When it comes to affordable and sustainable living options, modular homes are the future.
Modular homes, also known as prefab homes, are pre-designed houses with repeated sections or ‘modules’ in the building. Various construction companies have started focusing on modern modular homes, and they are becoming increasingly popular as the trend of attainable, sustainable homes continue to rise.
Real estate experts claim they will continue to grow for another ten years. Construction companies have been cashing in on this prediction to produce beautiful, affordable modular homes that support sustainable living.
If you want to explore this option, here’s a detailed guide on the top sustainable homes that are still affordable.
Method Homes
Based in Seattle, Washington Method Homes is one of the best in business whether you’re interested in constructing modular homes or commercial estates.
Method Homes works closely with clients to build according to their requirements. It also has vastly popular designs of contemporary or traditional modular homes from which you can decide.
The best part? You can customize an entire house as per your requirements.
Ma Modular
Ma Modular is an emerging Texas-based company creating contemporary modular homes.
It uses sustainable techniques to construct simple modular homes and offers large bungalow-style luxury double-story modular homes.
The prices are surprisingly low for such valuable homes.
Blu Homes
Blu Homes is based in Vallejo, California, and offers the best luxury modular homes in the vicinity.
Blu Homes designs and constructs high-end homes with all the facilities of a regular house. Homes range from $195,000 up to $545,000, which is easily affordable for the stars living there.
In 2015, Thrillist rated Blu Homes as the best in business.
Wheelhaus
Modular homes were initially built on the concept of sustainability and minimalism. Wheelhaus has a similar ideology, and sticks to it religiously.
It constructs all types of small and straightforward sustainable homes in a closely-controlled climate and delivers them safely to your plot.
EcoCraft Homes
If you are looking for a company that constructs eco-friendly prefab houses, look no further than EcoCraft Homes.
It uses sustainable materials to build affordable green prefab homes that may fall under your budget. With prices starting from $285,000, you can land yourself a dream energy-efficient sustainable home.
The EcoMod 2.0 is an excellent choice for a sustainable home.
LivingHomes
LivingHomes lives up to its name of constructing beautiful and natural homes.
It has received various LEED Home Platinum certifications for the visionary designs of its modular homes.
The company is based in Santa Monica, California.
Bamboo Living Homes
Bamboo Living Homes has established a strong reputation in the sustainable prefab homes industry, especially with its ‘Pacific Queen.’
Bamboo’s specialty lies in using certified permittable bamboo building structures strong enough to withstand any weather conditions. Their signature Bamboard walls provide a terrific eco-friendlier alternative to commercial drywall builds.
House Port
Hally Thatcher in New York City set up House Port. Her ideology was similar to Wheelhaus—constructing simple homes in a concrete jungle such as NYC.
However, she has since expanded her business to modular homes and hallmark ‘four homes’ with galvanized metal roofs.
Clayton Modular Homes
Clayton Modular Homes is one of the oldest and most prominent companies in the United States. It started in Maryville, Tennessee but has since established itself all over the country.
Clayton has over fifty years of experience designing all types of modular homes.
The company built 34,000 homes in 2015 alone, showing how efficient it is, and an Energy Star certification demonstrates its eco-friendly approach.
Greenfab Homes
Greenfab Homes aims to make energy-efficient prefab homes more affordable for the masses. This Seattle-based company uses VOC-free paints and other eco-friendly building materials to construct their homes.
You can either choose one of its pre-designed modular homes or the custom homes option. Its expertise lies in providing complete guidance throughout the home building process.
If you want to choose any of its modular homes, the 1200 Series is an excellent choice. The 1200 Series is a modern modular home with a 1200 sq. foot floor plan.
Little House on the Trailer
Little House on the Trailer specializes in traditional and cottage-core looks rather than modern designs.
Stephen Marshall, owner of Little House on the Trailer, has been based in Petaluma, CA, for fifty years.
The company provides impressive modular cabins of up to four hundred square feet.
Premier Homes of the Carolinas
If you are looking for a spectacular modular home at an affordable price, check out Premier Homes of the Carolinas for an extensive range of options.
This Carolina-based company has been in the construction business for more than three decades. It offers spacious, energy-efficient, and modern-looking prefab homes that can be custom-built according to your requirements.
Some of its more popular builds include Freemont, Maiden I, Maiden II, Noble, Monroe, and Garland series’.
Clever Homes
Clever Homes has been in the game for more than two decades now. It was initially based in Oakland, California but has expanded its business all over the US.
Just like its business, it has also expanded its techniques. Clever Homes lives up to the name and installs SIPs in all homes, a necessity in the sunny state of California.
Rocio Romero LV Series
You may know Rocio Romero as a famous product designer. However, he has recently expanded his firm to launch LVL Homes.
