Modular, Prefab or Panelized homes can include any combination of pre-engineered home sections that can be shipped to a building site and assembled quickly. Modular homes are green because they reduce material waste, have a low environmental effect at the job site and may also utilize recycled and renewable building materials. The home's sections are built in a climate-controlled factory that reduces costly delays and weather-related damage. Some custom-built modular homes encourage the notion the home should be nothing more and nothing less than what the inhabitants need. This use of less space and materials preserves natural resources and leaves the smallest of environmental footprints.
 

Modular homes are not mobile homes! Modular structures are just like any traditional building except that the modules are pre-built in factories and then assembled together using cranes. Local contractors are utilized in this phase of the construction to complete the dry shell. Many modular homes look just like traditional custom-built homes and can be customized with basements, additional bedrooms and increased energy efficiency.
 

Some modular homes can be built in the factory in as little as 1-2 weeks. And since modulars are built indoors, there's never a weather delay. It usually takes another 2-4 months for your local builder to complete the home once it's delivered to the building site. Other modular homes types are constructed as modules that can be used individually, linked together and/or stacked to create a larger living area. They are built as kits and shipped to your location to assemble onsite. This type of modular home is designed to use as small an environmental footprint as possible by using only the space a family really needs.
 

The codes that govern the construction of modular homes are the exact same codes that govern the construction of any site constructed home. In the United States, all modular homes are constructed according the International Building Code (IBC), IRC, BOCA or the code that has been adopted by the local jurisdiction.

Explore the many options in modular, panellized
and prefab homes by clicking on the links below.
 

Click on the name of the company to go directly to the company's website.
If you know of a pre-fab designer or manufacturer who we have missed, please contact us!

American Home Sales -  full service design-build firm that specializes in sustainable, innovative, high-quality prefab homes. They have a catalog of floor plans ranging from 600 square feet to over 3,000 square feet or they can custom design a plan for your home. Located in Washington state, the company boasts a state-of-the-art, indoor manufacturing facility. Their Sonoma home was featured on HGTV in April 2009.

Anderson Anderson Architects - has designed and built a number of prototypes and prefabrication systems creatively exploring new construction technologies and affordable building methods by working directly with manufacturers and government agencies in the United States and Japan. They have built extensively in the Pacific Northwest as well as other parts of the United States and Japan.


 
BachKit [New Zealand]  - offers innovation in low-impact premium modular living. A unique design of glass and aluminum sliding panels and generous decks, the structures can be assembled in 16 weeks. Prices range from $120,000 for a guest pavilion to $340,000 for a home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, laundry facilities, open-plan living/dining room and kitchen. Wind and solar energy packages can be incorporated with water harvesting and recycling to create a completely self-supporting house. Only available in New Zealand and Australia.



Bamboo Living -  Their unique Bamboo Living home packages provide you with the biggest part of your new home construction - the interior and exterior walls and roof structure in easy to assemble panels that can be shipped worldwide. They can also recommend an independent bamboo builder. In Japan, bamboo structures have a history of lasting 200 years. Maintenance is comparable to a conventional structure and all bamboo poles, trim, and materials in the eco houses are backed by their company warranty. The company is based in Hawaii and they do ship worldwide.


Cabin Fever - creating well-designed, affordable pre-fabricated cabins of natural beauty, quality and style. Their building packages contain everything that is needed to build your cabin: pre-assembled wall panels, doors and windows, the roof system, the trim, siding and the interior parts are precision pre-cut. They build to order -- every project is a little different. They fully assemble the cabin in their Miami, Florida shop and when it’s complete, they disassemble, label and package every part -- then ship it to you. The prefab cabins and cottages can be assembled by an owner with building experience. However, many of clients choose to hire a builder.

As much as possible, Cabin Fever uses certified green building materials and are constantly seeking out new, smarter, and greener materials to incorporate into the designs. Floor joists are made of Timber-Strand Wood, a product that uses 100% of the wood log and, because it comes from a more juvenile tree, the harvesting practice produces more wood per acre per year compared to traditional mature tree harvesting. They use Southern Yellow Pine as the main wood product in their buildings and is harvested regionally from responsibly managed sustainable forests. Additionally, they use computer-aided design which allows the company to make the cabin wider or slimmer, add or subtract windows or doors easily.

Cellophane House -- was designed by Kieran Timberlake as prototype and assembled on the Museum of Modern Art grounds in 16 days. The prototype is an 1800 square foot, two-bedroom house with an aluminum frame and structural polycarbonate floor plates. The structure includes the two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living and dining space, a roof terrace and a carport. Thin photovoltaic panels integrated into the house’s wall can produce enough electricity to run the house entirely off the grid. The walls also include an inner layer of solar heat and UV blocking film to let in plenty of sunlight while also keeping the heat at bay. They indicate that they continue to monitor their systems but have found no statistics on how efficient the concept home has turned out to be.
 

