I saw this on CTV news the other night and couldn’t believe it – new homes being built on a construction line. Not modular homes, real homes built the same way they’d be built on the lot (up to 3300 square feet in size), but built indoors instead and then driven over to their pre-poured foundation. I tried to find the video of the piece with no luck, but luckily the Globe and Mail has picked up the story and has a photo gallery on their site.
Here’s the unbelievable part….it takes 10 days to build a home on their assembly line, and one home is completed everyday. The workers can go ahead and build every aspect of the home, regardless of the weather. The home doesn’t see any of the elements until it is totally built – it’s got roofing, siding, electrical, drywall, flooring, cabinetry… "The chandeliers are hanging, the tiles are grouted, the hardwood isshined up," says Ron Cauchi, president of Mattamy’s Stelumar operation. Mattamy homes is Ontario’s largest new home builder.
Buyers can choose from 28 floor plans, and customize all the finishings just like any other new home. The difference here is, Mattamy can guarantee a completion date. After Mattamy has finished building about 1000 homes at this location, they’ll pack up the assembly plant and move it to a new sub-division.
Now I don’t know about you, but if there’s ever been a climate that calls for this technology we’re living in it! On the other hand, in the current market I’d say the last thing we need is more new homes being completed.
Modular homes are not what they once used to be. They can be just as fancy as a stick built home. I don’t know why more builder don’t at least pre-fab some of their homes? In almost all cases you will have a better built home than stick framing. The reasons are simple. You are working in a controlled environment with level surfaces, all the tools you could need, and not at 30 below! This tends to result in better workmanship. If you have ever worked outside on a home in the winter the temptation to take shortcuts is increased because the cold is always gnawing at you. I do know of one builder in Grande Prairie that has been building custom homes for 29 years and they pre-fab most of the home indoors. Their reputation is quite good and they are never looking for work. I would say their homes range between 1-2 million dollars. There is nothing wrong with prefabricating in fact it is usually a better product in the end.
The housing industry hasn’t changed much over the years. Methods like this really need to spread in order to give the whole industry a kick in the arse.
Although this method might result in a better quality home, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will be problem free. Mattamy Homes sold a house that had no electrical power and the furnace was wired illegally (code) to the house next door. A Town of Oakville inspecter passed this as well.. In additiion to this, Mattamy began construction on land that had been recently fertilized with bio-solids (human waste) without waiting the required time. An unsafe practice. I believe both of these incidents should concern potential buyers and I certainly recommend that a home inspecter be hired to monitor any new home construction by any builder. Problem with this method is that you are unlikely to have permission yourself or for your building inspector to monitor the building of YOUR home.
So now we need to find a building mover to move a home builder who then moves the built home onto it’s foundation.
I bet it could all fit into the back of one of those Oilsands Dump Trucks. I’d be happy to volunteer if they need someone to drive it across Canada!
That’s pretty amazing – they look like dollhouses being built. It’ll be interesting to see how these hold up over the years.
We are building a home this summer, and I actually picked up my real estate license a few weeks ago. Anyway, we bought a home that was built in pannel sections. I have a few pics on my skiing blog.
Erin said:
“It’ll be interesting to see how these hold up over the years.”
I would think that the quality on these would be higher than homes built on the lot. They’re being put together in a controlled environment under conditions which should support higher quality work.
Not to mention that traditionally built new homes, especially over the last few years aren’t known for being high quality. A lot of new home buyers have to pretty much babysit the project to make sure that things are done right.