Custom Residential Architects Network

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  • 1.  Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-16-2025 04:45 PM

    Hello members, does anybody have a good experience with prefab companies for high-end residential projects on the East Coast? 

    Thank you.

    Vlasta



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    Vlastimil Poch AIA
    Bethesda MD
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    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 2.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-17-2025 07:34 PM

    An architecture school classmate of mine switched careers a few years ago to work for Bensonwood. They do nice work and are work checking out: https://bensonwood.com/



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    Jared Banks AIA
    Shoegnome, LLC
    Seattle, WA
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    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 3.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-20-2025 05:24 PM

    Hi Jared,

    thanks for those tips - will check them out!



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    Vlastimil Poch AIA
    Bethesda MD
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    Original Message
    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 4.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-18-2025 05:47 PM
    I worked for US Homes Des Moines Iowa in the 1980's and one of the projects I led was constructing 26 4 plex student housing buildings for Iowa State University. The buildings were assembled from 4 60' modules that we crane set. We were able to complete the total project in a little over 6 months because the modules were constructed in a controlled heated environment.
     The weather was not a problem to crane set the modules in the winter.
     
    A tornado came through the area one week and blew one of the boxes still on a trailer over a full roll. After we replaced all the glass and repaired the walls that were damaged by the loose material in the module, we were able to use the module. The key to success is the controlled environment for construction. The weakness to our project was some of the materials we used. The floors were made from a particle board that expanded under high moisture. The floors had expanded from wet basements so we had to remove the finish floor and install expansion strips.

    Personally, I like using plywood for horizontal surfaces and OSB only on the vertical surfaces. Using a more stable material like OSB rather than foam board for the sheeting made the module much more stable for transportation and the box survived a roll over.

    Fixed roofs on prebuilts are usually lower slop which can look prebuilt but a hinged roof ora good design can avoid that look.

    Raymond Phillips AIA Iowa
    Norwalk, Iowa   



    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 5.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-19-2025 08:54 PM

    I don't have direct experience with either Lindal or Deckhouse, but they've both been in business for a long time and you can judge from looking at them online if their designs and builds match your expectations of what you're looking for.

    https://lindal.com/ and https://www.deckhouse.com/



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    Patrick Flynn AIA
    AIA Southern New York
    Corning NY
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    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 6.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-21-2025 08:38 AM
    Edited by Mary Holley, AIA 03-21-2025 08:39 AM

    It depends on what you're looking for: are you trying to have a design prefabricated? Are you looking for a pre-designed off-site built house? Regardless of which it is, you need to involve any off-site company at the very beginning of the process. Here's an article I wrote on Linked In a while ago with some basic things to keep in mind, and I didn't even delve into whether the company is volumetric or flat panel! 

    BTW, I would highly recommend Bensonwood, they have been the gold standard for high end off-site for the longest.

    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/demystifying-off-site-process-architects-mary-holley/?trackingId=IORDYLLyTQ%2BEh964%2FEKU2Q%3D%3D



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    Mary Holley AIA
    studioma2
    Arnold MD
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    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


  • 7.  RE: Prefabricated modular house / East Coat contractors

    Posted 03-21-2025 09:51 AM
    Great article. Essentially you are describing what all on site architects do.
    Raymond Phillips



    Original Message
    26.09.14 CRAN Symposium Final


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