Clever Homes is both a full-service architectural firm and a design & materials supply company for residential building. The company uses digital design technology and robotics-driven manufacturing to create prefab homes that out perform traditionally built houses. Clever Homes uses special building materials, finishes and fixtures to make the most of existing technology. Clever Homes' technology allows each home to be partially built in advance, and then constructed on a custom foundation. The major components of Clever Homes, like walls, roof systems, floors, doors and windows are delivered to your site ready for construction. This modular, prefab manufactured housing earned an EPA Energy Star rating, and their construction technologies allow energy savings of up to 50% over traditional residential home building constructions. The company uses low maintenance and eco-friendly interior/exterior finishes. The cost of building a Clever Home is between $200 and $300 a square foot in California and often less in other parts of the United States. The cost includes design, materials and on-site construction with the total cost depending on the choices of design elements, finishes and overall footprint of your home.

Colani Rotorhouse - a rather unique design by Luigi Colani. The central idea behind his house is a turning rotor which incorporates the functional areas of ‘sleeping, ’cooking’ and ‘taking a bath’. The home is a rectangular-shaped & self-contained modular home with a revolving circular inner unit that contains most of the expected functionality of a real home.

Container City - is an innovative and highly versatile system that provides stylish and affordable accommodation for a range of uses. The system uses shipping containers linked together to provide high strength, prefabricated steel modules that can be combined to create a wide variety of building shapes and adapted to suit most planning or end user needs. This modular technology enables construction times and cost to be reduced by up to half that of traditional building techniques while remaining significantly more environmentally friendly. Container structures - once the plan is designed - are prepared and fitted out in the workshop with time onsite as little as seven days to provide a fully weatherproof and watertight environment. The containers also offer a 100 per cent recycled solution - making zero construction waste.

Country Heritage Homes -- offers pre-engineered designs, full construction blueprint and all the quality materials required to build your home.  Country Heritage Homes home package system offers three Build Options , depending on your level of involvement and desire to save money: Self Build, Assisted Build, or Full Build. The company offers many environmentally-friendly products in your home package such as engineered sheathing, Hardiplank siding, precut materials, roof trusses and energy efficient windows. They offer a wide variety of home designs including traditional, cottage and log homes.

They boast of an Opti-Bid System that allows them to take a design concept and refine it. This enables them to optimize the use of all the required structural components, including exposed Douglas Fir glu-lam beams, high performance low maintenance windows, heat treated framing lumber, wall and flooring systems as well as a wide variety of quality exterior finishing materials. This even helps the environment by reducing costly on-site waste disposal. Conventional framing methods result in standard length materials being cut inefficiently with no use for the excess material. This material is not only wasted but then incurs unnecessary collection and disposal costs. They have offices in both Washington state and in Canada but it is not clear where their homes are built.
 

Cusato Cottages -- The cottages were originally designed as a dignified alternative to the FEMA trailer, the Katrina Cottage has evolved into a nationwide sensation that is finding popularity as affordable housing, guesthouses, resorts and camps. They are intended to be used as temporary housing that is good enough to remain in place as a granny cottage or a home office or workshop after the main house is rebuilt. Cusato Cottages, LLC was founded by Marianne Cusato to provide designs for dignified affordable housing, both on the Gulf Coast and throughout the United States. Affordable and adorable - the cottage draws on the design of a Mississippi coastal cottage, and is 14 x 22 feet plus an 8-foot-deep porch. There are now 19 designs available through Lowes [see listing below for Lowes Katrina Cottage].

DuraVermeer [Netherlands] - a Dutch innovative, developing company in the construction field that employs over 4,000 people. They have designed floating homes that can rise and fall in flooding situations. DuraVermeer has designed 36 amphibious houses and 14 floating houses in Maasbommel, in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands.

 

Eco-Cottages - are built by Nationwide Homes, a leading builder of modular homes for single family or multi-family residences, commercial structures and remodeling additions; with a reputation for high quality, design flexibility, and innovative marketing. Founded in 1959, Nationwide Homes has locations across the southeast. Locations include a 47-acre site in Martinsville, Virginia, a 21-acre site in Arabi, Georgia and a production facility located in Siler City, North Carolina with over 13-acres of land. In total Nationwide operates five state-of-the-art production facilities that provide modular homes for today's homeowner. Eco-Cottages are built to local residential codes using pre-fabricated systems-built engineering. These high-performance modular structures utilize the latest technology and can provide self-sustaining Green living. The company offers 6 designs ranging in price from $37,000 to $70,000.


EcoSteel - starts out with an all-steel insulated design, utilizing pre-engineered, pre-cut, pre-drilled & pre-marked pieces by the EcoCottage factory. This allows users to quickly and efficiently assemble the prefab system onsite. Solar power, wind generator, rainwater harvesting, and biolet off-grid toilets are all available to be incorporated into your home. Their steel frame can handle any shape, and our factory finished panels come in many different colors and styles. The EcoSteel system pricing varies depending on project scope and design but custom home square footage pricing is generally in the range of $45-$60. The system provides instant "off-grid" housing & shelter solutions that are designed to easily ship and assemble just about anywhere.

Fabrik-International - is a manufacturer of panelized house kits. They have developed a panelized home concept of building panels that apply to all construction projects both large and small that is ideal for the self-builder and contractor. Located in Canada, they state that they can ship all over the world.


