Prefabricated Homes Primer
This is by no means an exhaustive list of what's available in
the area of prefabricated homes and buildings. This article is
to introduce you to the world prefab. If you're in the industry,
you'll probably be cringing about now at the word "prefab". But,
the word is one that has become synonymous with homes and
buildings that have been partially or fully assembled in a
factory setting.
I for one am excited to see the latest versions of modern
prefabs emerging globally. They're well thought out, beautiful,
and energy-efficient.
And to anyone who has any doubts about the quality of today's
prefab homes, I'd ask, would you rather buy a house whose parts
have all been crafted outdoors exposed to the elements -- by
hand. Or, would you rather buy a house built in a factory
setting to tight specs exceeding that of site-built homes. I say
exceeding, because a normal site-built home doesn't have to
endure the rigors of transportation.
For your review, here are quick descriptions of 10 of the many
categories of prefab homes available for exploring at
http://PrefabExpo.com - in no particular order:
1. Manufactured
Single-family residential dwellings consisting of one, two or
more sectional units and constructed to Federal HUD code. Zoning
regulations and ordinances of the local Municipality or County
might not permit use of mobile and manufactured homes in all
areas of their jurisdiction.
2. Modular
Modular refers to a method of building a home, rather than a
type of home. A modular home can be built in a factory from a
stock modular home plan or from a customized plan, to the state,
local or regional codes of where the home will be set up.
Modular homes have not typically experienced the zoning
restrictions and discriminative ordinances applicable to
manufactured and mobile homes.
3. Panelized
Panelized homes are factory-built homes in which panels — whole
walls with windows, doors, wiring, and outside siding — are
transported to the site and assembled. Panels are made from
insulating foam sandwiched between two layers of structural
material. The panels are lightweight and might already be filled
with insulation when they arrive on the site. The homes must
meet the state or local building codes of where they are sited.
4. Steel-frame
Steel framing is an equivalent to conventional stick frame or
post & beam home design where the structural lumber is replaced
by steel studs and trusses or steel posts and beams. Light-Gauge
Framing System features screw-together, galvanized
stud-and-truss, grid-type construction system built on 4-foot
center.Red-Iron Metal Post & Beam Systems features
bolt-together, pre-engineered post-and-beam-type framing system
that uses the red-iron steel "C" beams on 8-foot center. The
prefabricated home built with this method can be single-story,
two-story, and even tri-level home.
Unlike conventional wood framed home that requires interior
walls to support the roof, the higher strength-to-weight ratio
of steel house allows to span greater distances with less
material and fewer supports. The result is higher floor layout
and interior design flexibility.
Unlike wood, steel won't shrink, rot, warp, buckle, split, or be
attacked by insects. This results in greater durability, lower
long-term maintenance, higher energy efficiency and overall
greater quality of this prefabricated home.
5. Precut
This category includes wood-framed factory-built houses or
cabins where building materials are factory-cut to design
specifications and transported to the site to be assembled.
PrefabExpo.com presents prefab building kits designed as
wood-framed (also known as balloon-frame, 2 x 4, 2 x 6 or
stick-built construction) as well as prefabricated home
kit/cabin kit using post-frame method. The homes or cabins must
meet local or state building codes of the area where they will
be sited.
6. Cedar
According to Katahdin Cedar Log Homes, “Cedar is aromatic to
people, and problematic to insects: The heartwood of northern
white cedar produces organic compounds called thujaplicins –
which create that fresh, pleasant cedar aroma. But to insect
pests, such as moths and termites, cedar just plain stinks.
They’ll avoid cedar homes and instead search out inviting, tasty
pine structures.“
Cedar home kits include everything you need to build the home,
itself. That is to say, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the
windows and doors. But your foundation, plumbing and electrical
system are not usually included in a kit.
7. Timberframe
Timber framing is a specific type of post and beam construction
in which a frame is created from solid wood timbers that are
then connected by any one of the following wooden joints:
mortise and tenon, dovetails, or scarfs secured with hardwood
pegs. The frame is covered with any one of a number of enclosure
systems. Normally the timbers remain exposed to the interior of
the building.
Timber frame structures exhibit a strength and aesthetic quality
not found in conventionally framed houses. The timbers are
pre-cut, shaped, and finished at the factory, then sent to the
construction site, where they can be quickly assembled by a
crew, using cranes to lift the bents and beams into place.
Joinery is the heart of the entire structure.
8. Log
Log homes provide their owners with a comforting and relaxing
sense of informality and simplicity. The mass of logs produces
heating and cooling benefits, and reduces noise transmission
into and throughout the home. These are very attractive
characteristics, but there are also challenges in construction
and limitations in decorating. These aspects require special
design considerations and have unusual maintenance requirements.
Basic Kits Are...
WALLS ONLY: The walls-only log home package includes all the
logs for the outside walls, including fasteners. Roof beams and
staircases may be added.
STRUCTURAL SHELL: Shell This package includes everything that's
in the walls-only package, plus all components necessary to keep
the weather out, such as exterior doors, windows, and the
roofing system.
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Complete packages also includes interior
components required to finish log homes. Such items include
interior walls, stairs, closets, interior doors and trim.
9. Circular
The circle is the strongest geometrical shape we recognize, and
this factor likely influenced builders of circular homes for
thousands of years. Prefabricated circular buildings have been
built as cabins, studios, homes, offices or community halls and
convention centers.
Most of today's prefabricated circular homes and cabins offered
across the country use conventional wood-frame or post & beam
construction method. These homes and cabins are ideally suited
to take the full advantage of locations offering exciting
panoramic views, and to incorporate factor of the surroundings
into the home design.
10. Dome
Geodesic Dome is using triangular networks forming hexagons and
pentagons and creating a free-span, spacious environment of
spherically shaped structure requiring no internal supports.
This results in large flexibility for utilizing interior space
to implement floor designs not limited by structural
restrictions. Because of the structural strength of the shape,
the domes have a far better record of withstanding tornados,
hurricanes and earthquakes than cube-shaped structures of
conventional homes. Advantages...
MATERIAL COSTS: Geodesic domes provide the greatest amount of
floor area with the least amount of surface area, reducing the
quantity of needed building material by as much as 30-50%.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: As a result of the shape, the dome has
approximately 30-50% less roof and wall area than cube-shaped
home of equal floor space. This results in lesser area being
exposed to the elements, resulting in reduction in heating and
cooling costs of dome shaped structures. Also, the spherical
shape of the dome facilitates natural air flow yielding more
even temperatures maximizing overall interior temperature
comfort.
Disadvantages...
As a result of complicated angles, the interior and exterior
finishing of the dome (after speedy assembly of the
prefabricated shell) is significantly more labor intensive than
finishing the conventional house. Also, the finishing work
requires highly skilled or specialized tradesmen which might not
be available at every location. These factors might present
welcoming challenge for the skilled handyman/homebuilder, but
would create substantial cost outlay if hired labor is
considered.
About the author:
Diane is co-creator of the Prefabricated Homes and Buildings
website, PrefabExpo, located on the Internet at
http://PrefabExpo.com and enjoys showing buyers everything
that's available to them in the way of Prefabricated homes,
cabins and buildings.
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