For years people have used the terms prefabricated and
modular interchangeably. Many on the west coast think of their style of modular
housing as prefab while many on the east coast think prefab means double wide
trailers. As far as I can tell there is no definitive definition for either in
the housing or commercial construction industry.
Well, my friends, that’s about to change thanks to Modcoach.
From now on all prefab and modular homes that completed in a factory and
shipped to the job site ready to be finished will be called modular in this blog.
Anything that requires additional structural finish at the job site such as
trusses, panels, SIPS, kit homes, etc, will be called prefab from now on.
Since nobody else including all the Architects in the world
have never come to an agreement about it, I just think it’s time that someone
made the distinction and called one “prefab” and the other “modular.”
The subject is now closed as far as this blog is concerned.
From now on, log homes kits are prefab while Blue Ridge Log Cabins are modular.
SIP homes are prefab but I still don’t know where Blu Homes fits in.
I do have a problem, however, with modular homes that are built on
cribbing and never moved along a production line. Are these “off site, site built”
or is there another term someone can suggest for this inefficient and expensive
Lego homes?
I will continue to write about both types of construction and
report about all the big projects, new products and great ideas for both.
