A few days ago architect Greg LaVardera wrote an interesting blog titled “Prefab is Dead” (it is worth noting that he is specifically discussing modern prefab). You can read it here. In it Greg argues many points that I agree entirely with.
Among them: the cost of modern prefab isn’t as inexpensive as many people hope it to be, many builders are unfamiliar with - and unwilling to learn - modern construction for the site built part of the process, and that the “existing PreFab industry exhibited the same stylistic bias as site builders”. These points are largely true, as are many others Greg makes.
Greg suggests that while prefab offered the hope of making modern design more accessible to anyone that wants it, ultimately, “… we still can’t visit our local home builder and choose our modern house. PreFab has not rushed to the rescue. And now PreFab is dead.” He goes on to argue why the Swedish style of home construction, with wall panels, etc., created in a factory, offers greater hope and opportunity at making modern homes more accessible, affordable, and profitable for the builders. Perhaps he is right, as I suggested at the top, you should read his post and judge for yourself.
Greg and I share a common frustration and goal and philosophy in many ways, and while I disagree with him that prefab is dead, the root of his thesis is one I share. Modern, good, design can and should be more easily accessible to people that want it.
Is this because I like modern design? In part, sure it is. I do prefer modern. Mostly though, I like good, well thought out, inspired design that makes a space feel good to live, work, or play in. Good design can be very traditional or incredibly modern. I can and do like both, but modern is my personal preference for sure. Not the cold rigid modern that gives that style a bad name, but warm, livable, cool, modern design that just feels like the person living in it gets “it”.
Yet it also pure business. Time and again I notice people admiring modern architecture in person or on the cover of magazines. I see them progressively buying more and more consumer products that are nothing if not modern: Apple products, the Mini Cooper, and countless others. I hear people telling me how cool our houses are, and I see friends that live in traditional homes subscribing to Dwell after picking it up on my counter. It is so obvious to me, and I assume to Greg, and many other around the industry, that there is a niche for modern design. We know it to be true.
So, if we are right, if there is a market for modern design, where is it? My personal thesis, and the one that guides the philosophy of our business approach, is that modern design must be made more accessible to people. For most people the only way to get modern is to hire an architect, which is a leap of faith and can be costly, build a home, another leap of faith, and typically pay a premium for construction. This takes time, money, and faith. Most people don’t have all three. Those that do tend to be wealthy. So most good modern design is built for the wealthy. That is fine.
It doesn’t mean that there isn’t a larger market for modern as much as it means the way the industry - especially architects - approaches the consumer is generally intimidating. Where does prefab come in? Why does it matter what Greg or I think?
We are both after the same goal - Greg offers modern house plans are very reasonable prices. Other architects may scoff at this … all while they lament their lack of business and how the public doesn’t understand their designs. SquallCo designs and builds PreFab homes that are modern and sustainable and at least 20% less expensive than stick built modern homes in our area. Some architects and builders scoff at this too. Is ours the perfect solution to design? No, it’s not. It would be great if people building a home took the time and spent the money to design and build custom architecture with a good architect. I know I, and I am sure Greg, would be very happy to work with those clients as well. We have a client now that we are doing custom prefab for, and it is very exciting.
Our approach to PreFab is one of practicality and of frustration. Frustration with the typical stick build process that is slow, inefficient, and wasteful. Practical in its promise to put our more modern homes in a fair competition with stock builders. It is clear that many, many people like modern. It is equally clear that most of them end up in something else. Mostly I view this as a failure of the industry to let the home buyer know how to even get a modern home, and a failure for them to fairly articulate what it costs. With our approach at least, this is not the case. We currently offer two designed modern homes. We are happy to do 100% custom design as well, but at least we offer this: you know what the house looks like, you know what it costs, and you know you can have it in four or five months. Can you say that about any other form of modern construction right now?
The Swedish approach may be better now or in the future, and if so, I’ll be all over it. Yet I’ve heard hundreds of people over the past few months tell me that, unlike many years ago, they have no issue with prefab. Many, in fact, prefer it. Is it perfect? No. What is? Can we and other do better? I hope so. To me though Prefab is alive as anything given the fact that housing is on life support regardless of style or means of construction. It still offers what it once did - the ability for people to get modern (or traditional, by the way) faster and less expensively than a traditional design and build approach; and the ability to remove the mystery of “how do I get that” from the buyer’s mind. For us at least, that part - removing insecurity - is the most promising part.
