It wasn’t that long ago the idea of a modular home would bring up images of cheap and unattractive homes, but that’s all changing. In fact, numerous modular luxury hotels are popping up all over the world. Experts predict that its growth will continue to grow throughout the decade. Modular construction companies, home builders and commercial construction firms stand poised to capitalize on this continuing growth. In this post, we’ll share some of the top picks for American modular home builders according to data from Thrillist and Home Builder Digest.
Note that this list is in no particular order.
1. Method Homes
Method Homes offers one of the most extensive collections of prefab modular homes. Clients can choose from contemporary cabins, traditional arts and crafts-style homes, and more. They’ve also got an impressive portfolio of custom work courtesy of their ability to collaborate with client-chosen architecture teams. In addition to producing some of the best modular homes in America, Method Homes constructs commercial properties as well.
Website: https://methodhomes.net/project/burlingame-custom/
Based: Seattle, Washington
2. Wheelhaus
Wheelhaus specializes in modern modular homes of the tiny variety. They take the focus on sustainability inherent to modular housing and amplify it, stringently adhering to a philosophy of “less is more.”
They offer pre-built homes constructed in a climate-controlled environment and then delivered to your property.
Website: https://wheelhaus.com/about/
Based: Salt Lake City, Utah
3. House Port
House Port was founded by sculptor Hally Thacher. Her original goal was to create a sustainable concept home that was easy to construct. That vision has since expanded into a collection of four houses. One characteristic feature of House Port’s pre-built homes is its galvanized metal roof offering shade and a unique look.
Website: http://www.ehouseport.com/
Based: New York, NY
4. Little House On The Trailer
While many modular homes have a contemporary look, Little House On The Trailer takes a more traditional route. They offer homes up to 400 square feet. A large part of their focus is on constructing caregiver cottages. Owner and designer Stephen Marshall has more than 50 years of experience in his craft. He’s worked on not only pre-built homes but traditional single-family units as well.
Website: https://littlehouseonthetrailer.com/
Based: Petaluma, California
5. Ma Modular
Texas-based Ma Modular offers affordable luxury built in a controlled environment. In addition to the standard bungalow-style high-end modular homes, the company offers double-story models that will have you wondering how they managed to execute the design using modular techniques.
Website: http://www.mamodular.com/
Based: Austin, Texas
6. weeHouse
weeHouse is an offshoot of Alchemy, a full-sized architectural firm. Their modern modular home offerings come in a slew of configurations and floorplans. They even offer studio clusters and row houses for those looking to develop a community of manufactured homes.
Website: http://www.weehouse.com/
Based: St. Paul, Minnesota
7. Blu Homes
Thrillist touts Blu Homes as their current favorite manufactured homes builder. They offer premium home designs that don’t skimp on amenities. Models start at $195,000 but can climb to $545,000, or a truly luxurious Breezehouse 2100, that rivals some of California’s high-end residences.
Website: https://www.bluhomes.com/
Based: Vallejo, California
8. LivingHomes
LivingHomes offers among the most stunning modular homes. One of their properties was the first to ever receive a LEED Home Platinum certification. They haven’t stopped there. At least 24 designs by the firm achieved the same certification. As their name suggests, LivingHomes prioritizes itself on the creative use of natural materials.
Website: https://www.livinghomes.net/
Based: Santa Monica, California
9. Rocio Romero LV Series
The LV Series by Rocio Romero represents the design firm’s foray into home construction. While they are perhaps best known for product design, that could be about the change. The LVL Home is a stunning example of the minimalist architecture that is so popular with modular home buyers.
Website: http://www.rocioromero.com/
Based: St. Louis, Missouri
10. Irontown Homes
Irontown Homes is a Utah-based builder of luxury modular homes. They’re yet another example of a modular home builder that pushes the limits of one’s imagination concerning how monumental a modular home can be. While they certainly offer some of the more contemporary styles characteristic of modular homes, Irontown Homes also offers beautiful properties across a wide range of architectural styles.
Website: https://irontownhomes.com/
Based: Spanish Fork, Utah
11. Ecocor
Ecocor takes modular home design one step further and incorporates passive house construction techniques as well. They describe their process as “panelized” homes as opposed to modular. While this does fall under the modular home building niche, it is a building strategy unique to Ecocor.
Website: https://www.ecocor.us/
Based: Searsmont, Maine
12. FabCab
FabCab is an architect/design firm with three in-house architects. They offer two designs: TimberCab and ModCab. Their perspective on construction is one that prioritizes environmentalism and economic viability.
Website: https://fabcab.com/
Based: Seattle, Washington
13. Ideabox
Ideabox offers one-to-three bedroom prefab homes in a variety of styles that can be tailored to your needs. Their homes are Energy Star-certified and come with open web-engineered trusses for insulation and minimized thermal bridging.
Website: https://www.ideabox.us/
Based: Salem, Oregon
14. Office of Mobile Design
Their name might be all-business-sounding but the Office of Mobile Design offers plenty of playful contemporary designs. Also among their offerings are several portable houses. At the Office of Mobile Design’s helm is Jennifer Siegal, a renowned designer and instructor in Los Angeles.
