Baby boomers, or the 75 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, are getting older, with the first wave of boomers turning 65 in 2011. Baby boomers will have a very different sort of retirement, though. They’re more likely to work longer, start a second career, volunteer or take classes than their parents’ generation. And while previous generations headed for Florida and nursing homes, baby boomers want to stay put.

The weather forecast predicted a comfortably warm day, so you decide to wake up early and enjoy as much of the weekend as possible. With a yawn and a stretch, you rise up around seven and begin your daily activities. After you take a refreshing shower, brush your teeth and complete your morning exercises, a pot of coffee and a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon are just enough to invigorate you. Stepping outside into the fresh air, you exit your home onto the starboard side, walk forward and admire from the bow the rising sun — you are, of course, emerging from your very own houseboat.

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.