Everything Prefab

First of all, @Elt1 be mindful that this thread I created was for prefab and for those users interested in prefab. If you have a differing opinion, which I get (you do) move on to another thread(?). I am here trying to be a good steward by offering info on the subject for people interested in it. It is not for me or you to decide what others want to do, fair enough?

Geez, what is up with you people for a Friday???

The Salt Works had proposed housing for 35,000 residents in RWC…Horton could have built the whole thing in 6 months. .of course the nimbys shut it down. .now maybe 5000 units will built in 20 years…Building technology is not the issue. …My old buddy built 1800 houses in San Carlos in 1952. Hewitt dr is named after him…in the hills with tons of grading…We have had the technology for 100 years…But political will is a whole other issue

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I am an expert on construction trying to explain why prefab has been struggling for 60 years…Sorry if it doesn’t fit with latest trendy mindest

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@Elt1,

I totally respect your knowledge and experience but again things and processes do improve at some point. How things were done before probably will not be the way in the future (for most things). Prefab (IMHO) appears to be one of them as we see more and more of it in reality on actual land. Sure, can the economics of it all reach that critical point where it can’t be poo poo’d any longer as just the flavor of the week? Remains to be seen. But haven’t we just seen a Stanford professor of architecture building just that, a prefab home essentially? New ideas and ways are always coming down the assembly line, my friend. Yes, people used to think rock and roll was music for the devil too…

Like a lot things prefab looks good from far but is far from good.The devil is in the details…It will happen, some day…But the future in the bay area is prefab highrise, already well developed in China…Again , dealing with bureaucrats and engineers like SEAONC will be the biggest problem…

As far as Stanford is concerned…we engineers dont give a crap what architects think…lol…Their job is to say yes…ours to say no…They draw pretty pictures, we make sure the lawyers are held at bay…

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See, so we agree that prefab is in our future then? Now, I would agree with you that prefab without perhaps steel reinforcement in earthquake country is a tad scary. I get it. And for you to mention highrise, would be even more scary. The politics will be there but the demand for housing is just so great that I still think something will have to give. Unless you are in Palo Alto…:slight_smile:

The scarist thing in the BA is not earthquakes it is lawyers. …more per sf than anywhere. .Many of my best friends are lawyers…they have all the money…lol…One wanted me to engineer his house…I told him it would cost our friendship. …not worth it…

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See, even more exposure from Ellen of all places…

Can’t shake the boxy exterior look but once you are inside, pretty darn nice no? That Dirty Harry artwork is priceless in my book…

http://cocoon9.com/

Hey @Elt1,

Do you have any land in South Lake Tahoe for sale? These prefabs that are inexpensive would do wonderfully up there…

http://www.wideopencountry.com/prefab-arched-cabins-provide-cozy-homes-for-under-10k/

I don’t buy raw land in the Tahoe basin…too much entitlement headache…Too hard to get an allocation.Only 80 new houses a year allowed in the Basin…and all are high end luxury vacation homes .and fees are over $50k…pretty ridiculous for a house that you say costs $10k to build, during the worst housing crisis in my lifetime…To bad TRPA is a tool of elitists designed to keep Tahoe exclusive. …workers can go live in Carson Valley

Ok, but let’s say you buy an existing home/cabin there in SLT and your land space can easily accommodate one or more of these structures as inlaw units, how tough or receptive would SLT’s Building and Planning Dept be to that strategy???

Number one issue in South Lake Tahoe elections is housing…Lets see if the City can make building easier. .But so far even additions and second units are a nightmare of fees, over regulations and TRPA heavy handednest

Here you go modular in Tahoe. .Smaller than a double wide…But prettier.

https://reno.craigslist.org/apa/5791147974.html
Looks like less than 700sf

Looks like 14×40…I think I will drive by…Definitely what the city needs…wonder how long the entitlement process was…no storage though…everyone in Tahoe wants a garage…for toys and junk…

Very interesting @Elt1. Let us know what you think of the construction quality. I would be curious to know how many of these they built on that lot.

By the looks of it it was zoned as a mobile home park…There are a few in Tahoe…A lot of people refuse to live in mobile home parks…Usally great cash cows. Lota of management headaches though…

I don’t know much about mobile home parks but if you had a “community” of these on a lot it doesn’t sound/look bad. Why would these have more headaches that other situations? The clientele?

The only problem with being a landlord are the 3 Ts…toilets taxes and tenants. .Mobile home park tenants are the bottom of the barrel

Interesting concept: prefab homes by some of the world’s famous architects…

http://www.builderonline.com/newsletter/this-company-sells-prefab-homes-by-world-famous-architects_c

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/author-of-books-on-prefab-housing-turns-focus-on-small-homes/2016/09/28/c0179ee2-8593-11e6-b57d-dd49277af02f_story.html

We need small homes…Every city should allow one in every back yard…With no extra parking requirements, would solve the housing shortage. …Grew up with one in our yard in Berkeley. …Helps tenants and helps homeowners with extra cash flow…Provided good retirement income for my parents. .

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