Alternative Construction Research Guide - GCCDS

Factory-Assembled HomesFactory-assembled homes are sometimes calledmanufactured homes, modular homes, factoryhomes, or kit homes. All factory-assembledhomes share a common strategy which movesas much of the construction process as possiblefrom the building site into a factory environment.The concept is that building a structure underindustrialized and controlled circumstanceswill allow for faster construction and betterquality control. Production techniques used inthe manufacturing of homes are modeled ondurable goods industries such as auto, aviation, ormaritime manufacturing.Strategies for manufacturing large parts of homescan be differentiated by the level of completionreached when the product leaves the factory. Thiscan vary from being largely finished to being agroup of parts not yet assembled. Examples areplaced in the following order, one being the mostfinished and four the least.1 Modular - complete2 Component - completed pieces3 Kit - ready to assemble4 Hybrid - additional material neededMost factory-assembled homes requirespecialized equipment to install them on thesite. Often a crane is required, but in the cases ofsmaller products a “lull,” which is a type of forklift,can be used to move products. Often a licensedcontractor/installer is legally required to ensurejob site safety, proper installation and qualify theproduct for manufacturer warranties.It is difficult to categorize the performance ofall factory-assembled homes because thereis such a wide range of material qualitiesand manufacturing methods. Although it isimportant to compare the delivery method andmanufacturing strategy, it is critical to rememberthat an innovative construction method does notensure a quality product.(FIG.A) MODULAR HOMES can be made of one,two, or more modules. Each module is typically completedin a factory, set in place, and finished on-site.(FIG.B) COMPONENT BUILDINGS use a “plug in”strategy to place a pre-built element into a building.Typically these units are the more complex rooms tosuch as bathrooms.(FIG.C) KIT HOMES are delivered on-site with variousparts to assemble. Included in the kit should be allthe pieces needed to assemble the home.whole house system Factory-Assembled Homes