Streamline Homebuilding with a Panelized Home

A panelized home is one in which many aspects of the home are pre-cut and assembled in a factory setting before being shipped out to the job site. Roof and floor trusses, as well as wall panels, are the most common parts of a home that are pre-built in this fashion, though other aspects of a home can be addressed with panelized construction. There are a lot of reasons to choose a pre-fabricated home over traditional stick construction, including cheaper labor costs, saving on materials, faster construction times, guaranteed and reliable workmanship, and overall savings.

A Panelized Home Saves You $$$
One of the main reasons prospective homeowners choose panelized builders over traditional construction is the savings. Because the major framework of the home is measured, cut, and assembled in a controlled environment, there is less waste, less risk of lost labor time backtracking and correcting mistakes, and less risk of losing materials to weather damage or theft. And because panelized building makes the actual raising of the home so much simpler and faster, you'll enjoy reduced labor costs there as well. About the only place you'll pay more than with traditional construction is in transportation costs of the materials, since you will have to pay for the panels to be shipped by truck from the factory directly to the job site.

A Panelized Home Goes Up Faster
Another reason homeowners choose to build a panelized home has to do with construction time. Because the panels are pre-manufactured, the time between them arriving on-site and when your home is up and weather-proofed is drastically reduced. All panels are clearly labeled so that it is easy and fast for your contractor's crew to assemble them together properly. And you won't suffer from the domino effect so common in traditional stick building where one mistake or snafu can set off a series of other problems that will have to be addressed with new materials and more man-hours later on. In short, panelized homebuilding streamlines the process, guaranteeing that you'll be moving into your home sooner if you choose panelized construction.

What about Design?
There was a time when purchasing a pre-fabricated home meant your design options were limited compared to stick construction. That just isn't the case anymore. Builders who specialize in these homes have realized that design flexibility means more and happier customers. You'll likely choose from a number of basic starter designs, but you will also have the freedom to customize the overall layout as you plan your new home. In fact, there is really little difference anymore between the options available in panelized building vs. traditional practices.

Building a Panelized Home
If you're interested in building a panelized home, talk to a contractor experienced with this type of building about getting your project started. Most of the companies that build the panelized sections have licensed contractors in your area that they recommend and prefer working with, so that's a good place to start. While panelized construction isn't difficult, it is different than traditional building. Hiring a contractor with experience means your project will go up as quickly and efficiently as possible.