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How are Prefabricated Homes Constructed?

Prefabricated houses are simply those houses normally built-in sections then moved to a home site and assembled. These types of houses have a great history in the United States due to increasing environmental concerns and housing costs. People opt for these houses because they are cheaper, sustainable, and faster to build than normal houses. Now that you know what prefab houses are, let us have a look at how they are built.

How are Prefab Houses Built?

prefabricated home build
Prefabricated houses are built in a factory and not on-site under a controlled environment. Experienced workers do this task. Prefabrication is done to different degrees and depends on the way the house is to be delivered on-site. Types of prefabrication normally used include modules, which offer a lot of conveniences hence saving a lot of time and elements, which offers architectural flexibility. Let us now have a look at the prefab house building process in detail.

Step One – The Idea

Building a house, let alone a prefab one starts with the idea. You have to consider the amount of space you need based on the size of your family and general house needs. By analyzing your needs and habits, you can easily come up with the number of rooms you need and the space for each. In regards to the design, you can search online to see a design that best suits you.

Step Two – The Design

Just as previously mentioned, you need to come up with an overall design that fits your needs. After looking at some ideas online, you can create a sketch then reach out to an architect to help you draft a design. You need the assistance of an architect as early as possible because they understand local building codes and requirements and will thus offer you necessary advice that will save you a lot of time and resources. They also have solutions when it comes to space and can greatly improve the overall look and functionality of your house even when working on a small budget.

Step Three – Budgeting

A prefab house does not come fully furnished or fully ready for you to move in. You have to deal with many other things that play a part in having a fully functional home. You need to take care of the groundwork and foundation before the house is delivered, ensure proper connections to water, electricity, and sewer lines, and ensure technical installations such as plumbing, electricity, and heating are properly performed. Other things you have to consider include interior design, windows and doors, and the roof cover. You have to budget for all these things and ensure you get the best possible product or service based on your budget.

Step Four – Selecting the Manufacturer

Selecting the right manufacturer to build your prefab home is usually a time-consuming project. You need to ask many questions to ensure your manufacturer can actually offer a good service. You can ask around or look at online reviews to ensure you get the best value for your money. Apart from the manufacturer, you also need to look for a good general contractor who is going to handle all other things not done by the manufacturer. When working with a contractor, you can rest assured that mistakes will be at a minimum. You will also be relieving a lot of pressure from the manufacturer, leading to a better experience.

Step Five: Engineering Design

Once the aforementioned steps have been taken, it is now time for the engineering design to be conducted. Depending on your house’s size, this process can take from 3 to 12 weeks. At this stage, the prefab house is broken down into components, and each part properly designed. You need to ensure your manufacturer works closely with other contractors to take into account the layout for plumbing, electricity, and ventilation.

Step Six: Site Preparation

Before the prefabricated house is finished, your manufacturer should send a plan so your general contractor can conduct the foundation work. This process has to be conducted effectively because any issues will mean the prefab house will not sit well on the foundation and thus the problem has to be rectified.

Step Seven: On-Site Assembly

Once everything is good, the prefab house is transported to the site for assembly. This process normally takes a couple of days. After assembly, technical installations such as electricity, plumbing, and HVAC are done. The final process entails doing interior finishes and you have a fully furnished house to live in.

Prefabricated houses are great for those looking for a different housing option. These houses are cheaper and easier to build than traditional houses. Now that you know the process involved in building a prefab house, you can easily make a decision on whether this is the best housing option for you.

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