New York is a place of opportunities. While many people dream of living in the big city, others are looking for a family home in the suburbs at an affordable price. That’s why considering modular homes in New York is a wise idea.
Typically, you have many types of prefab houses to choose from. Modular and manufactured houses are built in factories and transported to the construction site, whether in whole or ready-to-install pieces. On the other hand, kit homes are for those who prefer DIY projects.
Lastly, there are shipping container homes. This type of housing usually costs the lowest. Unlike what most people might think, Shipping containers can actually make excellent family houses.
Keep reading to know more information about the best prefab house builders in New York and what to look for in a modular house.
Best prefab home builders in New York
Prefabricated houses have many advantages making them worth considering. Although doubts about being poorly constructed mostly surround these types of houses, the opposite is the truth.
Prefab houses are actually fabricated to a much higher standard than traditional houses. Plus, they’re much better insulated and installed. This makes them highly energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
Here’s a list of the best builders for prefabricated houses in New York.
Modular home builders in New York
Modular homes are mostly factory-built in divided parts. Then, they get transported and assembled on site. That’s why they cost less than conventional stick-built homes, as they require much less labor.
Take a look at four of New York’s major modular house-building companies.
Cubist Engineering
- Year founded: 2015
- Website: www.cubistengineering.com
- # of Models: They design unique projects for each customer
- Areas served: The U.S.
- Homes built: Unspecified
- Headquarters: Greenwich, NY
- Pricing: Up to $650+ per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Unavailable
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: Small spaces and prefab construction
At cubist engineering, they’re up for unique challenges, working on projects ranging from tiny houses to huge mansions. They mostly focus on practicality and efficiency, incorporating smart materials as well as modern building techniques.
Pros
- Delivering fully finished unique custom modular houses
- Using high-quality material and adjustable foundations
- Offering unique packages for extras, like decking, custom downspouts, exterior lighting, and security packages
Cons
- No models or standard designs to choose from
- Mostly designing modern styles with straight lines
Model: The Sturgis
This unit is great for a solo getaway, a couple’s retreat, or even a guest separate suite. It’s fully furnished with luxury-quality furniture and appliances and built on a transformable trailer foundation.
- Price: $120,000
- Size in sq ft: 182.75
- Price per sq ft: $656.63
- Number of bedrooms: Studio space
- Number of bathrooms: 1
- Standout Feature: Mobile studio with full kitchen, outdoor shower, and a queen size retractable ceiling bed
BrightBuilt Home
- Year founded: 2013
- Website: www.brightbuilthome.com
- # of Models: 13
- Areas served: New England and Mid-Atlantic regions
- Homes built: 175+
- Headquarters: Portland, ME
- Pricing: $280–$385 per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Facebook – 4.1
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: Net-zero, environmentally friendly homes
Pros
- Customizability
- Delivering energy-efficient houses
- Having tiny houses, as little as 420 sq ft
Cons
- Not specializing in modern design houses
- Only serving a specific region
Model: Vinalhaven
This is one of BrightBuilt’s largest models. The design is great for expanding families and adapts well to any building site.
- Price: $616,000–$1,039,500
- Size in sq ft: 2200–2700
- Price per sq ft: $280–$385
- Number of bedrooms: 4–5
- Number of bathrooms: 2.5–3.5
- Standout Feature: Large family house with open-concept living/kitchen area and a bonus room fit for multiple uses
Cedar Knolls
- Year founded: 1993
- Website: www.cedarknollshomes.com
- # of Models: 45+
- Areas served: Long Island, NY (Nassau and Suffolk Counties)
- Homes built: 35+
- Headquarters: Ronkonkoma, NY
- Pricing: $450–$650+
- Online Review Ratings: Houzz – 5, HomeAdvisor – 4.9
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: Green modular houses and commercial buildings
At Cedar Knolls Homes, they design and build your dream modular home, offering a wide range of fully-customizable options to choose from.
They offer turnkey services in cooperation with Westchester Modular Homes, the company manufacturing their house modules. Plus, all their houses meet LEED certification standards for green buildings.
Pros
- Fully custom home designs
- Offering turnkey services
- Offering tear-down/rebuild interior designing services
Cons
- Only serving areas inside Long Island
Model: The Greenport
One of their modern farmhouse collections, the Greenport features a two-story house with a spacious kitchen and custom-designed floor plans. Plus, there are other optional features offered, including a garage, rear deck, covered porch, and much more.
- Price: $500,000–$750,000
- Size in sq ft: 1162
- Price per sq ft: $430–$645
- Number of bedrooms: 4
- Number of bathrooms: 3
- Standout Feature: Two stories, large laundry and utility room, custom-designed kitchen
Harvest Homes
- Year founded: 1961
- Website: www.harvesthomes.com
- # of Models: 50+
- Areas served: Northeast of the U.S.
- Homes built: Thousands
- Headquarters: Delanson, NY
- Pricing: $175–$300 per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Facebook – 5
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: Customizable, energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing panelized houses
As a member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Harvest Homes is a company that specializes in panelized housing. With over 50 years of experience, this company helps you design and customize your dream home within a set budget.
Pros
- Offering a 10-year warranty protecting against major structural defects
- Providing a variety of modules to choose from
- Customizability
Cons
- Only handling the design and fabrication stages
- Not offering financing options
Model: Stonehurst
A gorgeous one-story house, featuring a screen porch and a large garage fitting up to three cars.
- Price: Starting at $549,000 (building lot not included)
- Size in sq ft: 2190 sq ft
- Price per sq ft: Starting at $250
- Number of bedrooms: 3
- Number of bathrooms: 2
- Standout Feature: Ranch style
Kit home builders in New York
Kit homes are a smart option for those who want to cut back on the costs of building a house. With a bit of help from a few tools, you can even build your own house yourself. Plus, this type of housing is affordable, energy-efficient, and affordable.
