How Prefabricated Structures Preserve The Environment
You may have heard of the “van-dwelling” movement, or the “tiny home” movement, but there’s a burgeoning trend in prefabricated living which is beginning to take the world by storm, and for a variety of reasons. It’s cost-effective, construction is simple, and there are a lot of environmentally friendly aspects involved as well.
When it comes to prefabricated structures, many feature “green” construction. Green construction refers to more than just materials composing a building—though those are surely a big part of the term. Green building also refers to resource-efficient buildings; and in that light, prefabricated buildings have much “green” recommending them.
One reason is that the vast majority of prefabricated metal structures are made from steel. Steel is one of the most recycled substances on the planet. It’s also very strong, very durable, and able to maintain stability for long periods of time in harsh conditions. Antarctica bases are largely composed of prefabricated modular buildings for this reason.
When a structure is “green” and simultaneously able to withstand harsh conditions without structural compromise, it’s amenable to a variety of disparate uses. What’s especially fascinating is that these architectural solutions come at a very low price.
Costs Of Construction
You’re going to be able to purchase a prefabricated building for between $10 and $20 per square foot, depending on the kind of building you buy, and what kind of construction it requires. Bob Vila’s website points out that you should confirm costs between multiple contractors before you decide on a building method.
With prefabricated metal structures, you can save thousands in this respect by putting the buildings together yourself. With a couple of friends, you can probably get one built in a weekend’s time. You won’t even need special tools; just the basics.
Once the building is put together, how you use it is up to you. You could “independently source” (read: dream up your own solution) insulation and flooring, add some bunk-beds and a loft, throw in some carpets and cabinetry, bam; you’ve got a residence.
At $10 to $20 per square foot, you can get a 2,000 square-foot property for $20k to $40k.
Now, energy, plumbing, and interior work will likely add another $10k to the bill, and the property such a structure would be built on isn’t going to be free; though you can probably get an acre somewhere for under $5k. Altogether, you could have a functional 2,000 square foot home for only $35k to $55k .
If you find solar panels, there’s your energy. You can have a well installed on the property, or use wind energy as well. There are quite a variety of solutions. You may even install a good ole’ fashioned fireplace.
A Trend That’s Quickly Catching For Many Reasons
What you do with the space is up to you, be it residential, industrial, commercial, or storage-related. Add it to an existing property and note the listing value spike. Build a small one and make a man-cave in the backyard. It’s easy to see why this trend is “catching”, isn’t it?
One of the better providers of prefabricated solutions is located here, where there are a lot of options to choose from. The P-Model building, according to AmericanSteelSpan.com, “requires no maintenance…the steel is covered in a special alloy of aluminum and zinc which makes it seven times more resistant than galvanized steel.”
As you decide what kind of building options to pursue, this steel contractor in West Virginia can help answer questions regarding cost and environmental impact. You may find that there are quite a few advantages to going with non-traditional building methods like those defining fabricated design.
