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