Vintage Prefab Homes

There is a lot of buzz these days about various forms of prefab homes. There is a lot to be said for the advantages of building things in a factory. The economy of being able to buy large quantities of materials and store thm indoors away from weather damage is one. Having the shelter of the factory in which to build not only means that construction is not slowed by the weather outside but that materials are not damaged by warping or other weather related problems during the framing stage.
Things are built to a factory standard so that the fit together correctly....and if for any reason they need to be replaced later, the replacement will also fit. Things built in a factory setting cost less. They can be constructed more quickly by workers who do the same job daily and know exactly what they need to do. Measurements are accurate and consistent.
The Sears kit houses built between 1908 and 1940 were very popular. More than 100,000 were sold. They varied in size from muli-storied elaborate homes with art glass windows and French doors to simple three room houses with no bath (an outhouse was available for additional cost). These houses made it possible for people who might be able to buy the land but could not afford to have someone design and build a house for them to own a well built cozy home. There were 447 different mail order homes to choose from over the years; even then, kit homes did not necessarily mean "cookie cutter"!
Today, innovators like the folks at H-Haus are looking at the possibilities of creating a home built to be functional, beautiful and sustainable. Aaron Bohrer, one of the principles of the company is quoted in TREND magazine as saying "We wanted to design something that not only was functional but had a distinct aesthetic. H-Haus is a testament to how simple it is to build in a way that is both beautiful and concientious-an experiment to see what richness can be drawn from preexisting materials chosen for their energy efficient properties." You can check out their website at www.h-haus.com