How Much Do Prefab Homes Cost in 2020?

You’re thinking about building a new house. You’re considering a prefabricated home, in particular. But you’re wondering: how much do prefab homes cost?

In truth, the prices can fluctuate wildly. To help you gain a better understanding, we’re going to get into the specifics of prefab housing expenses below. Let’s go!

How Much Do Prefab Homes Cost?

The cost of a prefab home is dependent on a variety of factors, including its size, its features, the quality of materials, and the geographical location in which it’s built. As such, it’s hard to pin prefab homes down to a single cost.

That said, there are averages available. At the current time, the average prefab home costs approximately $240,000. Note, though, that most fluctuate somewhere between $180,000 and $360,000.

This comes out to between $100 and $200 per square foot. It factors in construction costs, customization costs, and delivery costs.

It’s important to note that this price doesn’t cover the cost of land. If your prefab home costs $220,000, you’ll have to pay that price in addition to whatever your land costs. So, a $100,000 plot of land plus a $220,000 prefab home would cost $320,000 in total.

You must also consider utility hookup costs. If your lot doesn’t already have hookups installed, you’ll have to pay to have them installed. This could bump the price of the house up substantially.

How Do Prefab Costs Compare to the Costs of Traditional Homes?

Generally speaking, prefabricated homes are quite a bit cheaper to build than are traditional homes. The reasons for this are numerous.

First and foremost, prefabricated homes come pre-designed. As such, when erecting a prefab home, there’s no need to pay a fee to an architect.

Secondly, prefab homes are built on assembly lines. Because of this, their construction is much more efficient than the construction associated with traditionally built homes. Improved efficiency equals decreased cost.

Lastly, there’s little waste associated with prefab homes. Manufacturers have built these homes numerous times and know exactly how much material will be needed to finish them. As such, material costs are dedicated almost solely to the building of the house.

Note, though, that costs vary wildly based on the size of the home, the finishing on the home, the location of the home, and otherwise. But if a prefab home and a traditionally-built home are built exactly the same in terms of appearance and dimensions, the prefab option would cost less.

From Whom Can You Buy a Prefabricated Home?

Prefabricated homes are made by a wide variety of manufacturers. Regardless of where you’re located in the United States, you’re bound to have such a manufacturer within at least a few hours of you. A quick Google search for “prefabricated homes” will turn up all of the companies located within your general proximity.

If you’re comfortable piecing together the home on your own (this is not easy), you could consider buying it from eBay. There are all kinds of prefabricated homes available on the bidding platform, most of which come at bargain prices.

Should You Buy a Prefab Home?

As you can see, there is a bevy of affordable prefabricated homes on the market today. Regardless of your style preferences, you can find a prefab home that accommodates you.

And yet the question remains: is buying a prefab home a good idea? For some, it is; for others, it isn’t. To help you decide, we’re going to discuss the benefits of prefab homes below.

Prefab Homes are Solidly Built

When it comes to construction quality, you might be surprised to hear that prefabricated homes reign supreme over stick-built homes. Why is this? Because, whereas stick-built homes are built out in the elements under limited supervision, prefab homes are built in factories and placed under great scrutiny.

This level of scrutiny ensures that the homes are being built perfectly. As such, they end up being more solid and more durable than their stick-built counterparts.

Prefab Homes are Energy Efficient

In addition to possessing a more solid construction than stick-built homes, prefab homes also possess greater energy efficiency. The reason for this? The quality of their construction, actually.

Because they’re constructed so precisely, they possess extremely tight seams. As such, they don’t easily allow hot or cold air to flow into them. And because hot and cold air can’t easily flow in, the air conditioners and furnaces in the homes don’t have to work as hard as they otherwise would.

Of course, different prefab houses carry different levels of energy efficiency. But, as a base rule, you should assume any prefab home to be more energy-efficient than any stick-built home.

Prefab Homes Can Be Built Quickly

Hoping to get your house up as soon as possible? If so, you need to go with a prefab. Because their primary components are constructed in factories, prefab houses don’t require nearly as much construction on the construction site; all the builders need to do is lay the foundation and piece the primary components together.

Whereas a prefab home takes between 4 and 6 months to erect, a stick-built home takes between 7 and 10 months to erect. So, by opting for a prefab home, you can cut construction time by up to 3 or 4 months.

Prefab Homes are Environmental Friendly

When it comes to the issue of environmental friendliness, it’s not even close: prefab homes are much more environmentally friendly than their stick-built counterparts. Not only do prefab homes result in less waste, but, because they’re more energy-efficient, they result in less energy usage as well.

And because they don’t require as much transportation (of builders, materials, and otherwise), they don’t carry as large a carbon footprint either.

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