Are Factory-built Homes the Next Wave of New Construction?

Factory-built is the way most homes will be built in the future. There are just so many benefits to quality, cost and environmental that it is a trend that will only get bigger.

In my area, I don't see manufactured homes replacing tract developments.  However, there are remote areas in my local market that do not have access to city water and sewer, so manufactured homes make sense -- one can live in a beautiful environment and it's not cost-prohibitive.

Sharon,

This must be an American phenomenon. Haven't heard much about it here.

I have sold tons of factory built homes during the construction boom a few years ago. The quality was amazing and build times were super short compared to site built homes. They are the wave of the future.

I think that once people understand the difference between modular and manufactured homes the modular will become more prominent. Modular have to be built to the same minimum construction standards as "stick-built" while manufactured do not. Once constructed, it is very hard to tell the difference between a modular and site built home. When in the constuction division of a large corporation we saved time and money using "tip-ups" which were basically modular office buildings that met the same code requirements as site built. And they looked pretty good too.

Large builders have been using off-site construction materials for years.  The biggest misconception in the market is that modular homes are "mobile homes" and people get images of trailer parks.  The industry has been fighting the concept for years.

A few modular builders are working with developers on high-end modular homes in markets normally fit for million-plus dollar homes.  I think these builders (who are very "green" by-the-way) and others building quality homes in traditional developments will eventually change the perception.

Our first local "PREFAB" community was built in the 1940s.  I read this yesterday and started to say, something dumb like we do not have  modular homes in our market.   Then I thought about a presentation about a neighborhood in Central Ohio, Colonial Hills  where a local historian and home owner in the Colonial Hills community showed us the modular construction in his garage.  He'd torn out something and exposed what is not usually visible. 

Those homes have no trouble getting financing.  They have steadily increased in value since the 1940s.

Of course we have some manufactured homes, mobile homes in our market too.  

I am not sure if we have a lot of modern prefab.  I know of infill houses in existing neighborhoods that are prefab.  Often the neighbors are alarmed that the homes are not up to snuff.

Columbus Ohio was the site of a factory that built "Lustron" homes in the mid century... last one. Just after World War II. After reading Don's post yesterday I tracked down info on the entrepeneur who started that factory to see if it gave hints about "stigma," and it did. It seemed less to blame local builders for stigma of " prefab" than I expected and seemed to blame the  trade unions.   

There was another post spawned by this where a guy in Georgia (I believe) posted about a house in his market that he had listed sometime back.  He had disclosed it was "modular" (or was it manufactured?)  While NOT high end I don't think it could have been manufactured... anyway he was saying he had it listed "Prefab" or not stick built when he sold it. 

I've never seen anyone disclose homes in the 1940's neighborhood in Worthington are "prefab" homes.  They have steadily increased in value. 

This is some great interaction. How such a great stigma was put on pre-fab's is beyond me.  Especially today.  However, we still have many buyers that want us to eliminate that from the search criteria.  No matter how well they are built, they still are gun shy.

Personally I am racking up the Report a Concern points on this one....

I sometimes close all comments on a post when they keep occuring on a post.  Just for awhile. 

On my blog I leave a comment saying spam reported then I go back and remove my comments every couple of weeks.  I think when it gets repeat spam it must be on a list.  

We can not just turn off outside comments on one post can we?  I wish we could when this happens.

Hi Sharon, I know I'm a little late for this party but this is a great post. I'm so happy to see someone posting so positively about this subject as it's certainly sufferred unfairly for so many decades. 

I would like you to invite you to join our group and will certainly repost this very astute and well written post on my AR blog and my website. Thanks for such great information.