Absolutely Prefabulous: 10 Modular Homes

Using mass production building techniques has historically been anathema to American homebuilders. The US lags far behind Japan and Europe in the implementation of industrial methods for construction. This is partly due to prejudices against manufactured homes such as trailers and a belief that handmade is synonymous with quality.

Prefabrication is also known as modular building. Each piece or module is fabricated in a factory. Once all the pieces have been made they are shipped to the site and assembled.

Using modular techniques for construction allows for stronger purchasing power. The process of building on site is also much quicker—and cheaper. Prefabrication is also greener since it uses computer technology to manufacture the modules, which creates 50% to 75% less material waste. The one limitation of prefabrication is that the pieces of the home need to be able to be shipped from the factory to the site of assembly.

But the benefits of prefabrication are many, and can result in beautiful homes that function just as well or better than custom ones built on site. Need proof? Check out these 10 fabulous prefab from our database!