LVL Homes lives up to the Rocio Romero standard. It designs and constructs minimalist and luxurious modular homes.
IronTown Homes
IronTown Homes is the go-to builder for luxury modular homes in Utah. It provides a wide range of property styles and characteristics across various architectural designs.
It goes above and beyond with its contemporary designs for modular homes.
GO Logic Homes
The GO Home prefab home by GO Logic Homes is a popular choice among sustainable modular homes. The selling point of these homes is that they are 80% more energy-efficient than commercial home builds.
Another great thing about the GO Home series is that these prefab homes can be constructed within 14 days.
The GO Home series has various floor plan offers, starting from 600 sq. feet to 2,300 sq. feet. The base price starts from $165,000 and can go up to $600,000 for larger spaces or custom builds.
D&W Homes
D&W Homes was founded in 1977, and it is now one of the most renowned modular builders in Ohio.
Its expertise lies in building modern custom prefab homes at affordable prices. So no matter your requirement, D&W Homes can fulfill all of them and make your custom dream home.
D&W provides modular home building services 50 miles from their model centers. However, it can also accommodate you after looking at your property and giving you the best possible plan.
Sander Architects
Modular homes are not for everyone, which Sander Architects understands.
Many people like the techniques of modular homes but prefer to customize them according to modern designs, and Sander Architects provides just that.
It customizes and molds designs to suit exactly what you want. Estates made on a grand scale using modular techniques is Sanders’s specialty.
Ecocor
Based in Searsmont, Maine, Ecocor has a unique building style that incorporates sustainable home and passive housing techniques to construct standout modular homes.
FabCab
FabCab is a small business in Seattle, Washington. Just like the company, it also specializes in modular sustainable homes.
Its philosophy is one of simplicity and eco-friendly mannerism. As a result, it offers only two designs, TimberCab and ModCab, planned out by their three architects.
Deltec Homes
If you are someone who prefers quirky things, a circular-shaped modular sustainable home from Deltec Homes might be perfect for you!
Deltec takes sustainable homes to the next level by focusing on simple energy-efficient solutions for its builds. Its houses are produced in factories running on 100% renewable energy.
Its signature round-shape prefab builds make it stand out by providing a fresh new perspective on modular home designs. You can purchase a Deltec Homes starting from $148,000, or up to $300,000 for more for customized homes.
The Renew Collection is a popular choice for green modular homes.
Blue Sky Building Systems
Blue Sky Building Systems deals in prefabricated parts and pieces instead of modular homes. The homes are crafted on-site after delivering all the parts to the property.
Its hallmark trait is steel frames for the construction of homes, which are resilient to forces and make for a sturdy structure.
Solaleya Designs
Solaleya Designs is famous in the sustainable modular homes industry for its passive solar techniques used in construction. This technology helps keep its homes cooler during summer and warmer during winter, making it an excellent choice when it comes to energy efficiency.
Check out its famous Pearl home if you are looking for an elegant modular home built using sustainable technology.
The key features include earthquake resistance and aerodynamic shape, making you instantly fall in love with it.
Ideabox
Ideabox is an environmentally-friendly company based in Salem, Oregon, certified by Energy Star. It provides modular homes of typically one to three bedrooms.
If you choose Ideabox as your modular home builders, you can design the build according to your needs.
Phoenix Haus
Phoenix Haus is a Colorado-based company owned by siblings Bill and Kate McDonald.
The company focuses on minimizing pollen usage in constructing homes. This idea was inspired by Bill’s pollen and dust allergies, and the company aims to help people deal with the same.
Phoenix Haus takes pride in its ‘Alpha system’ used for building. This technology encourages cellulose and wood fiberboard in the construction process.
The good news? Phoenix Haus offers its services all around the US. Check out the ‘H 19′ if you are looking for an ultra-luxurious green home.
Office of Mobile Design
Office of Mobile Design offers the most outstandingly creative designs even though their name is simple.
Office of Mobile Design plays with many different contemporary designs to see what suits your home. As mentioned in their name, they also provide ‘mobile’ houses.
Commodore Homes
Commodore Homes is an ideal choice if you are looking for an affordable modular company.
It provides modern sustainable prefab homes starting at 600 sq. feet to over 2,000 sq feet. Its service is widely popular, building homes in more than 32 states.
Moreover, you can use its virtual design tool to visualize the home of your choice and make a smarter decision regarding which home design to invest in.
Turkel Design
Although based primarily in Boston, Turkel Design has constructed hundreds of luxury prefab homes all over America and Canada.
It is known for using modern techniques such as VR to craft its homes, which are initially built in a controlled environment and later transferred to the property for finishing.
Marmol Radziner
Award-winning Marmol Radziner is a force to be reckoned with in the construction industry. He has been in the business since 1989 and has been the best at it for just as long.
