If you’re building a new home and have decided to go down the prefab route, you should know what you’re getting into.  As with any type of construction, there will be positives and negatives. In this article, we’ll go over some of the pros and cons of prefab homes.

PROS:

Speed Of Construction

Because most of the components of prefab homes are put together in a warehouse long before they’re sent to the building site, once you’re ready to construct a prefab home, it’ll come together very quickly.  There’ll be fewer workers involved and the process will be less dependent on the weather.

Price

Generally speaking prefab homes will cost less than a traditionally constructed home.  Most of this has to do with the smaller labour force and speed of construction. If you’re paying fewer workers for a shorter period of time, your final costs are obviously going to be lower.

Sustainability

Prefab homes are more sustainable for at least a couple of reasons.  Transporting all the pieces to the construction site will require less energy as it will all be moved in one go.  Pre fabricated homes are also known to be more energy efficient than a stick-built house because of their airtight construction.

CONS:

Upfront Costs

As opposed to traditional stick-built homes on which you can take out a mortgage, most prefab home manufacturers will require you to pay them for the cost of the home upfront.  This means you’ll have to have a large chunk of cash or work out a special deal with a lender.

Zoning Regulations

You’ll have to make sure the zoning regulations if your area actually allows prefabricated homes.  Some areas restrict where prefab homes can be built. Make sure your area allows the type of home you’re planning on building before you get too far along in the process.

Resales

Prefab homes aren’t for everyone.  Some people have preconceived notions about these types of constructions and will be turned off buying as soon as they hear it’s a prefabricated model. If you plan on re-selling your house at some point, be sure to understand that a prefab home may limit the number of potential buyers.