Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes, which are
manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that
can be easily shipped and assembled. Some current prefab home
designs include architectural details inspired by postmodernism or
futurist architecture.
Prefabs are composite materials, manufactured by combination of materials
of different properties such as plastics, concrete and steel. These are
specifically designed for longer practical period of applications or usage.
Prefabs Homes are extremely durable, as well as water proof, termite proof
and borer proof. Due to their longer life of utility and affordable cost, prefabs
can be used for permanent, semi permanent or temporary applications.
Modular homes are created in sections, and then transported to the home
site for construction and installation. These are typically installed and
treated like a regular house, for financing, appraisal and construction
purposes, and are usually the most expensive of the three. Although the
sections of the house are prefabricated, the sections, or modules, are put
together at the construction much like a typical home. Manufactured and
mobile houses are rated as personal property and depreciate over time.
Manufactured homes are built onto steel beams, and are transported in
complete sections to the home site, where they are assembled. Mobile homes built on wheels, which can be moved. Mobile homes and
manufactured homes can be placed in mobile home parks,
and manufactured homes can also be placed on private land,
providing the land is zoned for manufactured homes.
Constructing manufactured homes typically involves
connecting plumbing and electrical lines across the
sections, and sealing the sections together. Manufactured
homes can be single, double, or triple-wide, describing
how many sections wide it is. Many manufactured home
companies manufacture a variety of different designs,
and many of the floor plans are available online.
Manufactured homes can be built onto a permanent
foundation, and if designed correctly, can be difficult to
distinguish from a stick-built home to the untrained eye
A manufactured home, once assembled, goes through a
"settling-in" period, where the home will settle into its
location. During this period, some drywall cracking may
appear, and any incorrectly installed appliances, wiring,
or plumbing should be repaired, hopefully under
warranty. If not covered under warranty, the costs will be
borne by the consumer.
Architects are incorporating modern designs into the
prefabricated houses of today. Prefab housing should
no longer be compared to a mobile home in terms of
appearance, but to that of a complex modernist design.
There has also been an increase in the use of "green"
materials in the construction of these prefab houses.
Consumers can easily select between different
environmentally friendly finishes and wall systems.
Since these homes are built in parts, it is easy for a
home owner to add additional rooms or even solar
panels to the roofs. Many prefab houses can be
customized to the client's specific location and climate,
making prefab homes much more flexible and modern
than before.
We at Vakil housing have started adopting the above
said technologies, to make sustainable and green
concept home which will be affordable and durable to
the end user.
(The author is Chief Architect, Vakil Housing
Development Corporation. He has completed his
Bachelors in architecture from the reputed college of
Bangalore MSRIT and has the experience of almost 12-
15 years in the construction industry. He has been
exposed to township development, commercial segment,
corporate interiors, urbanizations, Landscape etc.)