Expandable Homes: The Future of Home Construction?
Home buying is expensive, and in some markets it’s getting more so. To get a foot in the door, buyers are turning to smaller homes — or ones that are at least capable of being expanded. If you’re looking for an affordable entry point into homeownership that comes with plenty of future potential, consider exploring these types of homes. They’re also perfect for renters who want to own property one day but may not have enough cash saved up just yet. Expandable Homes are mansions that can be extended by adding bedrooms, bathrooms, and other rooms as per your growing needs. In addition to saving money on renting a small house, you get to buy land and build an expandable home rather than renting forever. See if this sounds like something you could get behind:
What is an Expandable Home?
An expandable home is a home built to be extended at a future time. A builder would build a house that has an extra room built in the design, allowing for an extended home in the future if necessary. An expandable home is often built on a foundation, and the builder will leave a place in the design to add another room. Depending on the builder, this room could be added later to expand the space, or it could be used as a room right away. The expandable home is very different than a manufactured home, but it is also not a modular home.
Pros of Build-To-Order Homes
- No wasted space: The biggest advantage of build-to-order homes is the ability to pinpoint exactly what you want and don’t want in a home. You can customize every single aspect of your new home to suit your tastes and needs. — Higher quality: While there are many examples of poorly constructed homes, on average, a home built to order will be higher quality than a pre-built home of the same type. Builders can really put their best foot forward when they have full control of the project. — Custom fit: The phrase “built to order” is a promise that the house will be built to fit your exact needs and specifications. This is important for people who have special needs or specific wants in terms-of-use and functionality. — More competitively priced: Customization comes at a cost, but when you build to order, you don’t have to pay for the costs that come with mass-production. This can help keep your overall costs down. — Faster home construction: Building to order means the builder can create a consistent process. This is faster than the construction methods used for pre-fabricated homes. — Easier to use financing: Building to order can offer you a lot of options when it comes to financing for your new home.
Pros of Prefabricated Homes
- Quicker build time: Prefabricated home construction is faster than custom construction, but it only really applies to specific types of pre-fabricated homes. — Lower up-front costs: You can get a cheaper home if you choose to go with pre-fabricated construction. — Fewer delays: Prefab construction is a more streamlined process than custom construction. — Easier to get financing: If you go with a prefabricated home, your lender may be easier to work with because the process is more streamlined. — More consistent product: You’re likely to get the same type of home and quality as the person next to you in a prefabricated neighborhood. — Better resale value: Because they are more consistent, prefab homes tend to be better resale options.
Bottom line
A build-to-order home allows you to customize every little aspect of your new home to suit your tastes and needs. You can choose everything from the floor plan to the roof shingles and everything in between. Prefabricated homes are also customizable, but on a smaller scale. They are built in a factory and then transported to the build site. You can customize the size and the number of rooms in the structure, but you can’t really make changes to the design.