PreFab

“It’s easy to be in the honeymoon phase. But too often people skip important conversations, and things can go badly.” —Architect Michelle Kaufmann

A prefab home is any home that has been built, partly or fully, in a factory. The design may be fully preset, partly modified by the client, or completely made-to-order.

All of Scott Palamar’s selections and customizations brought the total to $150,000 for the 640-square-foot home and surrounding land. “I feel like I struck on such a novel solution because I was able to afford a home tailored to my lifestyle,” he says.

Created in collaboration with nonprofit Summit Huts Association, the Sister's Cabin by Colorado Timberframe is a timber ski hut perched atop Breckenridge's Baldy Mountain that can only be accessed by a 3.5-mile trek. Due to its remote location, the retreat operates entirely off-grid. It was built with prefabricated timber elements and SIPs airlifted to the site, and it features a luxurious interior that can accommodate 14 people.