If you are thinking of building a home you might want to consider purchasing
that home as a kit. By working with
AJIA CANADIAN BUILDING
SYSTEMS, INC., a Vancouver B.C.-based prefabricated home
manufacturer, or other
local prefab companies,
BC Mountain Homes customers can have their home carefully cut and partially
assembled in a shop, then loaded on a flat-bed truck for shipment to
construction sites anywhere within western North America. Please note that BC Mountain Homes
provides design services and stock plans only. Prefab kits or components are produced by other separate companies.
Advantages of a Prefabricated Home
Quality control. The wall panels, roof and floor components are cut
and/or assembled with straight, kiln-dried lumber under optimal conditions to
ensure accuracy and consistency. When properly assembled, the result is a
superior structure, dry, square and plumb, less prone to shrinkage and easier to
drywall and finish.
Completeness. Framing packages contain all the
plywood, dimensioned lumber, sawn timbers and major hardware required to
assemble the structure. This is a great benefit when the lumber yard is not
located down the street!
Ease and rapidity of erection. Once the
foundations are in place, compact structures can be assembled by a small crew in
as little as 2 to 3 days. Larger homes may take only 5 to 8 days from foundation
to roof sheathing. Again, this is an advantage on remote sites or when the
building season is limited.
Cost advantages. Prefabricated home
packages do cost more than buying the components from the lumberyard yourself.
However, a good deal of this cost can be recovered.
labour - faster build = cost savings on set-up
mortgage - faster build = faster draws and less
interest payment
budgeting - you will know complete costs up
front
waste - less site waste = fewer garbage bins and
fewer trips to the dump
theft - It is very easy for thieves to take
pieces of lumber from your building site - but full wall panels? Unlikely.
On-site assembly. For customers in British Columbia and the
western US, crews are available to assemble framing packages to lockup.
Package Options
Generally, home packages are available with different levels of finish and
completeness, from basic framing components through to a complete house - the
choice is yours. Typically, you may choose from:
Lock-up Package: Contains framing materials, including: wall panels,
precut rafters and floor joists, subfloor, any post and beam timber elements
specified in the plans, roof sheathing, fascia boards and rough stairs, and also
contains windows and exterior doors. Window choices include wood, vinyl and
metal-clad. Often includes weather envelope necessities such as house wrap, roof
underlay, roofing material and essential caulking, capping, drip cap and weather
sealing. Nails, screws, glues etc. may or may not be included but specialty
hardware, if required, is an essential part of the package.
Siding and Exterior Trim Package Everything required for exterior
finishing including clapboard, board and batten or cedar shingle siding, corner
boards, wood soffits, water table, decking and railings. Some house packages
include this in "Lock-up".
Insulation & Vapour Barrier - Often included but very bulky. Potential
savings may be offset by shipping costs. This is a generic commodity item which
can usually purchased locally.
Interior Finish The supplier can provide anything from interior doors,
flooring, cabinets, drywall, trim, molding and fixtures.
For more information on building a prefabricated home package, contact a
manufacturer or BC Mountain Homes.
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