Flatpak -  offer modern luxury homes comprised of a system of prefabricated components in the US and Canada. The company states that your prefab home can be constructed in three weeks to three months time. Flatpack is able to  be built to 3 or 4 stories, on slopes, on stilts and is built for harsh northern winters. The Flatpaks are fabricated in Wisconsin and then shipped to your home site. Cost of the homes range in price from $200-$300 square foot depending on choices made and site requirements. Their offices are based in Minneapolis and the FlatPaks are manufactured in Wisconsin.



Floating Homes -- rather unique modular homes based on their fascination with the water. They were initially designed for a European competition - they won first place. German made, there are several styles available for a space age contemporary look. You can arrange any number of these components homes on floating decks to design creative living spaces wonderful water views.
 

Form and Forest - builds contemporary prefabricated panelized walls and components based on architectural plans in their indoor manufacturing facility and deliver them to your job site. These components are shipped flat along with siding, doors, windows, and roofing materials. They have chosen this method of construction because it makes the most sense for delivering a cabin to properties that are often remote and have under developed access roads and driveways. A Form & Forest flat pack cabin kit is quick and easy to assemble on site getting you to the lock-up stage faster than traditional stick building methods. They supply you with a site binder that helps to guide you through the building process and are always available to assist you with any questions you may have. The company offers a range of cabins that have been designed for how you live at the cabin, both inside and out. Generous indoor and outdoor living spaces group the eating, entertaining and relaxing together while offering seclusion for sleeping and quiet reading. The generous decks and large windows are designed into the plans with the full expectation that you will be building your cabin in a pretty fantastic landscape. Prices range from $64,00 - $100,000.
 

Geodesic Dome Homes - American Ingenuity (Ai) has been "Going Green" since 1976 by designing floor plans and manufacturing eco-conscious, "Green" Dome Building Kits that result in super-strong and super-energy efficient, low-energy consuming homes. The domes are hurricane, tornado and earthquake proof. The Ai 40' Dome Kit with entryways and dormers (places where your locally purchased doors and windows are installed) is about $34,000.

Glassic Flat [Breckenridge Finer Living] This is actually in the "manufactured home", i.e. mobile home category, but like no other mobile home you have ever encountered. The Glassic costs much more - approximately $10,000 more - than a normal mobile home. The 400 square-foot home features floor-to-ceiling Anderson glass doors and windows opening up the interior of the home to your outdoor vistas. MSRP is expected to be between $70,000 - $80,000. Their corporate offices and manufacturing plant are located  in Indiana.

GlideHouse - designed around a system that includes a organized storage system that runs along one side or thru the center of all or part of the home. Gliding wood doors in front of the storage allow for easy access and the look of a streamlined wood wall. Combining warm materials, clean and spacious lines, high ceilings and thoughtful storage systems to create a delightful indoor environment, the Glidehouse's stunning glass walls, clerestory windows and optional cedar shading and decking designs create a connection with the outdoors. These modular homes can include either solar panels or wind generators, geothermal or hybrid systems. The exterior walls are made of cor-ten steel to be maintenance free. There are many plan options available depending on where you want to build a modular home and how you live. Pricing begins at $360,000 and includes delivery to your site, setting on your foundation and finishing by their own skilled crew.

HIVE Modular Housing- sells several models of contemporary modular homes with an emphasis on excellent architectural design. A HIVE home is an eminently practical, somewhat whimsical, always functional, affordable expression of how you want to live. For those who value a modestly sized, well-designed residence, be it modern or more traditional, there is a Hive home to meet your needs.

HIVE homes use a modular construction system, which provides a high level of quality control, minimizes exposure of building materials to the elements, and shortens construction time. They have currently developed two product lines that include a small, medium and large version of the basic model, any of which can be ordered with a flat or pitched roof, with clean modern or traditional siding and windows and with or without an attached garage.  



HyBrid Seattle - was formed in 2003 as a multi-disciplinary team of creative thinkers in the fields of architecture, art, landscape architecture, history and urban ecology. The team's emphasis is on generating thought-provoking and ecologically sensitive solutions to the present and future urban cultural conditions. The term cargotecture was coined by HyBrid in 2003 to describe any building system built entirely or partially from ISO shipping containers. Located in Seattle, Washington, the company also designs wood modular, pre-engineered steel, panelized and site-built homes.

IKEA BoKlok - first pioneered in Scandinavia by furniture giant Ikea and construction firm Skanska - provides space-saving, functional homes offering good quality at a price which enables as many people as possible to afford a comfortable home. The homes are built in a quality-controlled factory, delivered and assembled in a day. The BoKlok flats have a flexible open-plan layout, high ceilings and large windows, giving the apartments a light, airy and contemporary feel. Ikea and Skanska started BoKlok, pronounced ‘Boo Clook’, in the mid-1990s to address the need for affordable properties in Sweden and to provide people with high quality properties at a low price. BoKlok is now active on five markets: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Great Britain.

illy Company- collaborated with artist/architect Adam Kalkin to create a dramatic work of living art - the illy Push Button House, a five-room home with a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, living room and library constructed within a standard industrial shipping container. The home, which transforms at the push of a button, is created from recycled and recyclable materials and is the physical representation of illy’s dedication to sustainability, art and innovation.
 

