While there are many benefits of panelized kit homes, I'll be honest with you, the biggest factor in our decision was money! Panelization in and of itself provides great cost savings:
- reduced on site labor
- less material waste
- guaranteed price for the materials to build the shell
- interest savings due to the shorter construction time
But our biggest cost savings was because our panelized kit home had a great financing package with fewer restrictions than a conventional construction loan would have:
- 100% financing
- No requirement to use a general contractor if you are building your primary residence
Which means with panelization you can reduce costs and increase your equity by acting as your own project manager.
Panelization = Quality
When our panelized kit home arrived, we were thrilled with the high quality of materials that were used. The kiln dried wood that was used was a much higher quality than the materials we are used to seeing at the local lumber store. Also, you just can't beat the buying power of a large panelized kit home company when it comes to buying high quality lumber, windows and doors.
With panelization, the walls, floors, and trusses are manufactured with a higher degree of accuracy in a climate controlled setting. The end result is that the walls in our house are nice and straight. This is one of the greatest benefits of panelized kit homes. At the time of writing this, the drywall has been up for almost two years and we don't have a single crack in the house from the twisting or warping that so often occurs with standard construction materials.
Panelization = Simplified Building Process
As an owner builder with no construction experience, having most of the framing taken care of eased my mind about my ability to manage the project. The support from both the dealer and the kit manufacturer was invaluable.
Our panelized kit home arrived at our building site on January 18, 2005 and we received our occupancy permit on May 2, 2005. Even though we built in the middle of winter, we only lost two days during the kit assembly due to inclement weather.
In the end, we had a faster move-in date, fewer delays, and a very smooth process for obtaining loan funds and draws. In fact, we were so pleased that we're currently in the process of building our second panelized kit home!
More Benefits of Panelized Kit Homes: What's Included?
Here you can find out exactly what comes with your kit home, and the materials specifications.
