In a traditional house, you’re stuck with it if you don’t like it. You can’t take it with you or move it elsewhere; once you buy it, you’re stuck there for the rest of your life unless you sell it and hope that the next buyer likes it too. But with the growing trend of modular and relocatable homes, homeowners have new options to suit their needs.
Modular Homes
When people think about living in a modular home, what usually comes to mind is a trailer. But there are more than 1 million people living in modular homes today who don’t consider themselves trailer trash. What they do have in common is an alternative approach to building a home that allows them to skip months—even years—of waiting and live independently much sooner than if they had built a typical, stick-built house. Some call it modular housing, prefab housing or manufactured housing; however you choose to describe it, there are benefits for both homeowners and builders. Take these four considerations into account when deciding whether or not a mobile or relocatable home might be right for you.
If you plan on putting your new home on rented land, make sure your landlord has no problem with it first. You’ll also need to check local zoning laws as some municipalities may require you to get special permission from them before putting up a mobile/relocatable structure. If you want your home permanently parked at one location, ask how difficult it will be to obtain approval from local authorities before purchasing land for permanent installation. Otherwise, simply planning on moving your structure around often? A few things to consider: how easy will the structure be able to go up and come down? Can utilities like gas, water and electricity easily connect? Make sure any plans can be moved quickly (and legally) should road construction necessitate moving locations at short notice.
Prefab Houses
Prefabricated homes are one way to combat skyrocketing housing costs. This growing phenomenon is beneficial to consumers because these homes help keep home construction prices down, while also allowing more people to afford homeownership. And they have quite a few perks that traditional houses don’t have, such as modular design, customization (you can add on rooms and more at any time), superior energy efficiency and a green footprint. If you’re interested in purchasing a prefab home, it’s important to get educated first so you know what questions to ask your builder. Here are some things to consider before buying a prefab house.
Mobile or Relocatable House
Mobile homes, or relocatables as they are sometimes called, are houses that can be moved from one location to another. Whether you have a permanent house at one end of your property but need to make room for an addition or you’re searching for a new home altogether, there is a mobile home design that is right for you. The modular construction process offers significant advantages over traditionally built homes because it helps keep costs down while also streamlining construction. It’s no wonder why more people are looking into these options when considering where they want to live in their later years. But what really makes them so great? Read on to find out more about how they work.
There are several different types of mobile homes and prefabricated structures that may appeal to those who choose to build their own structures onsite. That said, not everyone wants to build a brand-new home and then move it once its complete. This is where repositionable homes come in handy. When not used as a primary residence, repositionable buildings (or trailers) have many uses such as offices, storage spaces or workshops/garages. Such facilities can even provide relief during natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes by providing shelter until more stable building materials arrive.
Shipping Container Home
There are some pretty amazing eco-friendly shipping container homes on earth. They make great full-time residences, vacation homes, yachts, or even mini offices. They come in all shapes and sizes as well. You can choose a small one like The Big Cone or even go bigger with something like eCube Homestyle by Farah Khan. (These guys built a house almost completely out of these containers.) Check out Shipping Container Homes to get an idea of what you can do with them!