as a typical stick-built home.
Like with all things, living in a prefab home isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Here are some of the cons you will need to consider when choosing a prefab home:
Con 1: Possible Transportation Problems
One common issue is transportation problems. Depending on where the location of the job site is, transportation of the prefabricated pieces could be delayed or rerouted. Winding roads, steep grades or lack of turn around for large semi trucks can make it difficult to deliver to the job site. Building sites within 3 hours of Asheville NC, we us small 26’ flat beds and 26’ box trucks that allow us to go anywhere.
Con 2: Cost of Utility Connection Service
While one of the benefits of prefab homes is the low overall cost of the building process, a large portion of the budget will be spent on utility connection services. If public water and sewer are not readily available, then a septic system will be necessary. Septic systems range between $2,500 and $16,000 with many variables factoring into the overall cost.
The cost of an electricity connection varies depending on the distance from the home to the power supply; sometimes this requires additional poles and transmission lines to be installed which increases the cost. To compensate for this, some prefab home builders offer alternative energy sources such as solar paneling on the roof or, depending on the size of the lot, around the home.
Luckily, a gas utility connection is not always required. With modern high-efficiency electric appliances and the existence of electric water heaters, gas utility is viewed by some as a luxury. If the home buyer opts to have a gas utility connection service, then additional costs will be incurred. As with water and sewer, if a public gas utility is not available then a propane option may be available.
So, When Do You Move In?
Now that you know the practical pros and cons of prefab homes, let’s touch on what living in a prefab home is like! Modern prefab homes are becoming popular for their stylish construction and luxury feel without being overpriced. The popular tv show Impossible Builds often feature prefabricated homes.
Important information to remember is that prefabricated homes are faster to build, eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and more affordable overall.
See how Logangate Timber Homes is changing the prefabricated home market with advanced build techniques and fully customizable home design today!
