Manufactured houses often get a bad rep. There’s nothing like getting stuck behind a truck hauling half a house to get the jokes rolling. And “trailer-trash” is part of the modern vocabulary. However, just as Starbucks redefined coffee and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” redefined game shows, “prefab” modules are redefining assembly-line houses. Those who favor them tout benefits like smaller price tags, better construction, increased environmental benefits and quicker move-in times. Prefabs are growing in size, too. They’re no longer two-room cottages without indoor plumbing; modular houses can grow to thousands of square feet with multiple stories and basements.

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