Check out one of the best kit home builders in New York.
Integrity Timber Frame
- Year founded: 2021
- Website: www.integritytimberframe.com
- # of Models: 50
- Areas served: Nationwide
- Homes built: 5+
- Headquarters: Estacada, Oregon
- Pricing: $90–$120+ per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Google Reviews – 5
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: High performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability
Integrity Timber Frame specializes in timber frame homes, which are uniquely constructed timber elements joined together with mortise-and-tenon joinery. The company also utilizes structural insulated panels for the walls and roof, saving up to 58% on air conditioning costs.
Pros
- Provide sustainable and durable home structures
- Saving up to 2/3 of the construction time compared to stick-built houses
- Building high-performance and energy-efficient houses
Cons
- Electrical, plumbing, lighting, and HVAC are excluded
- Not handling site labor or preparations
Model: The Telluride
This model is one of the company’s mountain designs. It’s beautifully crafted complete with an outdoor kitchen and a covered patio for having guests over. Plus, the fully customizable home plans allow you to design your dream house the way you like.
- Price: $296,100–$394,800
- Size in sq ft: 3,290
- Price per sq ft: $90–$120
- Number of bedrooms: 3
- Number of bathrooms: 2.5
- Standout Feature: Open concept living space, large windows, and vaulted ceiling
Manufactured home builders in New York
This type of prefab house is completely factory-built. So, this ensures maximum quality and high fabrication standards. Moreover, they provide a faster and more affordable option to consider when building your dream house.
Below is one of the best companies for manufactured homes.
Champion Home Builders
- Year founded: 1953
- Website: www.championhomes.com
- # of Models: 2,000+
- Areas served: U.S. and west Canada
- Homes built: 3,000,000+
- Headquarters: Dryden, Michigan
- Pricing: $115–$260+ per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Yelp – 1.5
- Create custom plans: Yes
- Best For: High quality and affordability
Champion Home Builders is one of America’s largest manufactured home dealers. In addition to that, they also have other varieties of modular, tiny, and mobile houses.
That said, you can’t purchase their homes directly from the factory. That’s because the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) code for manufactured housing obligates them to sell their houses through licensed retailers.
Pros
- Offering a huge variety of models to choose from
- Utilizing over 60 years of experience
- Providing multiple interior finishing and furnishing options
Cons
- Not offering modern designs
- You can’t buy the house directly from the company
Model: Kingsbrook KB-65 (virtual tour available)
This house model features a bright living area with large windows and a laundry room. As for the exterior, it comes with an 8-inch hardboard fascia and class “A” architectural roof shingle roofing.
- Price: $112,650–$122,038+ (only for the module)
- Size in sq ft: 1,502
- Price per sq ft: $75–$81+
- Number of bedrooms: 3
- Number of bathrooms: 2
- Standout Feature: Open-concept kitchen/living/dining area
Prefab shipping container home builders in New York
Shipping container homes offer an option for homeowners who want to lower construction and maintenance costs. Whether using a single container or a few combined, this type of housing is durable and affordable.
The following company is one of the best in New York when it comes to shipping container houses.
Contanium
- Year founded: Unspecified
- Website: www.contanium.com
- # of Models: 6
- Areas served: Worldwide
- Homes built: Unspecified
- Headquarters: Brooklyn, NY
- Pricing: As low as $66 per sq ft
- Online Review Ratings: Unavailable
- Create custom plans: Yes (offering a $400 two-hour guided session)
- Best For: Upcycled off-grid container cabins
The company started as an innovative design and fabrication workshop, specializing in upcycling containers for art galleries and fairs. Then, when asked to design an off-grid cabin, Contanium was born.
At Contanium, they focus on creating a mobile, environmentally-friendly unit with affordable prices.
Pros
- Great for off-grid living
- Designing fully equipped spaces
- Providing maintenance-free and pest-free homes
Cons
- Shipping may be expensive depending on how far away from the company you’re located
Model: Sawtooth
This model utilizes a 20-ft container and features unique modifications (a 40-ft container is also available). The skylight allows for night star gazing and a bright morning living space. What’s more, it comes with a wood pellet stove, battery, solar system, and kitchen cabinets.
- Price: $36,000
- Size in sq ft: 180
- Price per sq ft: $200
- Number of containers used: 1
- Container sizes: 20 ft
- Number of bedrooms: N/A
- Number of bathrooms: N/A
- Standout Feature: Vaulted ceiling with clerestory windows
FAQ
Q1: Is it cheaper to buy a prefab home or build one in New York?
A: Yes, buying a prefab home is much cheaper than a stick-built one in NY. That’s because the cost per square foot for a prefab house is less than the state’s average new home sale price, which exceeds the $500 limit in many areas.
Q2: Is it legal to have a prefab home in New York?
A: Not without issuing a certification through NY’s Department of State Division of Building Standards and Codes. This is to document compliance with the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Energy Conservation Construction Code.
Q3: On average, how much does it cost to build a modular home in New York?
A: Modular homes in New York cost anywhere between $80–$100 per sq ft (only for the module). This price varies greatly depending on many things, like finishing materials, add-ons, and extra features.
Conclusion
With modern technology, you can easily skip the hassle of traditional construction methods, and this is where prefab houses come in handy. Although modern modular homes available in New York may not be cheap, they’re always a better option than conventionally-built houses.
Not only are they cost-effective, but they’re also eco-friendly. So, if you don’t want to have a less negative impact on the environment, you should definitely consider buying a prefab house.
Do you also think prefab houses are worth trying? Share your opinion in the comments below!