He specializes in all kinds of architectural designs, but primarily modular homes of many varieties.
Connect Homes
Connect Homes is based in Los Angeles and was envisioned by two former Marmol Radziner employees.
Co-founders Jared Levy and Gordon Stott have prolonged experience in the industry and state that they solve all problems concerning modular homes.
Build With Nature
Build With Nature is a New York-based prefab home consultant company famous for using straw as a primary construction material.
Build with Nature uses EcoCocon construction panels manufactured using straws, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional building techniques that may harm the environment.
Build with Nature homes were also featured on the Discovery Channel TV show ‘Living Off-Grid,’ which speaks volumes about their popularity.
Stillwater Dwellings
Stillwater Dwellings is the finest maker of contemporary modular homes in Seattle, Washington. Stillwater has been putting out premium quality, luxury modular homes for over a decade.
Its contemporary designs are the most famous, incorporating natural as well as inorganic materials in their crafts to erect appealing double-story modular structures with ease.
BrightBuilt Home
BrightBuilt Home is a Portland-based prefab home building company that takes pride in using net-zero energy technology.
BrightBuilt Homes uses solar panels to provide clients with energy-efficient yet traditional home options. Its homes start at 560 to 742 sq. feet plan and go up to 2000 sq. feet.
The ‘Bungalow’ is BrightBuilt’s most popular build. Other options include Little Diamond, Great Diamond, and Sidekick.
Resolution: 4 Architecture
Resolution: 4 Architecture was born in the early ’90s in New York by Joseph Tanney and Robert Luntz.
The company has more than a decade’s experience in all kinds of commercial and residential buildings, and its modular home designs are well-known in the industry.
Deer Valley Homebuilders
Ranked top in the energy-efficient modular homes category, Deer Valley provides contemporary modular homes across the southeast and central US.
Deer Valley is famous for its high-quality, sustainable building techniques. In addition to this, the company provides an extensive range of customized prefab homes for all its clients.
It has three primary collections of home plans with different features and custom-made design options. In addition, you can do a 3D home tour of its houses on the website.
Green Modern Kits
As the name suggests, Green Modern Kits offers sustainable modular homes across the US. The company was founded by architect David Day to provide single-story modular houses at affordable prices.
Green Modern Kits takes pride in building solar-powered modular homes that use SIP technology in the construction process. SIP stands for structural insulated panels that help fulfill their mission of achieving green net-zero energy.
Check out their website to view the comprehensive range of affordable, sustainable green homes. Green Modern makes modular cabins, cottages, and residential homes.
Carbide Construction
Carbide Construction is a Virginia-based company famous for its residential and custom modular homes.
Carbide takes pride in its state-of-the-art architectural designs and high-quality, sustainable building materials. It claims you can get up to 30% reduced costs and enjoy a faster rate of construction at affordable prices.
The company also abides by noise pollution rules and regulations, promising greener modular home builds. When you choose Carbide Construction as your modular home builder, you will completely understand your project, from designing to construction to final stages.
You can check out its website for a virtual tour of its homes.
Logangate Timber Homes
Logangate Timber Homes is a Carolina-based home builder specializing in modular timber homes, chalets, and cabins.
The company has been operating for more than fifty years and is widely popular in the south.
If you are looking for timber frame houses, then Logangate Timber Homes is perfect for you. The ‘Harmony 3616’ is an excellent modular home featuring a butterfly roof and spacious two-story design.
Log Home Builders
Log Home Builders is a Carolina-based modular builder specializing in building log cabins and prefab log homes.
Log cabins fall under the sustainable homes category, and there is no other player who knows better about log home builds than Log Home Builders.
If you are looking for a quality prefab home, check out the ‘Cardinal’. This modular home comes with one- and two-story options. It boasts a gorgeous front porch and three bedrooms, providing an ideal prefab home at affordable prices.
weeHouse
weeHouse is a small subsidiary of Alchemy, a famous architecture company, offering everything from design to remodeling to the construction of modular homes.
weeHouse aims to provide luxury prefab homes manufactured using energy-efficient and high-quality building materials.
Its most popular home, the lighthouse, offers an ultra-modern option in the prefab homes category. They provide single and multiple-story floor plans with customizable designs.
Enertia Homes
Enertia Homes is considered one of the pioneers for green homes. This Carolina-based company specializes in building affordable timber homes using prefab designs and custom models.
Equinox 2836 is a popular model that uses sustainable building materials in construction. You can also customize the design as per your requirement.
The Bottom Line
The wisest choice is to go for prefab or modular homes, especially of the energy-efficient variety when it comes to sustainable home options.
Which one of the above-listed prefab home builders would you go with and why? Please share your answers in the comments section below.