Prefab homes goes deluxe (CNNMoney.com)

[eppur_se_muova]

ARCHITECTURE
Prefab homes goes deluxe
What if ordering a new house was no more complex than ordering a stack of books from Amazon.com (AMZN)? That's the basic idea behind a new line of prefabricated housing from LivingHomes of Santa Monica. Designed by renowned California architect Ray Kappe and aimed at a high-end, environmentally conscious clientele, the RK1 model has hit the market at $775,000 (not including land and extras). When an order is placed, the house is built in a factory, trucked to the homesite, and assembled in just one day. The 3,100-square-foot RK1 is a far cry from the trailer-park stereotypes of prefab living. Sleek, modern, and eco-friendly, it comes with high-efficiency LED lighting, solar panels, and an optional environmental monitoring system to keep energy use in check. Countertops, tiles, structural steel, and insulation are made from recycled materials.

PRODUCT RK1

MANUFACTURER LivingHomes

Designer Ray Kappe

Bottom Line One show home has been installed; six are contracted to go up during the next year.


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http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0703/gallery.bottom_line_design.biz2/2.html

(1 of 11 design award winners)

Personally, I'd go with a Bucky Fuller-designed dome home myself.

[merh]

1. working on it

:hi:

[jwirr]

2. Now that is beautiful. Someone needs to design a low-income

home that can qualify for HUD programs. The tiny houses have a design for a low-income model. But now we need to get HUD to accept the tiny houses or even some similar model.

[yardwork]

3. Great idea. Now can they offer them at $100,000?

[Donnachaidh]

4. pre-fab usually means materials that can be extremely BAD

For people with asthma, or other breathing disorders. No mention of that in this sales pitch. And that price? For a pre-fab? {insert rude noise here] :sarcasm:

Wonder how these upright pre-fabs will stand up to tornadoes, or hurricanes.

[merh]

5. They are called modular homes and they advertise that they

can withstand from 120 mph to 150 mph. They are promoted here - my greatest concern is as you say, the components that go into making the prefab or modular homes. The frame is more substantial, 2 x 8s as opposed to 2 x 4's etc, but they are made by the same folks that make manufactured homes and those have posed health problems (the formaldehyde and other substances).

[Donnachaidh]

6. Until they correct the problem with the pre-fab health problems

I wouldn't buy one. I've gone into new pre-fabs and had my throat close up because of the fumes. These things are deadly to those of us with asthma and allergies.

It's very pretty, but I doubt I'll be seeing one of those in my neck of the woods soon. WHY pay three quarters of a million dollars on a trumped up trailer, when you can buy a McMansion for less? And then use the extra cash saved to add the ecological goodies this one is touting.

[merh]

8. I live in the area destroyed by Katrina

modular homes do have benefits - they don't take that long to build (3 months from date contract signed to completion) and the costs are guaranteed in the price when paid and skilled laborers provided and they deal with the city on permitting and approval.

Construction costs, finding contractors and skilled workers, the permitting nightmare, many have found the modulars are the way to go. There have yet to be any reports (or studies) on the prefab materials that are used in making the houses and/or health problems.

As I said, I'm skeptical, but if push comes to shove, I may have no alternative. Life in a 20 x 8 fema trailer is stressful and often unpleasant. It's shelter, but not much of shelter.

[Donnachaidh]

10. be CAREFUL -- I understand what you're going through

It would be nice if you were given an *option* that didn't potentially ruin your health. :hug:

[merh]

12. Oh, believe me, I'm trying my best to rebuild without being sucked

into another potential health hazard. The fema trailer has posed it's own (my eyes watered and sinuses burned for the first 2 months - it was a used trailer they recycled from Florida's hurricane survivors and they refurbishe it with new carpet, cheap repairs and glues and furniture covering).

I'm trying to build an geodesic dome, I have hopes this will come to fruition.

Thanks for the warning and advice and concern. :hug:

[inchhigh]

7. Pre fab - Mobile - modular

"pre-fab usually means materials that can be extremely BAD

You're confusing pre-fab homes with mobile homes. Most modular homes are built using the exact same materials as their stick-built neighbors. The difference is only in where the materials are assembled. Just south of me in Iowa and Wisconsin there is a pretty big Modular industry and much of what they turn out is far superior to the cookie-cutter subdivisions that seem to pop up at a rate of about 200 houses at a time over night between here and the Twin Cities.

edit: spelling

[Donnachaidh]

9. my DH works in a construction supply company

I FULLY understand what I'm talking about regarding the *quality* of pre-fabs and mudular homes.

[inchhigh]

11. FULLY understand

I'm sorry, but you clearly don't.

[beth1949]

13. pre fab home

wow!  when i saw this i had to loge in from the day we bought
this thing my daughter and sonlaw have been sick with
breathing and my daughter got m.s. five years ago I'm sure it
is from this lovely home never buy a pre fab. any were. next
week we should fine out what kind of cancer she has. I think
the walls are strong paper can't wash it with out it bubbling
up.Maybe some one could write me nd tell me what to do we were
taken for a ride I hopw the people who put these homes
together can sleep at night.