Katrina Cottage - this second concept for the Katrina Cottage is a 610-square-foot home designed by architects Bruce Tolar and Michael LeBatard for Home Front Panelized Construction System. It takes the idea of storm survivability to the next level. Even if it's completely submerged in a flood, you simply remove any furnishings that have absorbed water, hose down the interior, and replace the electrical switches. The panelized cottage is built with panels sandwiching cement boards and polystyrene foam that withstand 140 MPH wind and can be built in seven days.

In May 2006, Home Front Homes Inc. evolved into Home Front Homes LLC, as local investors provided additional financial resources to help the company achieve its potential as a mainstream building system for the 21st century. Their system is simple, strong, green and cost effective. Structural Insulated Panels [SIPs] allow residential, commercial, and agricultural buildings to be constructed in a timely, efficient, and cost effective manner. The combination of the rigid foam insulated core, bonded to an outer sheathing, forms a monolithic structural I-beam. The strength of the panel comes from displacing the load across the building structure. Home Front also offers in-house design capabilities to help you design your own custom built home and will work with you design in creating plans for your dream house. They have 18 models including the Katrina Cottage available.

K-Tect - custom fabricates structurally insulated wall, floor and roof  systems under the product line name of K-tect Sustainable Building Systems. Their proprietary K-tect building system integrates metal stud framing with advanced expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulating core to harness the positive aspects of traditional metal framing providing superior structural stability with predictable performance, durability, and recyclability while eliminating the negatives of thermal conductivity and sound bridging found in traditional metal framing and other building systems. By inserting the proprietary K-tect metal studs into the EPS, bridging is eliminated. The company's corporate offices and company-owned fabricating facility are located in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have established both licensees and manufacturing partners throughout the US and Canada. They have a partnership with CPI in Brownsville, Texas to fabricate K-tect’s green, energy efficient metal stud insulated wall, floor and roof building systems.

K-tect Sustainable Building Systems - offers cradle-to-cradle sustainability and are chemical free, mold and moisture-resistant, insect resistant, fire resistant and allow near zero air infiltration with no offgassing.  Construction waste is virtually eliminated and no special equipent or training is needed for installation.  Moreover, the design of K-tect Sustainable Building Systems components is governed by IBC Section 2210.  K-tect Systems are strong, lightweight and 100% recyclable.

Landmark Home and Land Company -- offers panelized home kits can be customized to your taste. The company provides a Panelized Home Kit, blueprints, engineering, budgeting assistance and helps coordinate financing for the Do-It-Yourself home builder. They offer 1600 home plans on their website or they can work with your own custom plan. They are also very experienced in the engineering processes for hurricanes, earthquakes, sloped lots, high wind speeds, high snow loads and expansive soils throughout the nation. They also offer a Special Select line of homes designed to be built between $60,000 and $120,000 that are high quality but "value-engineered" to keep the costs down. 

Linwood Custom Homes - custom home packages are built on site using post and beam or conventional new home construction methods. More than 75% of a typical Linwood custom home package is made from renewable eco-friendly products. They also have a Site Specific Design™ process and green material product selection that gives you the opportunity to integrate added environmentally-friendly features into your custom home package. Their home packages include natural wood products from forests that are immediately replanted. They do not purchase lumber from old growth forests, and are a long-time subscriber to sustainable development practices.
 

Living Homes-- offers a line of homes featuring modern design and green materials and includes movable walls, modular millwork, and a structural system that allows for the easy addition and reconfiguration of space. Founded by CEO Steve Glenn, the company uses high volume, factory production to increase the quality of their homes as they reduce their cost, schedule, and construction waste, compared to those that are similarly constructed on site.. The company's first residence in the USA was the first to attain highest rating possible from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) new pilot, LEED® for Homes.

LoftCube -- unique German modular homes designed to be air-lifted by helicopter and placed on the rooftops of urban buildings or even in the middle of nowhere! The innovative one-room concept homes are polar-white fiberglass structures with a high gloss finish. Want to take your LoftCube with you? Your home can be quickly dismantled in 1-2 days and sent off to its new home!

LogicalHomes -- unconventional materials in their home designs, including recycled and repurposed industrial materials and efficient prefabrication and assembly processes. The company does not view their homes as high tech but instead as appropriate-tech: always designed with an understanding of the materials and technologies that surround us and with a respect for the scarcity of resources our planet faces. Base prices for the homes range in price from $49,000 up to $449,000. LogicalHomes include wood sourced from sustainably managed forests and products made from renewable resources such as bamboo. Recycled ISO cargo containers are core structural elements in our homes. By recycling cargo containers they gain the benefits of working with steel without contributing to any adverse environmental impact from the production of new steel. Other recycled material in the homes includes denim-based insulation and carpets made from recycled materials. They also employ non-toxic caulks and adhesives and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints. Logical Homes currently serves the states of California, Nevada and Arizona and plans to expand to additional markets in other parts of the USA.

Lowes Katrina Cottage - as the demand for smaller homes increases nationwide, the Lowe’s Katrina Cottages — hailed as the new Sears & Roebuck House — continue to gain popularity. The Lowe’s Cottage Series includes 19 designs ranging from the original 308 sq. ft. cottage up to 1807 sq. ft. Several of the cottages have grow options that allow smaller cottages to be expanded over time. Each cottage is named for the size of the plan in square feet. For example, the KC 544 is 544 square feet. Click on each plan name for overall dimensions and to read about individual features. The Lowe’s Cottage Series represents the work of several designers. Included in this group are Marianne Cusato, Andres Duany, Eric Moser, Geoffrey Mouen and WA Lawrence.

