Prefabricated homes, or prefab homes, are an increasingly popular housing and space option for people around the world with expanses of land they want to make the most of.
From spots in gardens with enviable views, to off-the-grid forest locations, a prefabricated home or cabin gives you the opportunity to live a little more outdoors.
Most of our cabins are built off-site in our South Devon workshop and then transported to the final location where they’re assembled and installed. If this is your first exploration into prefabricated spaces solutions, then consider this your ultimate debrief, giving you a closer look at what prefabricated homes are in the 21st Century, how they work, and their benefits.
What is a prefabricated home?
A prefabricated cabin also known as a modular home, is a type of house that’s built in sections or modules in a factory or workshop. These are then transported to the final location, where they’re assembled and installed to create a complete living space.
The amazing thing about a prefabricated cabin, is that it can be custom-designed to meet your needs and preferences and can range in size from small cabins to large, multi-story structures.
How do prefabricated homes work?
Prefabricated cabins are built using a process called off-site construction. This means that the various sections are built in a workshop, away from the final location where the space will be installed. The workshop environment allows for efficient and precise construction. Our cabin creators always have access to the specialised tools and equipment they need and the design studio is right next door to consult on next steps and confirm the build is going in the right direction.
We try, where possible, to prefabricate our cabins and deliver them near complete into site. This means using large vehicles and cranes to facilitate a smooth delivery. We’re also able to construct the cabin in modular sections, with the team finalising the build on site.
Where access is tight or tricky, (which may be the case in really off-the-grid locations) we’ll create a strategy for delivery of the prefabricated cabin. We haven’t yet needed a helicopter but one day I’m sure we will!
The process of assembling and installing a prefabricated home can take as little as a few days, compared to several months for a traditional site-built home.
You may have heard of “flat-pack homes”, and sometimes this is the best way to deliver a prefab cabin to harder to reach locations. The construction may require a little more time on site, but it’s all worth it for that wow moment when your cabin is fully-constructed!
Benefits Of Building A Prefabricated Home
Prefabricated homes offer a number of benefits over traditional site-built homes, including:
Speed
Prefabricated builds can be constructed much faster than traditional brick building. The construction process takes place in our workshop environment where weather and other site conditions don’t impact the timeline. This means that prefabricated homes can be ready for occupancy much sooner than site-built homes.
Cost
Costs will vary depending on which route we decide for materials, size, customisation as well as installation but overall, prefabricated builds are typically less expensive than site-built homes. For example, our turnkey cabins start from £74,000+vat. Additionally, prefabricated homes are often built to a higher standard of energy efficiency, which equals lower utility bills and cost savings over time.
Customisation
Prefabricated homes can be custom-designed to meet your needs and desires. If you’re looking for something creative, like a cabin on wheels for instance, that’s totally doable. The sky’s the limit! With prefab builds you have more control over the design, layout, and features, resulting in a living space that’s truly unique.
Quality
Prefabricated homes are built in a controlled environment, which allows for higher quality construction and more precise finishings. Equally our design team works alongside the cabin creators daily in our South Devon workshop, so any issues can be dealt with immediately to achieve a high standard of finish.
With the rise in popularity of prefab builds, so has the quality. While they have historically had the connotation of being a substandard construction method, when you work with a team of creators where quality materials and architectural design come into play, such as Life Space Cabins, you’re essentially gaining a tiny home that’s easily transportable. Our cabins are fully insulated and double glazed as standard to allow for year-round use.
Explore our pre designed cabins for living and staying in
Discover our smaller prefabricated spaces for working in.
Want to know more about our sustainable construction methods?
In summary…
We have done all the thinking behind our cabin construction and come up with several construction solutions that won’t compromise on quality of design or build methods.
In summary, a prefabricated home or cabin is an innovative way to create spaces that work for you while not having to compromise on location, quality or time. If you’re in the market for a new home, a glamping cabin or even a granny annexe for a space to escape, consider a prefabricated build as a brilliantly designed and sustainable option.