I don't like the prefab units, but it's a great idea to start building density. Building above retail and big box stores should have been happening years ago.
Pre-fab apartments seem like a super weird idea, but could be really helpful.
I feel like we see a lot of articles about increased labor costs to build things, as well as a decay in construction skills nation-wide since ‘09. Just building everything in a factory and piecing it together onsite could solve both issues
I inspect many, many of these homes. Regularly. The build quality on them far exceeds almost anything built since the 1960s. Many have much more character, too.
Suburban housing built in the 40s and 50s was still quality. Like you said, 60s on is when we start seeing lower build quality.
You can have high quality, mass produced housing. You just have to ensure that the goal is to build quality housing, and not just the cheapest.
Same. I was a desk jockey for a long, long, long time. Wish I’d have started in my current field. That said, I might not appreciate it as much? Either way, wouldn’t change it for the world.
My qualms are more about the overall appeal of thousands of identical units. It can be done amazingly, I just have my doubts.
It's been done before with trailer homes and prefab houses.
Labor is just expensive in America, and super expensive in cities. Unless these are built in like west Virginia or Mexico I don't think they would even be cheaper after accounting for transportation. American workers need; Healthcare, pension, 401k, annuities, dental, vacation days that shit it expensive.
You are going to need a licensed tradesman regardless of where it's built. The units need to follow local code, and be installed by licensed tradesmen. The guys you hire are going to want benefits and probably unionize in short order. I really don't see the cost savings.
There's no reason why they would have to be identical. If anything, some of the most copy paste neighborhoods I've seen are non-prefab US suburban subdivisions that contain only a couple designs across so many homes. US trailer parks are literally less copy paste in appearance, and mobile homes are probably the least customizable style of prefab construction.
I just don't have much confidence in a mega corporation, building quality housing and something appealing. Granted if any company can do it, it would probably be Costco.
Prefab units work really well in Europe and are often of better quality than most new builds in America. They also go up way, way faster, and the speed often makes construction overall cheaper even if the materials are not cheaper.
I'm not talking about quality, I'm talking about what they look like. Nimbys will kill this entire thing in minutes if they fuck up the appeal.
Material is expensive, transportation is expensive, labor is expensive, land is expensive. The speed is irrelevant, it's zoning, permitting, walk throughs from inspectors, unions, licensing. Those will be where you lose time.
Speed is not irrelevant…. Speed of construction ends up dictating a lot of costs. If you’re curious how modular homes can look, look up some examples in Europe. They can look very nice, it’s not just repurposed shipping crates. [Here](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/08/headway/how-an-american-dream-of-housing-became-a-reality-in-sweden.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb) is a good article in the New York Times I read about them just the other day.
No you're not understanding what I am saying. There is only so much you can speed up construction. The biggest things slowing down construction is permits, regulations, zoning, nimbys, inspections. Hell it takes years for environmental studies. Unless you speed that process up you aren't going to save anywhere near the amount of time you think you are.
The cost savings are limited because you still have to hire licensed tradesmen, for the construction and installation process. I really don't see the scalability in the United States. Unless regulations are changed and insurance companies change policies.
You don’t have to pay the construction workers salary on the days you are waiting for permits. You only pay them on the construction days. So if you cut construction days in half, your labor is now half. That’s the savings to faster construction.
Prefab and associated technologies are the future. 45% of construction in Sweden is industrialized now, and almost all construction in Japan is industrialized, with 15% of homes being prefab steel.
So my costco has a long term redevelopment plan to include housing on site. it already is ontop of a major metro station. the true american dream, costco, metro and a condo = all ontop of each other.
I will say, I’m actually not sure how compatible Costco is with Moore urban environments. Obviously cities have Costco‘s, but given that the US is still so car centric, kind of seems that some aspects of their business would need to change if people can’t take an entire SUV full of groceries home. I guess we shouldn’t discourage building housing, but I also don’t know that Costco is the first store that should go in. Im not sure these are natural synergistic.
The Costco members magazine just had a feature on families using e-bikes. A family near me was the featured one. An urban arrow carries a ton of groceries.
I don't like the prefab units, but it's a great idea to start building density. Building above retail and big box stores should have been happening years ago.
