A Brief History on Modular Homes: What to Know

NH Custom Home Builder

Through generations of home design and development, we’ve seen trends and innovations infiltrate markets, neighborhoods, and states all across the world. Eventually, some of these trends grew to become pillars in the landscape. One of them is modular homes, a type of off-site built housing that’s proven to create homes for families everywhere.

A modular home is constructed in a climate-controlled facility using efficient procedures and top-quality materials. Thanks to today’s technological advancements, modular buildings have also become a popular technique to build schools, commercial parks, and medical facilities all over the world. As demand has risen, so has the capacity to personalize modular homes.

But before we explore the modern-day modular home, let’s take a look at a brief history of this innovative construction technique!

1908: The Concept of “Kit Homes”

Richard Sears began selling his items through one of the earliest catalogs known to the general public in the mid-nineteenth century. Here, he was able to convince readers that Sears Roebuck and Company offered the best pricing on high-value items. 

After this, Sears® saw an opportunity to offer “kit homes” in their 1908 catalogs. The concept would be to offer the house building supplies as a bundle and provide construction instructions so that families could obtain everything they needed in one package. 

1913: Assembly Line Innovations

Prefabricated houses began to emerge as a housing option open to the general public, thanks to  Richard Sears’ inventive advertising methods and Henry Ford’s assembly line. Homebuilders such as Gunnison Housing Corporation and Lustron Corporation also began to thrive because of the assembly line development, along with other innovations.

1950: New Life After The World War II

Building a new world after World War II meant giving many the opportunity to restart their lives. This was the time that the demand for off-site constructed homes skyrocketed, allowing increased profitability for construction portions or sections of homes in an indoor facility. 

Due to the different needs of different families, as well as the rise of the baby boomer era, builders were able to construct whole homes from prefabricated walls to build larger and more expanded homes.

1958: The Birth of the First Modular Home 

In under a decade, the demands have increased for the modular housing business, whereas the requirements for the process have also expanded. As a result, its popularity grew across states and has become a mainstay for both small and large American families. 

In 1958, the first two-piece off-site prefabricated home was erected and showcased, which was created in accordance with a local construction regulation. This has signaled a new and improved era for the modular housing business. 

Conclusion

In just fifty years, the modular home business has established itself as a cost-effective, long-term housing option that’s accessible to many. To this day, modular structures have expanded from housing purposes to commercial use. 

This ever-evolving technique to build on properties has even found a way to be built on permanent foundations beyond climate-controlled facilities. Not only are they distinguishable from traditional structures, but they’re also durable, quick to manufacture, and meet most—if not all—local building codes across the United States of America.

Are you looking for prefab modular houses in New Hampshire? Kill Mountain Building Co a premier residential home builder. We offer custom stick-built and modular homes with beautiful views of the New Hampshire lakes and mountains. If you’re for a new home, call us now at (603) 369 2948!