LV Home -- is a modern line of homes designed and manufactured by Rocio Romero, LLC. The LV Series has been thoughtfully designed to enhance a modern lifestyle that is connected to nature. The kit homes are affordable, easily built, and highly customizable. You are provided with a kit of parts that makes up the exterior shell of the LV Home and can be delivered anywhere including international locations. The LV Home employs traditional construction materials and techniques; therefore, any general contractor canbuild the home. On average the LV Home costs $120/sq ft to $195 sq/ft to build and are designed to be built individually and/or combined to create a larger home or compound. Based in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Marmol Radziner Prefab -- is run by the design team of Ron Radziner and Leo Marmol. The company builds the prefab modules in their own factory and ships them complete with pre-installed interior and exterior finishes, flooring and appliances. Marmol Radziner Prefab can oversee the entire building process, from design to delivery and installation, so no additional contractor is required. For long-term sustainability, the module structures are made from recycled steel and use other green materials, including Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), FSC-certified wood, low VOC Green Seal paint and solar panels. Floor-to-ceiling windows capture natural light and expansive decks provide shade for passive cooling. Marmol Radziner Prefab homes have achieved LEED certification. They specialize in custom floor plans and details to match your site and needs. Five standard models are also available.

m-House [United Kingdom] -- was devised in 2002 by architect Tim Pyne and was influenced by his work as an exhibition designer. The project went on to become iconic, and although it has evolved into m-hotel. You can’t buy an m-house any more, unless by special order, principally because they now manufacture overseas and it is too expensive to ship. It's replacement is the 500 model on the m-hotel website. The units are constructed out of steel and undergo rigorous testing to meet both ISO and Lloyd’s Register requirements for shipping. Each unit is self-contained for heating and cooling and so once lifted into place, they simply plug into services. Access stairs and walkways are stylish and quiet and can either be left open or enclosed beneath an air-filled translucent envelope. The interior is immensely cool, but completely durable and easy to maintain.The exterior can be clad in a number of finishes – from stainless steel through to a digitally printed film designed to suit individual branding requirements - therefore, completely losing any reference to it’s transportation.

One of the unique selling points of the m-hotel is its use of the Intermodal system for transportation. In simple terms this means that the units shrink to half their size for transport, and become standard 20’ shipping containers. They can therefore be moved anywhere in the world simply and cheaply. Once they arrive they expand to become studios or apartments. It takes approximately three man-days to undertake the transformation and the contractors take care of all of this, meaning they are able to deliver a highly designed and specified -- yet absolutely durable -- finished product anywhere in the world.

MODABODE -- is an Australian company that has designed the e-BODE featuring full-height glazing, a beautiful modern bathroom and kitchen, high ceilings, timber floors and a wrap-around verandah that forms an integral part of the living space. Each module measures 3.6 x 14.4 m and provides an internal floor area of 50 sq. m. A single module could be a holiday retreat, a guest studio in the back garden, an office or an extension for elderly relatives. An e-BODE made up from 2 or more modules forms a large family house.

The modules are elegantly protected from the elements by a separate oversailing roof, designed to shed rain water quickly and shade the living spaces and verandah from the sun. The roof is eye-catching but delicate, dynamic but practical. It symbolises the design philosophy of the e-BODE. The flexibility of the modular system allows views and sunlight to be controlled. The large glazed areas ensure good daylighting and panels of louvred windows allow ample natural cross ventilation. Thick foil-coated insulation retains winter warmth while reflecting summer heat. The oversailing roof offers shade, protecting the modules from the sun's radiant heat, and supports a solar water heater. Rainwater tanks collect water for toilet flushing and the garden, AAA-rated taps cut demand for mains water and energy-efficient appliances save electricity.

Modern Cabana -- a small family-owned business in California that offers clients small pre-fabricated buildings of high quality, value and design integrity. They cut out the waste of conventional construction with small footprints, optimized framing and design that utilizes standard material sizes. The company uses FSC certified framing, lumber and siding, recycled denim insulation and bamboo flooring, The Cabanas range in price from $11,500 for a standard-package 10x12 structure to $30,980 for an upgraded 12 x 25 structure or their new Studio that includes a kitchenette with Ceasarstone countertops and Kitchenaide apppliances and tiled bathroom. A bathroom could be added to any of the units for about $6,000. The Cabanas come in pre-assembled panels, rest on concrete piers and can be assemled in a few days by a couple of persons with some construction experience.

Modern Modular -- sells and facilitates the manufacturing and installation of high-quality, affordable, system-built modern and contemporary homes. They strive to bring modern and contemporary architecture to a wide audience by making it simple and affordable. Based in New York, their homes are available anywhere in the continential US and Canada.

