I've been working on these affordable homes models for a few years now, and I finally decided to get some 3D Prints made. 3D printing is so much different from creating a 3D model for rendering. As I quickly learned. I'll make some adjustments for the 2nd go around.
I believe that it is possible to create a manufactured home in an assembly line style. It all starts with standardized parts. In this illustration I illustrate the idea using a simple structure and its floor and front wall assembly. If you can manufacture these parts separately and bring them together at the end it can lead to greater standardization. In reality these elements may not be put together as the illustration suggests, but I believe that the entire enclosure including studs, sheathing, and weatherproofing could at least be put together before this unit were to be exposed to weather elements.
I believe that our idea of how much space we require to live in has exploded over the years. People feel that a 2000ft2 home is not only something they require, but something that they deserve. In the meantime we hear people complaining that they cannot afford to enter the housing market. ie. young families, and we also hear about seniors having difficulty holding onto the homes they already have. That their homes are too big and expensive to maintain.
Enter the idea of small homes. Homes in the 450ft2 - 1000ft2 sizes. Designed to be modular and factory manufactured. To be quickly assembled on sites in order to avoid the problems of building in outdoor weather conditions.
One of my modular designs that I have been working on, is in this category. I've called it the 450, designed as 3 modular elements.
The Storage / WC Module
The Kitchen / Living Module
In Nanaimo land is quite expensive, depending on what you can build on a property land can easily cost 400,000$ That is quite a head start to make houses unaffordable. Given that build costs for a 1000 ft2 unit might run in the 250,000$ range, this project already is running you 650,000$. Add a few dollars to connect to city services, easily at 700,000. Does anyone else this is insane?
So maybe a 4-plex might work, 4000 ft2 of built space, so maybe total of 1.5M$ after everything added in. So about 375,000$ to buy a 1000 ft2 unit in a 4 plex... Yikes. Probably a 2100$ minimum monthly mortgage.
Ironwood Manufactured Homes in New Brunswick, Canada is set to open a new facility, increasing its capacity ten fold. Here are some details in a CTV news report.
I've been hearing about all the political parties' views on building more housing. Now finally it appears that the rhetoric has shifted to building AFFORDABLE housing. That is what Canada needs. Mark Carney pointed to the Post WW2 effort to build houses for veterans. What were they? They were basic houses some as small as 625 Sq. ft. with unfinished basements and attics. What has been built in the last 5 years? In Nanaimo, huge 2500 Sq. ft homes, with rental suites. Basically unaffordable for people trying to get started.
Let's smarten up and start building smaller houses.
