Reinventing modular
We get a lot of inquiries here at Blu from people wondering if our homes are modular. The answer is yes and no, our homes are modular, but not typical modular. Rather, they are a combination of modules and panels. Blu homes are constructed off-site in our factory, like traditional modular homes, but what’s unique is they are then folded and shipped. With traditional modular construction, homes are built as separate modules that are then pieced together on site, typically by a general contractor who has not participated in the factory construction.
The benefits of Blu’s pre-constructed homes include:
- Factory-built homes are built to withstand shipping so they are typically more solid and durable than site-built homes.
- Blu homes are built in a climate-controlled environment, which means no moisture and therefore no mold.
- Our homes can achieve 50–75% less waste than the equivalent site-built home through precision cutting and storage of excess materials.
- Because both the factory construction and the site work are handled by our own skilled crew, our homes are more predictable in terms of schedule and cost. This means fewer ‘surprises’ when it comes to moving in and balancing the checkbook.
- Our homes reduce the construction timeframe from four to six months (or more!) to four to six weeks.
- Because our factory-built homes require less crew and fewer “middle men” going back and forth to your property, we greatly reduce the impact on your building site.
Traditional modular construction enjoys many of these same benefits, but with two major differences: a) the buildings are made of three-dimensional boxes that have limitations in ceiling height, width, and ‘wide open’ spaces in a home; and b) the boxes are shipped as individual units and assembled together at the building site. Whereas, Blu homes are built with our proprietary steel and wood hybrid framing technology and constructed, folded and shipped to your site, then ‘unfolded’ into place, like an erector set.
These differences are significant for several reasons:
- Because our homes use steel and are not limited to ‘shipped’ dimensions, they can unfold to have much higher ceiling heights and widths, as well as much bigger open spaces without columns.
- Because our homes are built with wood/steel framing, they are much more durable than traditional modular construction.
- Because our homes are built as one unit, we typically only need one truck to ship them to the land site, which means lower shipping costs and less impact on the environment.
- Because our site time is quick, the same skilled team who built the house in the factory and folded it up for shipping then unfolds it and finishes it on site. Traditional modular homes are often assembled by general contractors who are unfamiliar with the structure, and the assembly can be complicated and lengthy.
- Because our homes are built as one unit out of steel, there is less risk of modules separating during the natural home settling process.
We are excited about our new take on modular construction and think you will be, too! Be sure to check out our home detail pages and online video catalogue to see how Blu is revolutionizing the prefab industry.
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