Modular homes: A solution to the housing crisis?
It's clear as glass that the UK needs more homes. And so far, governments have failed to meet their new home targets. So what can we do to remedy this pickle? Enter, modular homes...
The UK needs more homes. It’s as plain as the nose on an aardvark’s face. It’s a shame, therefore, that successive governments have thus far failed to deliver the new homes we need. So what can we do to remedy this pickle? After all, building houses is a long, relatively complex, and rather expensive process.
Not to be confused with mobile homes, the history of modular dwellings stretches back to the late 1940s and early 1950s, when the government needed to build homes quickly after the war. However, modular homes have come a long way since. In fact, they’re the very latest in high-quality, eco-friendly housing.
Modular homes differ from traditionally built homes (in other words, those created onsite with bricks and mortar) because they’re prefabricated and consist of different sections or ‘modules’. They’re made in a factory and then delivered to a building site where they’re put together a bit like Lego bricks. Cladding, appliances, decoration, and fixtures and fittings are then added onsite. Clever, eh?
What are the advantages?
Although modular homes might not sound as sturdy as traditional homes, nothing could be further from the truth: they’re usually made from the same materials, the finishes are often first class, and they very much comply with building regulations. Therefore, they lose nothing in terms of construction or permanency. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the United States has found that modular homes “performed much better than conventional residential framing” in the face of extreme weather like hurricanes. Impressive.
Another great advantage of modular homes is that they take a fraction of the time to erect. Whereas a traditional home takes an average of 40 weeks to finish, a modular home can be completed in just 4-6 weeks. This is because the individual modules can be built simultaneously (in the factory) and then delivered in one go. With traditional houses, one part of the work must be completed before the builder can move on to the next.
The other bit that will make your ears prick up is the cost of modular homes: they typically cost 10-30% less per square foot. Obviously costs vary depending on the materials used - you won’t get pearls for the price of marbles - but the labour costs alone are significantly lower. And of course, cheaper quality housing will allow more people to get on the property ladder. Excellent stuff.
Saving the planet
If you’re into sustainability, and we most definitely are, then there’s another huge advantage to modular homes: they’re constructed from sustainable materials and boast an abundance of awesome energy-efficient features: solar panels, LED lighting, high-performance windows, great ventilation, even better insulation, and usually come complete with air-source heat pumps, smart meters, and electric car charging points. What more could you want?
Some manufacturers even take a zero-carbon approach and promise ‘beautiful, sustainable spaces built to last’. Therefore, not only can modular homes cut energy bills by 50%; they also reduce waste dramatically during the construction process. This is because they’re factory-made to specific measurements so there are minimum excess materials left at the end.
Modular homes - the pitfalls
No matter how energy-efficient and how cost-effective modular homes are, some people will inevitably be put off either by their appearance (some but not all modular homes look very modern) and that ‘prefab’ tag. Sadly, prefab ain’t so fab if your main mission in life is to keep up with the Joneses.
What’s more, although modular homes are extremely customisable in theory, they’re still somewhat limited in terms of design and the ability to tailor the aesthetics. Consequently, they won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Some mortgage lenders might be wary of them, too. After all, elements of the build will be occurring off-site away from the property they’re using as security. Having said that, lenders should get used to modular homes in the coming years. And more customisation options should emerge as the industry grows.
Finally, because modular homes are factory-made, they’re sometimes more difficult to repair and extend. The latter is something to bear in mind if the home sits on a generous plot. Will extra modules constructed from the same materials be available several years down the road? One would hope so but it’s not guaranteed.
So are modular homes the future?
Although there are only about 15,000 modular homes in the UK right now, the number is set to rise faster than a speeding bullet in the coming decades. Why? Because they’re just as solid, more cost-effective, and can be built in a fraction of the time. In other words, they can play a major role in easing the housing crisis.
The experience of other countries suggests this, too. Modular homes are becoming popular elsewhere in the world (especially in Sweden and Japan) and manufacturers are increasingly able to adapt their designs to fit with the local vernacular. What’s more, modular structures are already being used in other types of construction, most notably in offices and hospitals.
As a result, it could be only a matter of time before more and more of these marvellous modular abodes are built. Indeed, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (also known as the Department for Levelling Up) is actually establishing a Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Taskforce that will doubtless increase their number soon.
There’s just one potential problem: will developers themselves be keen on the idea? Modular homes can be made from stone, brick, wood, or whatever materials the architect has in mind. However, no developer, not even those related to Mother Teresa, will build homes unless they can make a good profit. Maybe the Department of Levelling Up should build some subsidies into their plans, too?