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For decades, factory-built homes carried a stigma. People pictured boxy, cookie-cutter houses pulled from a catalog and churned out on an assembly line. A growing number of architects and builders are proving otherwise, using modular construction as a way to create unique custom homes faster and with greater efficiency.
“People assume prefab means picking a floor plan from a catalog, but I realized pretty quickly that every client is different, and the likelihood of finding two with the same (wants and needs) was improbable. That’s why we deliberately don’t have a catalog,” said Toby Long, founder of CleverHomes, a Bay Area firm specializing in modular construction. “No two clients are alike, and no two homes we’ve built are alike.”
Factory-built, custom designs
Long, who grew up on the East Coast and moved to the Bay Area in the 1990s, started his practice in a garage in 1996. What began with small decks and bathroom remodels has grown into a Bay Area firm known for modular projects. About 20 years ago, frustrated by the inefficiencies of conventional construction, Long said he began experimenting with prefab as a way to build greener, smarter and faster.
Instead of choosing from a catalog, homeowners work with Long’s team to design a home that fits their lot, lifestyle and budget. Those plans are then built in a factory. Once shipped and set on site, details like decks, porches and rooflines are added to create a home that feels far from “factory made.”
Long emphasized that his company doesn’t actually build the homes, but serves as a liaison, working with different teams to coordinate the process from start to finish.
“I work as an architect, and I help my clients build a team for the construction stage by essentially being in the marketplace and advocating for a little bit of a traditional experience of getting bids and quotes, (as well as) talking to multiple potential partners,” Long said. “There are the craft-oriented folks in this space, there are the companies that leverage robotics and automation in the prefab world, so I really enjoy helping my clients discover the right partners for the project.”
Faster timelines
There are a lot of benefits in using modular construction, Long said. Building in a controlled environment means insulation and finishes aren’t exposed to the elements, quality control is higher and weather delays are virtually eliminated. The predictability of prefab homes also means that cost overruns are less likely compared to traditional projects.
“We can price everything up front, from the foundation to the finishes,” Long explained. “That way, homeowners aren’t blindsided by overruns. That kind of certainty is rare in residential construction.”
For homeowners, the biggest draw is often time. Traditional construction can take 12 to 16 months or more in the Bay Area, while modular projects typically take eight to nine months, sometimes less.
For clients on the Peninsula, the advantage can be significant. With so many workers commuting from Stockton and Tracy or beyond, local projects often drag on, Long said. Modular construction streamlines the most labor-intensive parts of a build, like kitchens and bathrooms, before a home even reaches the property.
“When we build with modular methods, I think you’re going to see up to 30% time savings on the construction schedule, in some cases, maybe even more,” Long said.
Long recalled one Menlo Park couple who needed a home completed as fast as possible before their baby arrived. By using modular construction, CleverHomes delivered a finished 4,000-square-foot house in under six months.
The process isn’t one-size-fits-all, Long said. CleverHomes often blends modular with traditional building methods or integrates panelized construction for certain elements.
The goal is flexibility, Long said.
“Most of the prefab industry wants to build one house a thousand times. I want to build a thousand homes, one time each, using the same efficiencies,” he said.
Prefab gains traction
Technology has helped make that vision possible. Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows architects and engineers to design every detail in 3D before construction begins, catching conflicts, like a pipe hitting a beam, before they happen.
Long believes modular construction is finally gaining traction. Rising labor costs, climate concerns and the need for speed are pushing more homeowners to consider it, not just for accessory dwelling units but for primary residences and even multi-family projects.
“We’re seeing people become more educated about what a prefab can be,” Long said. “For me, every project is a new experience, but with tools and systems that make the process more efficient each time.”
More information is available at CleverHomes.
