Blu Homes

Blu Homes are fully built ‘off-site’ in a factory.  However, despite being built off-site, Blu Homes are built above or at “site built” standards.  Blu Homes uses factory-built construction, which is typically stronger than site built homes, and are appraised against site built custom homes.  This is unlike manufactured homes which are built lower-quality and to HUD Code standards.  Some locations have zoning restrictions against manufactured, but not factory-built. Blu builds homes off-site in a controlled setting, which avoids issues like water damage and mold growth in the building process.  The homes are designed to be put up in a day and finished within two weeks – and to a beautifully built, high quality standard.  While the home is being constructed in the factory you will be invited to view your home coming together during factory inspections -and once construction is finished your home is put onto a truck for delivery.

Blu Homes is committed to combining the most current and best green technologies, materials, and process to make a home that is healthy and eco-friendly, but in a way that will fit the lifestyle and budget of many Americans.  Our homes are designed to provide beautiful living spaces, that are affordable and fun.

We have a variety of designs that meet an assortment of needs. Our 3-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 1-bedroom, and studio home designs are currently shown in the Homes section of our site. We also offer our “Origin” units, which are flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of purposes including commercial spaces, and ancillary structures like media rooms, art studios, therapy spaces, granny flats, home offices, etc. The largest Blu Home is just under 2,000 square feet. We also offer mkDesigns homes which go up to ~2,500 square feet.

One of Blu Homes primary goals is to reduce the time spent in the construction process. Although there are many variables like permitting and financing that can affect schedule, once you have designed and picked out your home, we estimate 4-8 weeks to construct the home off-site in the factory, and then 2-3 weeks to deliver and install your Blu Home. This time is drastically below traditional stick built time frames, which are often 9-18 months or more plus an additional 3-6 months to work with an architect. For more information see the Building Process page. Custom homes and projects will have a longer schedule than our preconfigured homes, however, they will still take less time than the site built equivalent home.

Every standard design we offer allows for personalization, including configurations for your site, and design choice on fit and finishes.  We understand the importance of siting your design to fit your location, views, and optimum solar positioning.  Custom design work is significantly more costly, however, and is priced on a case by case basis.

Blu is not a traditional modular home company. Our homes are completely built (not built in parts) in the factory prior to being delivered to site, then each house is delivered complete with kitchens, appliances (optional), bathrooms, laundry room, utility room, flooring and closets with usually only painting and decks/entrances to go. Once delivered to site, the Blu team completes all “button up” – typically including drywall work, interior primer, and roofing. Here is a quick chart on what Blu does and does not complete. We work with your site contractor to make sure they have all the information they need to complete the site work outlined below:

Yes, you will need to arrange for the utility connections.  This involves having the pre-plumbed and pre-wired home connected to local power, water, gas and sewers/septic by your site contractor.

A number of people on staff and affiliates studied architecture, our VP of Product Development has a master's of architecture from MIT and members of our founding team are designers from MIT, RISD and the University of Michigan.  We also utilize specialty architect partners to ensure that our designs are the best in comfort and function.

For single family homes we do not work with outside designers to modify our standard floor plans.  Blu will customize our "standard" plans for a signifantly higher price point.  Cost depends on the level of customization.  If you would like to inquiure about a custom project please contact our sales team.

Yes, we are happy to work with developers who share a common vision about healthy, eco-friendly development, on both large and small scale projects.  Please contact us if you are interested in partnering.

Yes, some of Blu's first customers were commercial properties.  For more information email contact our contact our Sales Office.

We are able to service locations all across the continental U.S.  We have designed our homes to be tailored to the major climate zones in North America, including hurricane, earthquake and high wind zones, shifting soils, high snow load areas and sloped sites.  We have not yet done an international project.  If you are interested in shipping internationally please contact our Sales Office.

Both Blu and mkDesigns Homes are privately owned but prospective clients can visit our factory to see homes in various stages of construction.  We plan to start regularly scheduled once-a-month tours so customers can see homes that are nearly complete.  If you are interested in a factory tour, please contact our Sales Office.

Cost per square foot of our homes varies due to a number of factors, including size and location/plot.  The price ranges for our homes is between $75,000 - $350,000 for Blu designs and $200,000 - $1 million for an mkDesigns home. Cost includes the fully finished house, shipping, setting, installation and our proprietary foundation.  Blu prices do not include utility hook-ups, driveways, decking and other types of site work.  See our detailed pricing on individual products in the "Our Homes" section for more information.

Yes, most frequently the Blu|Origin units are used as additions or accessory structures.  However, Blu does not tie in directly to your home – a site contractor needs to build the "bridge" between your Blu addition and the existing house, as well as fulfilling all the other requirements listed in the response to the question "How complete is the house when it is delivered to my site" above.

For our Blu homes and small structures we have a list of standard and upgrade options here.

For our mkDesigns homes, we are working to put together a complete list of standard and upgrade option in conjunction with each product launch throughout 2010.  Please check back on our site for information on these product launches.

Our homes can be built on any wall or perimeter foundation, just as traditionally built houses, including a partial or full basement.  If you desire a two-story home or have a moderately or steeply sloped site, we may need to include site-built portions to your home design and will work with you to design and engineer these elements.

We like to have the site address, survey, any plot plans or other broad site overviews, soil tests (if you have them), and information on local architectural, wetlands, historical, coastal or other reviews subject to your site.  Please see our land checklist to start thinking about what information we need - and you need! - about your land.

Please see our land checklist to see what to think about when purchasing land for your Blu or mkDesigns home.

Yes, Blu and mkDesigns homes and small structures are built for more strength and durability than a typical site built home.  Our homes are built with a hybrid steel and wood frame and have been built in high wind zones, earthquake zones, high altitude areas with extreme snowfall and areas with difficult soils, etc.  Blu engineers all homes to fit the site conditions and our homes are typically better equipped than 'site built' homes to withstand these conditions.