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Wanna Know Who Really Benefits from Pre-Fab Housing?

By Rain Noe - August 29, 2011

in Tech

My buddy Julian works in construction, and for his first week on the job he and his crew were building two-story Motel 6's in New Jersey in the middle of a blizzard. Since he was the new guy, they threw him up on the roof alone with a shovel (and a lone rope tied around his waist as a safety measure) to clear the snow that was stacking up on the half-finished parts of the structure. It was an 8-hour day with nonstop snow. I asked him if that was his worst day on the job. "No," he laughed. "Just my first one."

While pre-fab construction is a merely neat idea for architects, designers and consumers, it must be amazing for the actual construction workers. Putting things together is still hard labor, but imagine being able to do it all indoors, in short-sleeved shirts, in a climate-controlled environment with perfect lighting and an actual plumbed bathroom:

That's footage of a facility owned by Zeta Communities, a building company that produces net-zero energy modular housing and institutions. I'll probably not send this clip to Julian as it's only bound to piss him off.

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Anonymous

13 years ago

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I have wondered about this, specifically for additions and remodels. I think I may know the answer but I have wondered why a second floor or expansion of an existing home couldn't be either completely built or at least delivered as subassemblies (walls with window openings, maybe even frames; floor, with wiring/plumbing conduit and connections, etc).

I expect it's due to the fact that [ahem] houses are rarely square or true and it would be a trick to mate the new stuff to the old.

I don't know. It seems like measuring technologies are pretty good these days. And I would guess that building in a warehouse would allow for better efficiency and more pleasant conditions, no blowing warmth into your fingers or feeling rain run down your neck all day long. Plus the client isn't living in a building site for anything like as long: gotta like that. A week or so of "installation" versus 6-8 or more of demolition and then construction can't be fun.
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monty

13 years ago

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I laughed when I read this. I remember working construction while going to school and experiencing the same thing. But now that I'm a designer and a good portion of my time is sitting behind a desk; I often look out the window at the guys working outside and miss it, even the days that were rainy and snowy.
Just tell Julian he's building a ton of character (... and cheap but comfortable motels), he'll appreciate it once he's behind a desk.
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