Modtech -- was one of the first modular developers in the industry to design and construct a factory-built green structure. Green options include use of environmentally-friendly products, energy-saving technologies, operational cost saving materials and features to improve the interior environment through noise reduction and improved air quality. The modular design and construction process also reduces material waste because they're made in specially equipped factories that ensure unsurpassed quality, lower construction cost and waste and shorten schedules. In the residential segment, they focus on multifamily projects including town homes, apartments and condominium complexes. In addition to modular homes, Modtech provides temporary and permanent prefabricated buildings for other markets, including: education, commercial, healthcare, daycare and government. The company has manufacturing plants in California, Florida and Arizona. 

Portable House -- founded by Jennifer Seigal of Office of Mobile Design which makes Portable House prefab modular manufactured portable homes. The prefab sections includes steel deck and ramp, appliances and fixtures, bamboo and Lonseal flooring, cabinetry, finishes, lighting and more. 12' x 40' and 12' x 60' available from OMD of California. They also offer the Swell House -- a trucked-in kit house that runs a bit higher per square foot than the Portable House, but is highly customizable. The homes cost $234-280 square foot and include building construction, concrete foundation, installation, local transportation, structural engineering, Title 24 and state permitting. The company is based in California but there is no information on where the homes are manufactured.

Pennsylvania Homes -- offers modular home construction and an owner/builder program in PA, NJ, MD, VA, DE and NY.

PoleHouses -- specialize in designing and engineering pole houses, intelligent modern homes for the 21st century. Pole house construction uses a totally integrated engineering style not normally found in conventional house building. In a pole house, the skeletal structure carries the entire loading of the suspended floors and roof. The skeletal structure is engineered to be independent of wall placement, allowing all of the interior and exterior walls of the pole house to be completely non-load bearing. Tim Cornell, founder of polehouses.com, has been designing and building pole houses since 1988. Striving always for simplicity, innovative use of local raw materials, harmony with the site environment, and affordability, his pole houses are marked by both beauty and durability. The website offers the Pole House plans available for purchase online. Concise blueprints detail everything you or your contractor will need to construct an affordable, adaptable, structurally-sound, environmentally-sensitive eco pole house. The unique structures are able to resist the ravages of hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and the damaging effects of sun, rain, wind and time. Pole house structures use less material than conventional building methods and are faster to erect, thus more cost effective. The design is one of the lowest home costs per square foot in the construction industry as well as one of the most energy efficient for your regional climate. They also offers their P-POD Kits, a 575 square foot prefab dwelling for just under $17,000. The P-POD could be used as an extra bedroom, studio or office and offers options such as solar heating, solar lighting, operable skylights or cedar shake roofing.

Qube -- a UK company offering an incredibly versatile wood-clad cube house for you to use as you please. Qube is built with structural insulated panels then plasterboarded and skimmed, ready to be painted. Western Red Cedar is used for the external cladding and doors are bi-fold aluminium that can be fully opened, bringing the garden into your office. The ceiling can be made from stretch-pvc and the roof is covered with a single ply membrane. A basic 3.6 x 3.6m Qube starts at £18,500 (inclusive of VAT). Lead times are just 4-6 weeks from order and they can be constructed in about a week. You can order any size, have it one story or two. Or why not have a roof deck with a staircase up from your office? The Qube can be a garden shed, an office, art studio, TV or game room, kids play room, work-out gym, sales office or a spot for home based for hair stylists, artists or health practitioners.

Quik House Kit -- is a prefabricated kit house designed by Adam Kalkin from recycled shipping containers. The kit includes 6 modified containers with 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and all the glass necessary to enclose a 2,000-square-foot building. The basic kit costs $119,000 plus shipping. The shell assembles by the end of the week, you will have a fully enclosed building. From start to finish, it should take no longer than three months to complete your house. The Premium House Kit includes the Quik House, stainless steel kitchen, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, wall and electrical packages, dining nook and more. Adam Kalkin offers many options such as a stainless steel kitchen with appliances and fireplace, a mahogany door package & custom designed carpets. The Quik House is 75% recycled materials by weight and other green options include solar, wind energy, green roof system and a super-insulating R-50 system. The company has manufacturing plants in New Jersey and in the UK.

Resolution 4 Architecture -- designing custom modern homes based on a system of modules and using existing construction methodologies of prefabrication. You can choose from their collection of modules to design the size and custom look for your home. The firm incorporates off-the-shelf materials, techniques, and organizational strategies that they have employed in other residential work as a small architectural firm in New York City. Lots of great photos of previous projects.

Royal Homes - Ontario, Canada - privately-owned and managed by owner-employees, the company offers more traditional homes than many pre-fab companies.Using prefab components and a unique 'inside-out' building technique, Royal protects the homes from rain, snow and sleet during construction. The home does not leave the assembly facility until it's finished inside and out - floors, walls, roof, plumbing, electrical and paint. Royal Homes delivers the custom homes to their location on 'air-lift' trucks. They offer a large selection of models with thousands of custom options.

Shelter-Kit - has been designing and producing kit buildings for assembly by owners with no prior building experience since 1970. Their cabin, home, barn and garage kits include all the materials one will need to build a complete, weather-tight shell, including the frame, siding, sheathing, hardware, roofing and sub floors. The kits are precut and predrilled, making them easy to assemble, in 3 to 15 days for most models. All materials are selected for quality and ease of assembly and fit, with the weight of each piece limited to what two individuals can handle. Their Green Home kit uses features, designs and materials that will gain points towards certification of your whole building project to the National Green Building Standards. They use green-approved, biobased materials from renewable and indigenous sources when possible. The kits are designed with exterior materials that do not require on-site finishing, and use NFRC certified windows. The Green Home kit is designed with energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact in mind.