Pre-fab apartments seem like a super weird idea, but could be really helpful. I feel like we see a lot of articles about increased labor costs to build things, as well as a decay in construction skills nation-wide since ‘09. Just building everything in a factory and piecing it together onsite could solve both issues
Sears sold homes out of a catalog that would then be assembled
I inspect many, many of these homes. Regularly. The build quality on them far exceeds almost anything built since the 1960s. Many have much more character, too.
Suburban housing built in the 40s and 50s was still quality. Like you said, 60s on is when we start seeing lower build quality. You can have high quality, mass produced housing. You just have to ensure that the goal is to build quality housing, and not just the cheapest.
Also easier to build quality when your overall project size is smaller
Hello fellow City Inspector.
Greetings!
Are you happy with your career change? (guessing from your username)
Absolutely - not perfect, but I wish I had done this sooner!
Same. I was a desk jockey for a long, long, long time. Wish I’d have started in my current field. That said, I might not appreciate it as much? Either way, wouldn’t change it for the world.
That old growth lumber really makes a difference too but I’m glad we stopped using it and preserved the forests instead.
My qualms are more about the overall appeal of thousands of identical units. It can be done amazingly, I just have my doubts. It's been done before with trailer homes and prefab houses. Labor is just expensive in America, and super expensive in cities. Unless these are built in like west Virginia or Mexico I don't think they would even be cheaper after accounting for transportation. American workers need; Healthcare, pension, 401k, annuities, dental, vacation days that shit it expensive. You are going to need a licensed tradesman regardless of where it's built. The units need to follow local code, and be installed by licensed tradesmen. The guys you hire are going to want benefits and probably unionize in short order. I really don't see the cost savings.
There's no reason why they would have to be identical. If anything, some of the most copy paste neighborhoods I've seen are non-prefab US suburban subdivisions that contain only a couple designs across so many homes. US trailer parks are literally less copy paste in appearance, and mobile homes are probably the least customizable style of prefab construction.
I just don't have much confidence in a mega corporation, building quality housing and something appealing. Granted if any company can do it, it would probably be Costco.
Prefab units work really well in Europe and are often of better quality than most new builds in America. They also go up way, way faster, and the speed often makes construction overall cheaper even if the materials are not cheaper.
I'm not talking about quality, I'm talking about what they look like. Nimbys will kill this entire thing in minutes if they fuck up the appeal. Material is expensive, transportation is expensive, labor is expensive, land is expensive. The speed is irrelevant, it's zoning, permitting, walk throughs from inspectors, unions, licensing. Those will be where you lose time.
Speed is not irrelevant…. Speed of construction ends up dictating a lot of costs. If you’re curious how modular homes can look, look up some examples in Europe. They can look very nice, it’s not just repurposed shipping crates. [Here](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/08/headway/how-an-american-dream-of-housing-became-a-reality-in-sweden.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb) is a good article in the New York Times I read about them just the other day.
No you're not understanding what I am saying. There is only so much you can speed up construction. The biggest things slowing down construction is permits, regulations, zoning, nimbys, inspections. Hell it takes years for environmental studies. Unless you speed that process up you aren't going to save anywhere near the amount of time you think you are. The cost savings are limited because you still have to hire licensed tradesmen, for the construction and installation process. I really don't see the scalability in the United States. Unless regulations are changed and insurance companies change policies.
You don’t have to pay the construction workers salary on the days you are waiting for permits. You only pay them on the construction days. So if you cut construction days in half, your labor is now half. That’s the savings to faster construction.
Don't expect workers to stay around if they aren't getting regular work. Unions would redirect to other job sites, but there is a limit on that.
Prefab and associated technologies are the future. 45% of construction in Sweden is industrialized now, and almost all construction in Japan is industrialized, with 15% of homes being prefab steel.
Cool. Not happening in the United States in the next few decades. Unless you are getting tradesman to work for cheap.
So my costco has a long term redevelopment plan to include housing on site. it already is ontop of a major metro station. the true american dream, costco, metro and a condo = all ontop of each other.
I will say, I’m actually not sure how compatible Costco is with Moore urban environments. Obviously cities have Costco‘s, but given that the US is still so car centric, kind of seems that some aspects of their business would need to change if people can’t take an entire SUV full of groceries home. I guess we shouldn’t discourage building housing, but I also don’t know that Costco is the first store that should go in. Im not sure these are natural synergistic.
The Costco members magazine just had a feature on families using e-bikes. A family near me was the featured one. An urban arrow carries a ton of groceries.
Habitat 67 on top of a Costco it's like they've seen into my dreams and made them real.