Today's Prefab-ulous Homes

When something's called prefab, it's usually a putdown, so it's no surprise that prefab houses have gotten a bad rap over the years. But here's a surprise: Many beautiful, sophisticated homes are now being built in factories, and architects are embracing the idea.

"Over the last three to five years, prefab homes have completely changed. They've become much more highly designed by architects," said Robert Luntz. who is an architect himself. "I think a lot of people are surprised at some of the prefab homes that are getting built — very high quality, very good design."

Luntz and his partner, Joe Tanney, are two of a growing number of architects building sleek, stylish, prefabricated houses.

By creating flexible designs that use prefabricated building methods, Luntz says he's able to keep costs down.

"Prefabricated homes are more affordable because a major component of the home is built in a factory with very controlled labor and product costs," Luntz said.

The sections of the home are constructed in the factory in either panels or modules. In the panelized version, the house is built in panels that can be loaded onto a truck, whereas in modular homes the pieces look like mobile homes. The parts are then transported to the building site and assembled. Panelized construction can be transported more easily as the pieces can be fit into a truck. Currently, the majority of prefab homes are built using panelized construction.

"On site, the work can be done very quickly. The house is set literally in one day," Luntz said. "I think depending on location, one could expect to save a good 25 to 30 percent and probably six months or more in time going with a prefab house."

Luntz says that prefabrication has helped bring homes like these within reach of the masses.

"I don't feel there's any reason that somebody should be living in a cookie cutter home when a highly designed, architect-designed home is available to them," he said.

"Affordability is a big draw," Vera Gibbons of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "They are less expensive than custom-built homes. You've got people looking to keep a lid on their building costs, particularly if they are in the market for a second home, a weekend home. Design, style is a big draw as well, among other factors."

But are they made as well as homes built from the ground up by a contractor?

"They are made well. They are made to code," Gibbons said. "They are just as sturdy as a conventional home and some say they are sturdier because they have had to withstand being hauled off on a flatbed."

For these and other reasons, the prefab home market has seen a surge.

"Demand has been disaster driven," Gibbons said. "The government spent about $900 million on modular homes and mobile homes for victims of Katrina. Demand elsewhere in some of the more upscale markets has primarily been the affordability factor."

A prefab home may not be affordable for everyone. There are limitations as to how far it can be transported. It often becomes cost-prohibitive to haul the house more than 300 miles from the factory.

Still, if the logistics can be worked out and with the advances that have been made in prefab designs, prospective homeowners could get something really cool and actually be able to afford it.

For more information about some of the homes shown on The Early Show, try the following Web sites:

Resolution: 4 Architecture at http://www.re4a.com/modern-modular/

Michelle Kaufmann Designs at http://www.mkd-arc.com/whatwedo/glidehouse/index.cfm

Clever Homes at http://www.cleverhomes.net/

Haven Homes at http://www.havenhomes.com/

fabprefab at http://www.fabprefab.com/

Empyrean International, LLC at http://www.empyreanapf.com/home.asp

The Dwell Homes by Empyrean at http://www.thedwellhomes.com/