Single Hauz -- is a very unique concept designed by Polish firm Front Architects. The homes are like inhabitable billboards, are intended for single lifestyles and are particularly predisposed to any locations with interesting landscape conditions -- whether it be forest, sea, lake, meadows, mountains or in the middle of a city. The Single Hauz is supported by a central pole and is only 290 square feet with a bathroom, kitchen and living area on the elevated first floor. This level opens to a deck with the view of your choice. The second floor has a sleeping loft and access to the roof.

SmartShax -- are lightweight, environmental huts that are particularly suitable for remote, isolated or difficult to build on lots and ideally suited to the Australian coastal climate. Designed by architect Ken Latona who was asked to create a cheap family cabin option for Victoria National Parks. The homes are 60 square meters (4 x 15M) and include 2 bedrooms, toilet, bathroom, kitchen/living room & deck. They are constructed of a plywood skin with plasterboard internal walls and corrugated iron roof. You can order a FlatPack for a base price of $79,000. The Flatpacks are a build-it-yourself option and can be shipped worldwide. Complete, ready-to-move-in SmartShax can be purchased in Australia in two basic options. The on-the-grid option can be purchased for around $180,000 and includes water, power and sewer, The off-the-grid option is environmentally self-sufficient and includes solar energy, tanks for water, gas powered stove/fridge and, composting toilets. Extras available include remote access for monitoring via cell or satellite phone and web cam.

Spacebox -- a system to provide individual modular studio units that stack to form a multi-unit residential structure -- either apartments or condos. They are built with 5 composite panels, come pre-assembled and include a kitchen, shower and toilet. Large windows let in lots of light. The little dwellings are easy to ship and easy to disassemble and take to another location.They are made of the same lightweight composites used in ship and aircraft building and and are very efficient heating and power sources. They are based in The Netherlands and there are hundreds of units already established in Europe.

Summerwood Products  -- are available as DIY building plans or as prefabricated building kits. Known for stylish garden sheds, storage sheds, gazebos, pool cabanas, cabins, garages, home studios, they offer an endless choice of design solutions for outdoor life. All products are shipped either pre-cut or pre-assembled and shipping is included in the price if it is being shipped in North America. However, they do ship anywhere in Canada and other places in the world. They offer charming old-fashioned styled out-buildings to complement heritage architecture as well as sleek modern outbuildings. With the Urban you can work where you live and live close to your work. All structures are built to meet or exceed rigorous building codes and include a warranty of two years for defects in material and workmanship.  

The Home Store Modular Construction -- is the largest custom modular home builder in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Long Island, and New Jersey. They offer over 450 house floor plans for custom modular homes, any of which can meet Universal Design and Energy Star requirements. Home construction by The Home Store. In business since 1986, they offer many upscale features and also cater to the growing number of aging baby-boomers.

The Micro Compact Home [m-ch] -- was first launched in Munich in November 2005 with the development of a case study village sponsored by O2 Germany, which is currently occupied by students of TU Munich. It is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its small dimensions of 2.6m cube has functioning spaces for sleeping, working / dining, cooking and bathroom make it suitable for everyday use. The stucture is manufactured at the micro compact home production centre in Austria. The building can be delivered throughout Europe with project individual graphics and interior finishes. The team of researchers and designers based in London and at the Technical University in Munich developed the m-ch as an answer to an increasing demand for short stay living for students, business people, sports and leisure use and for weekend getaways. The design has been styled after the classic scale and order of a Japanese tea-house, combined with advanced concepts and technologies.

The TK iT House -- is a precision building system that is custom-tailored and built to order. Each component system begins with 1200 square feet and includes all the prefabricated and modular parts needed to build the basic shell and interior of the itHouse. All components - Bosch aluminum framing and insulated, double paned glass - are lightweight and can be managed by as little as two persons. They recommend a general contractor and the homes could be assembled in as little as 12 weeks. Doors, wall, windows and cabinets can easily by re-arranged and customized. An optional solar package is also available.

The SmallHouse -- is a very stylish modular wood kit house that is prefabbed offsite. The SmallHouse was designed by Bauart Architekten and now available in Europe through WeberHaus under the name Option. The two-story cube offers living and dining room, hallway and complete kitchen including a stove and refrigerator, a fully equipped bath with a tub, a gallery and, separated by a sliding wall, two rooms for sleeping and working. Four huge windows provide lots of natural light. The cubes can be combined to make a larger home and options are available. The website is in German and the homes are only available in Europe.

Tiger Sheds -- offer a large selection of value-priced kit sheds, log cabins, summer houses and even playhouses and pet homes. The website offers online purchasing of the structures and are .delivered to your door and assembled by a couple of people in 1 to 5 hours. Their kits are only available in the United Kingdom.

