Modular Housing

[Uncle Timmy]

It seems like common sense that assembling sections under controlled conditions would make them sturdier than a home pieced together under the crazy weather conditions we have around here.

Don't many site built homes use prefab trusses? If it's good enough for the roof I would assume it's good enough for the rest of the house. I've heard of some modulars that are built to withstand 170mph winds. Don't remember the name of the manufacturer.

I think the issue is really the necessity of the modular home to be transportable, and therefore constructed as several pieces that will be spliced together at the homesite.

Pre-manufactured roof or floor trusses are indeed quite strong; but any system is only as strong as its weakest link. It would depend on where, and how many of these splices were necessary.

Site built homes would, presumably, have an advatage when using pre-fab roof or floor trusses in that these can span the entire house.

That being said, I have no problem seeing a pre-fab structure being designed and built to withstand 170 mph wind loads.

 

[OnMackBayou]

This article says it much better than I could.
http://www.charleston.net/stories/default_pf.aspx?newsID=72376

 

[Smiling JOe]

My apologies for the properly assembled part...I've just heard stories. And I'm convinced that NO home is perfect, be it custom, mansion, or a singlewide trailer. There is always a glitch, somewhere.

I do know of a modular home off of Don Bishop Road where half of it fell off the truck and into the ditch, :shock: and the truck nearly turned over, as it was turning off of 98. It all turned out OK, though I don't know how - and the homeowner has pictures of the near-disaster on the wall of his den.

I bet none of the nails come loose when that happens. :shock: I am sure they removed all of the sheet rock and cabinets and floor tiles to check it out. Right!

 

[John R]

one of my favorite sites, more thsn you ever thought could be assembled in one place regarding prefab: http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/home.htm

also check here; http://members.livemodern.com/
the home page shows a prefab steel house near completion from ecocontempo, a division of northern steel, one of the largest steel building manufacturers out there. they have a factory in tampa and are offering free freight.

jr

 

[ShallowsNole]

I bet none of the nails come loose when that happens. :shock: I am sure they removed all of the sheet rock and cabinets and floor tiles to check it out. Right!

There was damage but it was all repaired onsite. Did I neglect to mention that the homeowner was present when it happened. (I don't know what I would have done. Seriously.)

Sheetrock? Cabinets? Tiles? In this modular, as well as my brother's, there was no interior work until the frame was put together. I didn't know you could get ones with the interior pre-fab (except for doublewide mobile homes)...

 

[Cil]

ShallowsNole
I think a lot of them do come with sheetrock, cabinetry, flooring etc, but for ones that will have more custom finishing, this would not be the case.

 

[John R]

some great photos of building, transport and setting here: http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/fablist/031_Glidehouse_FL/glidehousestatus/glidehousestatus.htm

these of course(for now) are only being built in the western half of the us.

 

[Beachlover2]

Does anyone know of a good company that does like a pool barn/steel building. We are looking to build a six car garage - work area on the back of our property to store my husbands toys - boat and car - plus a workstation for him.

 

[Smiling JOe]

There was damage but it was all repaired onsite. Did I neglect to mention that the homeowner was present when it happened. (I don't know what I would have done. Seriously.)

Sheetrock? Cabinets? Tiles? In this modular, as well as my brother's, there was no interior work until the frame was put together. I didn't know you could get ones with the interior pre-fab (except for doublewide mobile homes)...

Yes, you can get them finished. That is one of the supposed benefits of going modular. Much time saved on the job site. Not all of them are done that way, but there is a great example of one on East Wild Blueberry St. It is a two story with a nice layout and many upgrades. If I didn't tell you it was modular, you would certainly never guess it to be so.

TWT512, the last time I spoke with the modular folks, it was before all of the substantial price hikes following the storms of 2005, so the prices would not hold true today. The guy on E. Wild Blueberry was telling me that cost to the buyer for that particular house would be around $65 per sf. :shock: That is low enough to make me think about ordering a couple of those for rentals, but I just couldn't make myself do it. I would guess that today's prices would be closer to $95 per sf. -- just a guess.

 

[30A Skunkape]

Here is a cool little building that FEMA could have built for less $ than a deathtrap (not to mention UGLY) trailer. Many possible applications-affordable housing, guest house, post-disaster quarters....

http://www.inhabitat.com/entry_1235.php