Custom Modular Homes Offer More Options
3 home builders!
The process for custom prefab modern homebuilding is more complex than it used to be. Find out how one homebuilder approaches each project.
Think you could live in a factory-built home? If you picture all modular homes as cookie-cutter designs, Brian Abramson, co-founder of Method Homes, wants to change your mind.
Many of the modern prefab homes his company builds in facilities in Ferndale, Washington, and Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, feature unique architecture and high-end designs. Method delivers homes in several parts via truck or barge, then cranes the pieces into place and expert contractors put them together on site.
Below, Abramson gives the ins and outs of the modern prefab homebuilding process.
Q: What should someone consider before building a prefab home?
Abramson: Having a clear plan with your needs for a home and already having land purchased are good initial steps prior to contacting a prefab builder. Before we build a house for someone, we have an initial consultation where we first identify land to build on, otherwise the whole process is hypothetical. Once we identify land, we can provide a more thorough feasibility study, then move into designing and engineering the final specifications of the home and getting the proper permits.
Q: How long does the building process take?
Abramson: Building won’t start until the client secures a building permit, so the whole process varies widely depending on geographic location — getting a permit could take one day or six months. On average, we can build a home in four months, start to finish. Once you have a building permit in hand and a signed contract, fabrication and on-site construction happen simultaneously. Typically two to three months from the start of fabrication and on-site construction the home is installed, then about a month later the home is ready for occupancy.
Abramson recommends purchasing land before contacting a prefab builder, so he can more accurately develop a plan. (Photo courtesy of Alpinfoto)
Q: What’s the advantage of the homes you build versus a manufactured home or a site-built home?
Abramson: Manufactured homes are HUD homes, so they’re built to meet a national code, whereas we build our modular homes to stricter local building codes. So we can put them anywhere you could put any type of house. There’s definitely a time savings with prefab homes, too — it’s much faster than on-site construction because we’re framing the house at the same time the foundation is put in. The home is also not exposed to the elements during construction, so there’s no potential for mold, mildew, nail pops and warping of lumber.
Q: How sustainable are prefab homes?
Abramson: Every single home we build has a focus on sustainability. There’s a reduction in waste, as we’re able to reuse all our scraps, and all of our houses have good indoor air quality, meaning we use no-VOC paint and no urea-formaldehyde insulation. We also focus on energy efficiency, so all insulation is above code.
Q: What custom features and designs do you offer?
Abramson: We offer nine pre-designed models and can coordinate the whole process but can also do custom work with other architects and clients. In our subset of modular construction, called modern prefab, the customizable features are really unlimited: Cantilevers, window walls with accordion doors that open up, custom cabinetry with waterfall countertops, shower glass with no frames exposed — the sky’s really the limit. We’re also not limited by size. We’ve built 4,000-square-foot custom waterfront homes and 7,000-square-foot spaces.
Q: What’s a realistic budget for a modern prefab home?
Abramson: It really depends on where the home is delivered and the cost of construction — it can go from $180 to $300 per square foot for a pre-designed home, which includes our design and engineering services, or more for a high-end custom home.
Financing is no different than getting a custom construction loan. We also work with realtors and construction lenders regularly.
