PreFab

Handcrafted according to centuries-old technique, the shingled huts by Estonian company Iglucraft have a spellbinding, storybook appeal.

This Beverly Hills kitHAUS is comprised of modernist prefab modules that can accommodate a variety of uses: from yoga studios to home offices, and from weekend retreats to pop-up kiosks and guest rooms.

Affordable, adorable, and in many cases, transportable, these tiny homes made a big impact on our readers this year.

KitHAUS recently completed this custom k9 project in Highland Park, California. The project took approximately six months, with the majority of that time spent waiting for approval from the City of Los Angeles. Shipment of a kitHAUS typically takes about eight to 14 weeks from the time of deposit to delivery.

Builders, developers, designers, and architects have developed a range of homes that are composed of prefabricated, modular, or kit-of-parts pieces that can allow for lower costs, faster and easier on-site construction, and even higher quality spaces. Here, we delve into the differences—and similarities—among these manufactured residences.

Want a peek at the future of prefab design? Meet the Cube One—a 156-square-foot dwelling with built-in furnishings, voice-controlled tech, and a galvanized steel shell that can withstand extreme heat and natural disasters. Singapore-based Nestron will ship the Cube One anywhere in the world, and it’ll be ready for move-in the day it arrives.

In Kansas City, Missouri, a family sought to construct a new home using prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPS) instead of traditional frame construction. The entire kit house is composed of 4' x 8' sections, and the shell was constructed in about a week. The project’s relatively low cost, quick build time, and highly insulated envelope were positives, but the panels also have their limitations. “Most SIP projects look pretty stupid,” Jamie says. “They haven’t been manipulated by someone who’s thinking creatively.” In this case, Jamie augmented the simple panel system with a dynamic cantilever.

Salem, Oregon-based Ideabox approaches prefabricated homes from a modern and sustainable point of view, seeking to build prefab residences that are beautiful, efficient, and affordable. With 9 basic types that can be customized, the homes start at 400-500 square feet and reach about 1,600 square feet. Each home is built with open-web engineered trusses, insulation with high R-values, dual pane low-e windows, and EnergyStar-certified appliances.

#Honomobo M.05

Hudson Valley Cedar homes are pre-engineered structures that arrive as a kit, broken down into component parts that are efficiently delivered to the site to be assembled and then finished by a local craftsman. Hudson Valley Cedar Homes, based in Cold Spring, New York, is a licensed distributor of Lindal Cedar Homes, a company with more than 70 years of experience constructing high-quality, customizable homes made out of wood. Because of this, Hudson Valley Cedar Homes offers homes that are customizable but also attuned to local laws, site conditions, and contractors for an energy-conscious home.

“It’s the biggest one you can get,” says Patrick Powers of the shipping container he revamped and moved to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Steel frames hold ample glazing, including a pair of custom 2,000-pound sliding doors.

The 500-square-foot home is designed for empty backyards in Silicon Valley. Abodu imagines the units serving as rentals, or housing for recent graduates or aging loved ones.

Constructed from a single repurposed shipping container, the one-bedroom VMD model includes an open-plan kitchenette, a dining area, and living space on one end. A bathroom and storage space are located in the middle, and the bedroom is on the opposite side.

Built on a tight budget of $120,000, a retirement home in the mountains delivers unexpected contemporary design to a rural township.

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.