Pre-fab have come a long way in the five decades they’ve been around. Now used anywhere from an entirely new construction or just an addition, pre-fab can be the way to go for homeowners looking for savings.
Well-built, energy-efficient and often stunning, companies like Stillwater Dwellings offer high-end prefabricated homes which look great and saves money over stick built homes.
Energy efficiency, quality and a quicker build are just a few of the various reasons to choose a pre-fab home. A greater benefit for many are the lower costs when compared to a site-built home. While it can be difficult to compare as each home builder advertises prices different, online sources can provide close estimates of each.
| Structure One | Heated space only. No permit fees | $150-$200/ square foot |
| Structure Two | Transported, no site costs | $185-$225/ square foot |
| Structure Three | Complete house, including foundation | $710,000 |
| Structure Four | Total Project cost | $300-$450/ square foot |
To come up with the investment estimates is like comparing apples to oranges. Each builder includes, or leaves out, different aspects of the end cost.
While House 1 advertises a price per square foot of around $150-$200 for heated space only, it doesn’t include a garage, foundation or design costs.
Structure #2 is delivered but doesn’t include site costs which may vary significantly.
Structure #3 is one price for the completed structure — including the foundation. Foundation prices can vary by $100,000 or more between sites.
House #4 lists a total projected cost of $300-$450 a square foot. This is Stillwater Dwellings’ price range as the builder doesn’t split out ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ costs. When a builder provides the total costs, homebuyers are given a full understanding and the total cost is known — upfront.
Pre-fab home owners should consider multiple factors which can influence the project’s total cost. These criteria include:
- Foundation (cost can vary depending on topography and soil conditions)
- Site Prep
- Access to Utilities (how far away is the site from city utilities such as water, sewer and electric lines)
- Transportation/Installation (a flat, easy-to-get-to site costs less in transportation and installation and a site in the middle of a forest on the side of a mountain)
- Driveway/Sidewalks
- Modifications to Designs (the more drastic a design modification, the higher the cost)
- Architect Fees (Usually minimal, but can skyrocket depending on customer choices)
- Engineering Fees
- Permitting Fees, and (locales differ in the cost of permits. Zoning laws can make a difference even just by placing a pre-fab home)
- Interior Finishing Option Chosen(Painted rooms are cheaper than wallpaper and wallpaper is cheaper than stone/brick)
The Takeaway
Without knowing specific details of the property and the required state or local permits, the cost can ricochet wildly. Anytime when researching modern-pre-fab home builders, be sure to get the entire picture by checking out these additional factors.
With an apples to apples comparison, which considers all costs, a homebuyer can be reasonably certain there will be no surprises.