Prefab Home vs Manufactured Home

Have you decided to build your dream house? You must be on cloud nine, right? We have grown up seeing houses built on-site. Builders come and build your house brick by brick. A construction crew works for days and weeks to get the final result. But this is not the only way houses can be made. With technology taking over all industries, the construction industry was quick to adapt.

More and more people are turning to homes that are built in a factory. The environment is controlled and safe and homes can be assembled in just days after they are shipped. Again, there is a lot of choice in these homes. You can get customized homes as well as fully manufactured ones. The manufactured ones are made in bulk and cost much less than getting the house-made on sight. You can get manufactured homes, prefab homes and modular homes.

So, how can you choose a house for yourself? How would you know whether to go for a prefab home or a manufactured home? Don’t worry. This is why we are here! Let's discuss the difference between prefab and manufactured homes so that making a decision becomes easier.

What is a Prefab Home?

Prefab homes do not follow one specific construction method. It is an amalgamation of multiple construction methods. A prefabricated home is any home that has a part of it manufactured in advance off-site. Mostly, the construction is done in a factory, and it is shipped on site. In short, a house that is constructed in a factory but assembled on the construction site is known as a prefab house.

There are many varieties of prefab homes. You can have fully built homes that have been made in the factory. They are complete and ready to live in. These homes are delivered to the site and that is about it. On the other hand, there are prefab homes that have only parts of it made in the factory and the rest is built on site. Even though it seems like a new concept, it has been around for almost a century. This method is quite popular with architects because of the convenience, ease of construction and innovation.

What is a Manufactured Home?

A manufactured home was previously known as a mobile home. These are homes that have been manufactured off-site and can be moved only once to the final property where they are supposed to be set. As these are fully made in a factory, it is much cheaper when compared to the on-site house which is built on-site. These houses were very popular at the end of the 19th century. Almost 1/4thof all the homes sold in America were manufactured homes.

Some people confused manufactured homes with mobile homes. The truth is that they are the same. The homes which were constructed in this way before 1976 were known as mobile homes. After 1976, all these homes are called manufactured homes.

Prefab Homes versus Manufactured Homes

The choice is yours. Both homes will be cheaper than on-site construction. The choice depends on you. Some people like the ease and convenience the fully manufactured homes offer. They are easier and there is some level of customization there too. You can choose from different floor plans, stories and much more.

Prefab homes offer many advantages too. You can mix and match. You can get a part of the house constructed in a factory for convenience and get the rest of the house-made just like you want. This gives you more flexibility and construction authority when building. There are a few parameters to look into when deciding which house to buy.

- Budget

The first consideration is what budget you have. Both options are cheaper than houses that are constructed on-site. The reason is simple: The production costs are controlled as factories buy raw materials in bulk. When compared with each other, manufactured homes are more affordable as compared to prefab homes.  As they are fully made on-site, they tend to costless.

- Time

You will get manufactured homes made quicker than prefab homes. Maybe the prefab part is quicker to be shipped but the rest of the house has to be built on-site. Manufactured homes on the other hand are fully constructed and are quicker to be made. They are installed after being shipped and that is about it.

- Safety

Both types of houses are safe to use. You just need to be sure to choose a builder who is reliable and trustworthy. Manufactured homes are produced keeping in mind the HUD (Federal Housing and Urban Development) safety procedures. These national safety standards make sure that these types of houses are safe and secure for use. The same is the case for prefab homes.

- Option of Customization

Again, both types of homes offer the option of customization. The degree of customization can be higher in prefab homes as you only get a part of the house constructed off-site and the rest is put together on-site.