Website: http://www.designmobile.com/
Based: Venice, California
15. Turkel Design
Turkel Design has crafted beautiful luxury modular homes in several American states and Canadian provinces. Between the two countries, they’ve built more than 100 homes using their specialized process that utilizes various modern construction techniques such as virtual walkthroughs. Much of the work is done offsite, with a prefabricated building shell arriving on location for further work.
Website: https://www.turkeldesign.com/
Based: Boston, Massachusetts
16. Clever Homes
Clever Homes has been in the prefab home construction business for nearly 20 years. While based in Oakland, California, they boast a network of factories all across the United States. Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a key part of their building strategy.
Website: https://www.cleverhomes.net/
Based: Oakland, California
17. Blue Sky Building Systems
As opposed to delivering completed homes to your site, Blue Sky Building Systems takes the approach of fabricating components offsite and delivering them, ready-to-assemble.
Their homes feature a steel moment frame that resists forces in two directions. The company claims this reduces the need for load-bearing walls, offering clients great flexibility in terms of layout.
Website: https://blueskybuildingsystems.com/
Based: Palm Springs, California
18. Connect Homes
Connect Homes was founded by Jared Levy and Gordon Stott. Both formerly worked at the award-winning Marmol Radziner. Based on their experience in the industry, the team claims to have come up with innovative solutions for the many challenges facing it.
Website: https://connect-homes.com/
Based: Los Angeles, California
19. Marmol Radziner
Marmol Radziner has been in the residential architecture business since 1989. Prefab homes are just one of the many things they do. Their prefab work clearly draws from the successes of other design work, which includes institutional and retail design. The award-winning Marmol Radziner offers eight variations of prefab homes.
Website: http://www.marmol-radziner.com/
Based: Los Angeles, California
20. Stillwater Dwellings
Stillwater Dwellings has been offering high-end custom prefab homes for more than 10 years. The company’s designs creatively blend natural and man-made materials, with liberal use of glass and wood. Their homes come in both single and double story designs, with options such as butterfly rooflines and steel canopies.
Website: https://www.stillwaterdwellings.com/
Based: Seattle, Washington
21. Sander Architects
While many prefab homes tend to be smaller in size, Sander Architects offers large-scale estate residences as well. They describe their approach as “part prefab, all custom,” offering the best of both worlds for those whose design ambitions cannot be fully satisfied by current developments in prefabrication.
Website: https://www.sander-architects.com/
Based: Marina del Rey, California
22. Resolution: 4 Architecture
Resolution: 4 Architecture’s work spans the residential, public, and commercial markets. The company, founded in 1990, has designed more than 120 prefab modular homes across the U.S. In addition to their practical work, founders Joseph Tanney and Robert Luntz are respected lecturers in the field of architecture.
Website: https://www.re4a.com/
Based: New York, New York
23. Clayton Modular Homes
Clayton’s modular homes are Energy Star-certified and backed by more than a half-century’s worth of experience in residential design. They pride themselves on offering affordable family homes. Clayton Homes is one of the largest modular home builders, employing more than 13,400 team members in the U.S. and built more than 34,000 homes in 2015.
Website: https://www.claytonhomes.com/
Based: Maryville, Tennessee
Learn more about modular homes in this blog post by Dwellito of this post by Next Modular.
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FAQs
What is the largest modular home you can buy? ›
The largest home in their modular arsenal is the Connect 10, which is a two-story modular home measuring 40' x 40' with inset decks and two family rooms.
Which is better modular or manufactured home? ›The primary difference between modular and manufactured homes is that modular homes are held to the same local, state and regional building codes required for on-site homes. Manufactured homes are held to a federal code set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and have the ability to move.
Can modular homes be put on a slab? ›Modular homes are built specifically to be placed on a basement or crawl space foundation, also known as perimeter permanent foundation. It can be a block or poured wall foundation. It cannot be placed on a slab foundation because the home needs to have a way to fasten to the foundation.
What size house can you build for 50k? ›You will probably need a house that is around 400-500 sq. Feet, as this has enough room for you to live in, and forget you're in a small house. Most small or tiny houses are built on wheels, and you can even get 'pre-made' house structures, and most of the work will be done for you.
Do modular homes lose value? ›Modular homes are transported to the home site and set on a permanent foundation. Modular homes appraise the same as their on-site built counterparts do; they do not depreciate in value.
What is the most affordable manufactured home? ›Comparing two of the MOST Affordable Manufactured Homes ...
Is modular cheaper than stick built? ›Some estimates have found a modular home to be 10 to 20 percent less expensive than stick built homes. A traditional stick built home costs about $150 to $250 per square foot. A modular home can range from $50 per square foot up to $250 for some luxury houses.
Do prefab homes last? ›Most of the time a modular building will last just as long as a regular building. Maybe even more, but it all comes down to the way you maintain your home, of course. With the right amount of cleaning and maintenance from time to time, a modular building can last for many decades, maybe even longer.
Do they have modular homes in England? ›Of the 200,000 homes built each year in the UK, about 15,000 are modular, according to a report by law firm Pinsent Masons.
Is Clayton Homes publicly traded? ›Clayton Homes established its own mortgage company in 1974 and added a manufacturing division in 1975. The company went public in 1983, trading on the New York Stock Exchange.