TightLines - Small House Designs for Big Living --  believe that affordable housing and good design can coexist. The company is committed to providing quality design that fits a more modest budget. Their designs range in size from 1000 to 1600 square feet and interiors are designed to cater to the needs of families by including modern amenities, ample storage, and open living spaces. All of the homes feature at least three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and all bedrooms are a minimum of 100 square feet. Every set of construction drawings includes a sheet of 'Green Opportunities' - suggestions and recommendations that serve as guidelines to make your home live better and be better for the environment.

Toma House - are prefabricated hightech buildings. Each Toma House unit is 190 square feet and can be connected to other additional units to meet your needs. Nexus Architects, a leading Balinese design fim was commissioned by Clavis Corporation to design units that translated Balinese architecture into modern terms. In many instances, a building permit is not required as a Toma House has its own foundation system and can be disassembled and moved quickly .Electrical systems are Plug & Play and are integrated into the aluminum structure. You can be enjoying your home after only a couple of days. The roof shape can be adjusted to many angles using a hinge system and finished in a variety of materials including wood, glass, ceramic or solar panels. All of the components can be purchased in their online store and shipped to your location anywhere in the world.. The homes range in price from 46,000 to 890,000 euros, The homes are truly beautiful and worth the price. No part of the TomaHouse weighs more than 30kg, no cranes required. It can be taken to the most remote hilltops and through narrow pathways … and if you don’t like the view any more move it somewhere else.

Top Housing -- is the leading Scandinavian supplier of permanent pre-engineered buildings with 30 years of worldwide experience in emerging markets. Their sectionalized buildings have been erected worldwide for nearly three decades in more than 40 countries. The building systems have been developed for civil servants and staff of international companies, stationed abroad and requiring an efficient workplace and high standard living accommodation. Apart from the actuall house, they also provide complete internal furnishings, domestic appliances and equipment.

Topsider Homes -- offers custom-designed prefabricated post & beam panelized homes. They offer more than 200 free house plan concepts and because the post & beam contstruction have no load-bearing walls, the design options are limitless. Their building system is a blend of old and new construction technologies using high-quality, precision-engineered building components to make it fast and cost-efficient for local contractors. Topsider Homes are naturally energy-efficient for a variety of reasons. Their multi-sided designs allow easy orientation of high-performance windows for passive solar heat gain, and for flexibility in positioning roof-top solar panels without sacrificing scenic or site preferences. The homes feature client-designed spaces of floor-to-ceiling glass, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. They are based in North Carolina and have shipped worldwide since 1968. 

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company --  Since 1997 Jay Shafer has been living in houses smaller than some people's bathrooms. He called the first of his little hand built houses Tumbleweed. Jay's decision to inhabit just 100 square feet came from some concerns he had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because he just did not want to maintain a lot of unused space. In 2004 he sold Tumbleweed and built the 70 square-foot structure he calledWeebee or XS House -- as in "extra small". The company now offers several options to build or buy your home. The Tiny Homes offer several models ranging from 65-140 square feet. Because they are on wheels, they are considered travel trailers, and do not require a building permit. You can pretty much put one anywhere you can place an RV. You can buy a Tiny Home ready-made from $38,000 - $40,000 or you can build it yourself from $16,000 - 23,000. Their Small House line is designed to meet International Building Code, each home has one room of no less than 120 square feet. All the home plans have the option for a 1st floor bedroom. You can purchase any of the nine home plan sets for $695 and the homes cost an estimated $22,500 to $58,000. The company is based in California and they can ship to any location in the continental United States. 

weeHouse -- is a company that designs and delivers very small but well thought out prefab modular manufactured houses. The weeHouse process encourages efficiency in design and planning, and ultimately in production. Utilizing efficient pre-designed floor plan templates while featuring sustainable materials, the company is able to generate construction drawings quickly while integrating cutting-edge options that include radiant floor heating, high end finishes and stylish fixtures. Many of these small homes are weekend places or get-away second homes. Studios and small units are available both with and without bathrooms. and are expanded with additional modules. The prefab modular components come prewired and pre-plumbed so that it is ready to be hooked up and plugged in. Wee House modules can be stacked or attached to create homes of various heights and widths. All modular units may be ordered both with and without overhanging roofs. The manufacturer is Alchemy Architects of St. Paul, Minnesoto.

 

Yankee Barn Homes --  has been designing and building high-quality custom post and beam homes nationwide since 1969. Their prefabricated building approach allows customers to design and build a custom, energy-efficient timber frame home, while saving time and money. Their authentic post and beam, soaring windows and great floor plans the look and feel of barn architecture, the warmth of antique wood and the strength of timber frame. The Douglas fir timbers, SFI certified (Sustainable Forestry Initiative), are kiln-dried, pre-cut and pre-stained to allow for fast building. Their wall panels are built using 2x6 timbers in their shop using the best insulation available and the windows are pre-installed which provides a superior fit and seal to prevent heat loss. The wall panels use the same insulation as the best SIP panels but provide superior strength and eliminate all the waste created from cutting into SIP panels to install windows. The average Yankee Barn Home shell is built in 12-17 days and the turnkey cost for their homes, from foundation to the appliances, generally ranges from $150 to $220 and up per square foot depending on interior finishes. The company is based in Grantham, New Hampshire.