If you've ever looked into building your own prefab paradise, you know that getting a grasp on the realistic possibilities can be difficult. Despite all the information out there, prefab housing remains on the margins of the market. Michelle Kaufmann jokingly compares the current generation of prefab housing to the first iPhones: cool, full of potential, but expensive and in need of tweaking. This month's Conscious Choice talks to 5 prefab homeowners about whether or not their homes have lived up to their dreams...
The interviewees live in prefab homes across the country designed by Rocio Romero, Michelle Kaufmann, Resolution:4 Architecture, and Jennifer Siegal. One resident designed his own prefab house. Most homeowners reported high degrees of satisfaction with the manufacturers that designed their homes. All of them love their open floor plans, and residents with green homes reported huge energy savings. The problem lies not in the quality of the designs but in high contractor costs and the hassle of obtaining permits. If prefab goes mainstream, these issues will become less problematic, but for now costs tend to be on par with or more than stick-built construction. To read the full article, click here.
Top Photo: Jim and Rui's LVL Home
$145K
1000 SQF Home 700 SQF Garage.
That's my car-house for my collection. No one lives there, just the cars.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa201/ve4mm/IM008205.jpg
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It's interesting to see how the prefabs are in reality, but I'm disappointed by the lack of real practical info such as pricing, regulatory hurdles, etc. However, I am shocked by the Rocio Romero LVL house- $400/sf????? Back in the day you could purchase the house kit for under $40,000. Did they install gold plated toilets or something?
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