Prefabulous Small Houses

"Prefab home construction has arrived. The benefits of [building] a prefab home (they are better built, use resources more efficiently, and are healthier to live in) apply just as well to vacation homes as they do to primary residences. [This book] explores the beauty, variety, design, and environmentally positive benefits of prefab construction through the wide variety of prefabrication methods in use today and with prefabulous examples from across the country"--Amazon.com.

Prefab home construction has come into its own. Prefabricated homes used to be considered inferior to houses built on site, but not anymore. In Prefabulous Small Houses, best-selling author Sheri Koones presents 32 stunning prefabricated homes from around North America. 250 beautiful photographs and floorplans show the amazing breadth of styles available to today's homeowners. Small is the new big. Everyone from Millennials looking to buy their first homes to Boomers trying to downsize have turned to small houses in recent years. These homes cost less to build, less to heat, and less to maintain. All of the houses in Prefabulous Small Houses range from 325 sq. ft. to 2,000 sq. ft. and showcase construction methods perfect for any climate. Building better, building greener. All of the houses featured here are highly energy efficient and are built with sustainability in mind. In eco-friendly prefab construction, local materials are used when possible, metals and wood are recycled, and houses are built with a conscious attempt to preserve the land on which they now stand. A foreword by actor and environmentalist Robert Redford speaks to the urgency with which we must act to combat climate change and how prefabricated small homes have a role to play in that challenge. Amazing diversity. The houses presented here cover a truly remarkable range of custom styles and exciting locales, including: The Lake Union Floating House in Washington, which is built right in the water with hybrid marine construction techniques The 325-sq.-ft Casita de Invierno in Florida, made of just 4 rooms with high ceilings The Westport Beach House in Connecticut, built using a panelized system on the ocean front And many more, coast to coast

Publisher description

A beautiful, user-friendly overview to building more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly homes using prefabrication. Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid explores the many ways of using prefabrication to build beautiful homes that are not only environmentally friendly, but also incredibly energy efficient. Profiling more than thirty of the most energy-efficient homes in the United States, this user-friendly guide reveals how homebuilders can achieve similar results—whether they want to earn an advanced green certification or just incorporate a few energy-saving measures—with the help of floor plans, detailed resource lists, explanations of the latest technologies, and brilliant photographs. Author Sheri Koones shows that building green doesn’t have to be more expensive, and in fact, can lead to dramatic savings. Koones’s almost-off-the-grid homes, which take energy from the grid when necessary and return any excess energy produced, are healthier, quieter inside, and far cheaper to operate. As energy costs continue to rise, energy independence is becoming increasingly essential, and as this guide shows, the almost-off-the-grid home is a solution that is achievable for everyone. Recipient of the 2013 Robert Bruss Gold Book Award from the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) Praise for Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid “The time has come to throw out the old stereotypes and to embrace prefab building techniques as the way of the future?and the best approach for today. For anyone wanting to create a house that’s sustainable in every sense of the word, this book is an excellent place to start.” —Sarah Susanka, architect and author of The Not So Big House series “You can build a high quality, environmentally friendly and efficient home at a reasonable price with a look and feel of a traditional home. Advancements like those used in our house and the other houses in this book will transform the homebuilding industry.” —Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency “This is an easy-on-the-eyes guide that includes floor plans and multiple images of the exterior and interior of each home. It is not a manual for green construction, but a general overview of aspects of prefab and green construction. And it does that well.” —Natural Life magazine

A stunning look at how people around the world are using prefabrication to create energy-efficient, sustainable, and stylish homes. Prefabulous World is the fourth book in Sheri Konnes’s revolutionary Prefabulous series. Presenting an international look at sustainable home design, it explores a compelling range of design styles and cutting-edge green technologies. The rising cost of fuel and the growing commitment to protect the environment have sparked exciting innovations in prefab home construction around the world. Showcasing many of the unlimited possibilities offered by prefabrication to build increasingly energy-efficient homes, Prefabulous World features fifty sophisticated examples of eco-friendly home design in Australia, New Zealand;Japan, Canada, the United States, England, Germany, South Africa, and beyond. “As we look into the future, it is clear the more and more intelligent materials and energies will be brought to hand as preassembled optimized components and systems, and they will be beautiful—just witness the homes we enjoy discovering in this lovely book.” —William McDonough, designer, advisor, thought leader, and co-author of Cradle to Cradle and The Upcycle

Inspiration and answers for people wanting to live more sustainably in a smaller house while respecting the environment and saving money on energy and maintenance. Smaller, more environmentally friendly houses seem to be the wave of the future. As people chose to move out of cities, finances and lifestyle will limit the size of the houses these buyers will choose. This book includes lots of examples of small house options around the country, including ADUs (accessory dwelling units). Whether you’re building a small house, renovating an older home, or purchasing something new, this book will provide inspiration. It compiles lots of previously difficult-to-find information in one place. The sidebars describe home systems and new materials helpful to any homeowner concerned about the environment and hoping to save money on energy and maintenance.

For many, the idea of prefab housing may bring to mind trailers and other less desirable images of home life. But this idea couldn't be more wrong! Rather, the newest trends in prefab have emerged as a great way for a design- (and cost-) conscious generation to achieve the dream of home ownership. Today, prefab houses are manufactured to the highest standards of construction and aesthetics. And with the internet, these houses can be ordered from all over the world--affording people everywhere the opportunity to acquire an affordable home of distinction. Prefab Modern explores the best prefabricated houses on the market today, from all over the world along with a resource directory on how you can purchase them. Included are case studies from all over the US and around the world, from top architects and designers. Prefab is the inevitable next step to "cool" housing as the market looks for reasonably priced housing for first and second homes. Prefab Houses Designsource is the perfect guide to this undeniable and fascinating trend.

Modular doesn't mean humble or common, judging by the well-appurtenanced,ainly large homes displayed in this collection. Koones surveys over 20odular houses in various styles, with lots of photos of the exterior,nterior rooms, architectural details, and in some cases, assembly. Locationnd the name of architect are provided for each example.