Want to Buy a System-Built Home? Start Here

Building Systems Magazine's original mission was as a trade publication for home builders and contractors. But we are expanding our role to reflect the increased interest in building systems, especially in this new housing economy.

Historically, the vast majority of homes built in the United States were built on site the old fashioned way, stick by stick. In recent years, the use of modern building systems (also known as prefab) has grown to encompass roughly 30% of all housing starts annually.

However, with the cratering of the economy in 2008, many independent site builders have had to rethink their business model. Since the construction industry has lost more than 500,000 jobs, in many markets there are no craftsmen to be found for the few remaining home builders. Many former site builders are switching to a building system, to increase quality, speed up construction and offer green building technologies. By opting for a building system, it allows contractors to outsource engineering, design and construction, so they can concentrate on earning customers and performing site improvements for their clients.

A Map of the Buying and Building Process

It takes courage to decide to build your dream home when the drumbeats of gloom and doom are part of the daily headlines. But for those home buyers who decide to design and build in this market, this is also a historic opportunity. Land, building materials and labor costs are at a historic low. So in addition to being courageous, you are also smart. This site offers a variety of new ways to build your dream home—on time, on budget and with unsurpassed quality. Whether you’ve been dreaming about this home for decades or it’s a newfound passion, this website will provide you with much of the information you need to create your dream home.

Is There a Better Way to Build?

If you’ve spent any time investigating how the majority of homes are built in the United States, you’ve probably had a reaction that went something like this: “Wait a minute. I’m paying thousands and thousands of dollars—seemingly as much as the national debt—to have someone build my new home…. in the mud? Exposed to rain, snow, wind and neighborhood thieves interested in running off with anything that isn't literally nailed down? They don’t build my new car in my driveway, exposed to the elements while teams of mechanics wander by, from time to time. Isn’t there a better way to build?” Indeed there is a better way.

Once upon a time known as “prefab,” today’s modern building systems create homes in a factory setting, where the home is crafted to your custom design, using the latest tools and labor-saving technology. While the home is being crafted in a factory, your builder is performing site improvements, such as installing a foundation, driveway and hooking up water and sewer systems. After factory construction, your home is shipped to the site and made weather tight in a matter or hours or days (depending on the building system), minimizing the damaging affects of weather during construction. Since site improvements and factory construction happen simultaneously, your home will be built in a fraction of the time it would take to build on site the old fashioned way, stick by stick.

Determine Your Path

You will need to grapple with a number of decisions on the path to making your dream home a reality. While there are a number of different building systems to choose from, let your personal preference be your guide. It’s likely that one building system—or a combination of systems—will feel more like home to you.

Choosing A Building System

While each of these systems is discussed in more depth within this directory, here’s a brief look at your choices:

Concrete:

Today, this material has few limitations and a plethora of benefits. Advantages include greater comfort, safety and security; lower energy bills; and less maintenance. Systems include concrete block, aerated concrete, insulated concrete forms, precast panels and tilt-up.

Log & Timber Frame:

If you’ve ever wanted a rustic palace with fortress-like walls awash in the warmth of wood, this industry specializes in making your dreams come true. Your choices include handcrafted, milled, timber frame, and post and beam. You can find out lots more about the log and timber home buying process by clicking here.

Modular:

While some still confuse this system with the manufactured (or mobile) home industry, since they both originate in a factory setting, today’s custom modular homes are indistinguishable from site-built homes and they can be found in the most exclusive communities. This is the fastest form of construction on the planet, with homes arriving on site more than 90% complete.

Panel:

With this system, the shell of the home is delivered to the job site as a series of panels, from the walls and floors to the roof. The resulting home is weather tight within a few days, saving on construction costs and minimizing damages from theft and weather. Options in systems include open wall panels, closed wall panels and structural insulated panels (SIPs).

Interested In Building Green?

The good news is each of these building systems fits the parameters of a variety of green building guidelines, including the National Association of Home Builders’ Green Building Standard and the LEED standard, which is short for the Leadership in Energy Efficient Design. See our Green Building Guide for more information on green building.

Determine Your Budget

You can’t shop for a used home without knowing how much you can afford—nor can you use a building system to create a home without establishing a realistic budget. A number of national and regional lenders have adopted loan programs for those opting for a building system, including construction-to-permanent mortgages. Work with these lenders to determine a budget.

Your Dream Home Deserves the Right Setting

If you’re purchasing a systems-built home in a subdivision, make sure you’re comfortable with the developer, the community’s covenants and annual costs, the community tax structure and any surrounding development. If you’re buying land of your own, take steps to ensure the land is suitable for development through soil testing, surveys and other means.

Discover The Rules

A visit to your local city or county building department will provide information on what local government officials will require so you can build on your site. Pay close attention to development fees, plan submittal requirements, inspection schedules, setbacks, wetland mitigation and architectural requirements.

Design Decisions

Your design decisions should begin with the size of the home and what kind of interior and exterior look you prefer. When weighing your choices, consider the cost of fabrication, the speed of on-site completion and the maintenance needed over time.

Choose A Producer

Once you’ve decided on a system, spend some time shopping producers. Companies offer tours of their manufacturing facilities, model homes, construction seminars and more.

Price Isn’t Proof Positive

You get what you pay for—a rule that particularly applies in home building. Don’t use price as the only criteria when choosing a home producer. Be sure to compare quality, quantity and service.

Quality: Do third-party agencies inspect the quality of construction at the factory? This is often a requirement for state or regional building codes.

Quantity: What materials are provided in the producer’s home package and how much material will you need to obtain locally?

Service: A toll-free advice hotline for before, during and after construction is included in the purchase price by some companies. Others charge for this service on an hourly basis.

Quotes & Estimates

Most companies provide free preliminary estimates. Precise cost figures may require blueprints or construction drawings, which carry a fee. Such fees usually are credited toward your package purchase if you buy.

Deposit & Payment

Many companies require a deposit before working on blueprints or providing firm price information. This can range from 10% of the project cost to as much as 50%, depending on the building system and the style of construction. Be sure you understand what you are getting for your deposit and find out about refund policies if you decide not to proceed.

Hire A Pro? Or DIY?

Your path to a completed systems-built home diverges when it comes to who will be constructing the home on your land. Essentially, you have three options to choose from and the degree of difficulty increases with your involvement in the process.

Hire A Pro—Easiest Option

In choosing this path, you will be intimately involved in the planning and design of the home, but then turn it over to a builder, who will give you a set of keys and a garage door opener when it’s finished. This is the route we recommend you pursue to obtain a home on time and on budget.

Serve As Your Own General Contractor—More Difficult

A general contractor or GC must locate, evaluate and meet with all subcontractors as well as prepare all the specifications for each trade, prepare a complete cost estimate of the project and establish legal contracts between all parties.

Owner-Builder or Do It Yourselfer—Most Difficult Option

The most difficult option and the riskiest is to be an owner-builder or do-it-yourselfer. In this role, you will be responsible for everything the general contractor is responsible for—plus you will do most of the construction yourself.

A Building System Will Save You Money

Because of factory efficiencies, savings in time and the use of labor-saving, high-tech tools, a building system can save you up to 30% over the cost of site building the old-fashioned way. Will you save even more money by finishing the home yourself? Perhaps, but it’s not guaranteed. Novice builders make costly mistakes, especially when they don’t have construction experience to draw upon, the necessary tools and equipment, and contacts in the community. The mistakes you make can end up costing you more than having a professional turnkey your home—not to mention the resulting delays costing you more in construction loan interest.