Back in December, we noticed that Warren Buffet was investing in prefab amid an international housing crisis. Now his modular housing business, Clayton Homes, has launched the i-house, a model that starts at 723 square feet for around $75,000. Are we entering a new era of mainstream prefab housing?
When we wrote about Clayton Homes last year, we mentioned that their style leaned towards traditional modular and "manufactured" (aka trailer) homes. The i-house is a direct departure from that aesthetic, evoking more modern prefab models from designers like Michelle Kaufmann or Rocio Romero.
The home also includes a number of standard green features, such as Energy Star appliances, bamboo floors, no-VOC paint, low-e windows, and a rainwater catchment system. To calculate shipping costs, the site generates estimated delivery by zip code. Shipping to our neighborhood in Chicago, for instance, ran a little under $3,000.
• For a virtual tour of the i-house and more information, click here.
More coverage across the Web:
• Associated Press
• Jetson Green
• Low Impact Living
• Popular Mechanics
• Prefabcosm
• Grassrootsmodern
(Images: Clayton Homes i-house)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Finally a prefab house that's not as expensive as stick-built. Nice!
view modtramp's profile
Cool but "not currently available" in my area. I wonder how that flat roof would handle a Minnesota winter?
view kjb's profile
Love this particular shade of blue on wall in the photo.
view david @ justveggingout.com's profile
I lived in a Clayton Home once. It sure didn't look like this.
view baileyb's profile
This was in my local newspaper as well and I got really excited! This has all the features I've been looking for in a home and then some. In addition to the green features you mentioned, it has a tankless water heater, an addition you can make into an office or guest room with a deck on top, covered with a sail configured like wings to protect you from too much sun. I'm seriously thinking of buying one if I can find a small piece of land to buy in a certain area in the Salt Lake Valley. This is the most exciting thing to happen to prefab homes I can ever remember and there's definitely demand for it.
view Motherbear's profile
I like the looks of it all. Would like the hear baileyb's experience and how it differed.
view sassydo's profile
The house is very nice, but the slideshow looks like an IKEA ad!
view sprungel's profile
This looks very promising. I've been shocked by the prices other folks want for their pre-fab homes.
view ilima's profile
I would live in one of these- it's nice to see prefab at a much more reasonable price. My only qualm is that I have a little one on the way and couldn't deal with being in a separate building from them!
view fade on violet's profile
what about tornados? My town in TN got hit by 2 in 3 weeks time. That's something I never would've considered before. Also, resale value!
view Stephvixen's profile
In many parts of the country, builders don't offer contemporary design let alone efficiency. And, finally a real prefab! Not one of those "We're actually just going to ship you the building materials and blueprints, oh, and, you still need a contractor." Love it! I hope I can opt out of the Ikea-ish built ins!!!!
view narchitect's profile