Prefab Houses: 11 homes which are easy to build and stylish

Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada
The Edge: Hyper insulated with MVHR to drastically reduce energy consumption, Boutique Modern Ltd Boutique Modern Ltd Modern houses
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When planning a new home, all home-builders and dreamers are faced with finding the perfect intersection of cost, convenience, and luxury. Homebuilders with smaller budgets often explore the wealth of available options in prefabricated and modular homes, which are manufactured beforehand and delivered partially assembled to the building site. Similarly, home builders looking at erecting their home in a remote location may opt for prefabricated pieces, as this will limit the number of trips that the builders will need to make back and forth in order to assemble all of the right materials. Others planning a home may opt for a simple, modular design simply because it's a low-maintenance, streamlined, and no-fuss approach to building (and living in) a home.

There was a time – not too long ago! – when pre-manufactured homes lost their appeal in the aesthetic department. However, the recent surge of new families looking to build moderately-priced homes have found that there's a large array of prefabricated designs that are absolutely stunning! With high-end finishes, eco-friendly and sustainable building options and materials, and architect teams that are more than willing to customize to suit their clients' needs, building a home quickly and cheaply doesn't necessarily mean you'll end up with something that looks like it! Here, homify offers a wide variety of new homes characterized by their easy-to-build nature and manufactured origins. 

1. Sharp and Streamlined

Manufactured homes like this one can easily cut down on your carbon footprint – taking a small piece of land and optimizing your living abilities. A wrap-around, steel-bound porch can be an added bonus for enjoying the outdoors, and in this case, it's sharp rectilinear design adds a high-impact punch that stands out against the soft green surroundings. 

2. Prefab Wooden Home

If you're looking for a log cabin feel, look no further than pre-fabricated wood homes. This style looks established, exuding old-fashioned country charm, but the secret that's not immediately apparent is that a home like this only takes a week or two to build!

3. Geometrical contrasts

Possibly one of the best perks of a modular home is the way its boxy design can lend an eye-catching contrast to the natural world that surrounds it. In this example, tall, straight trees provide a backdrop for a home that's just as long and just as straight; this boxy home could not have been better placed!

4. Cheap Materials that Look Amazing

Modern finishes don't have to be luxurious or opulent. Materials in pre-manufactured homes often include concrete walls and floors, as well as steel-beam patios and porches – neither of these are extravagantly priced, but when given bold colour contrasts and visually interesting layouts (like the layered awning over this porch), this inexpensive home takes on modern designer look.

These budget-friendly homes starting to whet your appetite? Have a look at this tour of a home that cost just $71,000 to build!

5. Unlimited by size

The term prefab home no longer translates into a small, modest dwelling with four evenly sized walls. This home has both the size and dynamic building components that lend it a bold appearance like that of any other modern, sleek and sophisticated home.

6. Manufactured minimalism

For minimalists looking to keep things as simple as possible, there's a prefab home out there with your name on it! The streamlined, time- and price-efficient nature of a home that's quickly assembled on site makes the ultimate minimalist statement, and it can also be given a sleek white design (like this example) in order to emphasize the less-is-more vibe.

Budding minimalist looking for pointers? Have a look at this minimalist style guide!

7. Live anywhere!

Ready to set out and try a different style of living in a remote or exotic corner of the world? If you have no boundaries when it comes to choosing the location for your home, you be glad to discover that your building materials don't, either. While you can build a home of any style in a remote location, assembling pre-built pieces will reduce the amount of trekking back and forth, letting you enjoy your getaway without wearing down a beaten path. 

8. Tiny living

Just as there's no upper limit to a manufactured home's size, there's no lower limit either! Many prefab homes these days are being commissioned by singles, couples, and families looking to live the tiny home lifestyle – which means living in 25m or less of space, while enjoying all of the practical functions of a larger home. 

Loving the ingenuity involved with living in a small space? Have a look at the clever design of this high-ceilinged loft with a small, 320 sq ft floor plan.

9. A mobile home

When your home can easily be designed in pieces and shipped to your building site, this can also translate into the ability to pack up and move again – taking your home with you! This brings a whole new meaning to mobile home; you don't need to live on wheels in order to consider yourself mobile, as there are many smaller prefab homes that can be partially disassembled or picked up as a whole and transplanted to a new location.

10. Modular family living

This home is a traditional single-family home with all the finishes and accessories for a happy family! This home benefits from a setting of mature trees, helping to provide a more established feel to surround a structure that was built so recently – once there's a bit of patio furniture and plants, this modular home will blend even better with its peaceful forest surroundings. 

11. Take advantage of time-tested designs

This prefabricated home features one of the most fundamental roof designs known to man – the shed or lean-to roof. This type of construction uses the most basic designs to make a stylish statement that blends aesthetically pleasing design with the ease of erecting a simple four-walled base and single-plane roof.

What do you think of these modular homes? Comment below!

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