Prefabrication's time has come. Koones showcases 24 examples of environmentally friendly, cost-effective houses built wholly or partially off-site.

Prefabricated housing is a practical solution since it is faster to build, less expensive than site-built houses, and potentially more energy efficient--all aspects that are attractive to homeowners. According to manufacturers, they are seeing the trend for house size coming down but with higher quality amenities.

Sheri Koones has authored a series of five prefabulous books; this one is her sixth. She includes a variety of prefab homes from small to large, including modular, SIPS (structural insulated panels), panelized, and kit built. The houses are from a range of locations across the United States and Canada. Koones includes luxurious, expensive houses as well as some modest, lower-cost homes. She includes two houses that replaced homes that burned down in the California fires. There are several ADUs (accessory dwelling units). The prefab manufacturers have changed in many cases since she wrote her last Prefabulous book in 2016. Although this book includes some of the best older companies, it also includes houses built by new, up-and-coming manufacturers.

Homes are in:

• Ulster County, New York
• New York, New York
• Burlington Vermont
• Dorset. Vermont
• Pioneertown, California
• Los Angeles, California
• Santa Rosa, California
• Malibu, California
• Vancouver British Columbia
• Orillia, Ontario
• Fraser, Colorado
• Denver, Colorado
• Newburg, Oregon
• San Juan Islands, Washington
• Seattle, Washington
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• St. Johns, Virgin Islands
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Houston, Texas
• Scarborough, Maine

A beautiful book for readers researching affordable options for chic yet environmentally friendly ADU construction.--Library Journal

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are good for people and communities. An inside look at 25 charming, ultra-functional, extra living spaces will inspire you to build one of your own!

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a smaller housing unit built on the same lot as a primary dwelling (also known as Additional or Auxiliary Dwelling Units) -- think granny flat, in-law unit, laneway house). It has an arrangement for sleeping, cooking, and lavatory. An ADU can be detached, attached, a garage conversion, or a basement conversion. The uses are myriad--for family members, guest spaces, rental income, or more.

These attractive, well-designed ADUs are located from coast to coast across the US and Canada. Each house includes information about the type of construction, the major green features, and how it is used. A variety of styles (e.g., laneway houses, garage conversions, and stand-alone independent structures, and ones connected to the primary house) show versatility and ways to blend new ADUS into the architecture of the primary house and neighborhood.

Each featured ADU shows how to make the most of the small space for comfortable living without the burden of a big house to care for.

More Accolades:

The contemporary architectural designs are sleek, and the environmentally friendly features offer insight into how housing can be made more efficient. This is worth a look.--Publishers Weekly

Inspiration and answers for people wanting to live more sustainably in a smaller house while respecting the environment and saving money on energy and maintenance.

2022 NYC Big Award, WINNER: Book Interior Design--Nonfiction

Smaller, more environmentally friendly houses seem to be the wave of the future. As people chose to move out of cities, finances and lifestyle will limit the size of the houses these buyers will choose.

This book includes lots of examples of small house options around the country, including ADUs (accessory dwelling units). Whether you're building a small house, renovating an older home, or purchasing something new, this book will provide inspiration. It compiles lots of previously difficult-to-find information in one place. The sidebars describe home systems and new materials helpful to any homeowner concerned about the environment and hoping to save money on energy and maintenance.

In Prefabulous Small Houses, best-selling author Sheri Koones showcases 32 stunning prefabricated homes from across North America, highlighting a new era of construction that combines style, efficiency, and sustainability.

Prefab home construction has finally come into its own, and this book allows you to explore its potential. Not just a collection of homes, an invitation to reimagine living spaces in a way that aligns with our evolving needs and values.

Key Features:

• Stunning Visuals: This captivating book is filled with 250 beautiful photographs and detailed floor plans, showcasing the amazing variety of styles available in today's prefab housing market. Whether you're a design enthusiast or a prospective homeowner, these homes will inspire your vision of modern living.

• Small is the New Big: As Millennials search for their first homes and Boomers look to downsize, small houses are gaining popularity for their practicality. Ranging from 325 sq. ft. to 2,000 sq. ft., these homes are not only cost-effective to build but also less expensive to heat and maintain, making them an ideal choice for various lifestyles.

• Eco-Friendly Living: Each home featured in Prefabulous Small Houses emphasizes energy efficiency and sustainability. The homes utilize local materials when possible, recycle metals and wood, and are designed to minimize their environmental impact while preserving the natural landscape.

• Addressing Climate Change: With a foreword by actor and environmentalist Robert Redford, the book underscores the urgent need for innovative housing solutions in the fight against climate change. Prefabricated small homes represent a viable path toward more sustainable living, addressing the challenges of modern society.

• Innovative Construction Methods: Discover construction techniques that are adaptable to any climate, offering homeowners the flexibility to create their dream homes while supporting environmental stewardship.

Prefab home construction has arrived. The benefits of buildings a prefab home (they are better built, use resources more efficiently, and are healthier to live in) apply just as well to vacation homes as they do to primary residences. Prefabulous Small Houses explores the beauty, variety, design, and environmentally positive benefits of prefab construction through the wide variety of prefabrication methods in use today and with prefabulous examples from across the country.

Most of the houses are small (2,500 square feet and under) and are built with modular, SIPs, panelized, kit packages, and hybrid systems. Building with prefab usually means spending less for a better quality home. And it also means building greener; all the houses featured are highly energy efficient and sustainable.

Best-selling author Sheri Koones presents the hottest trend in the housing market. The 25 small houses presented in Downsize are owned by people who have made a conscious decision to downsize from a larger home to a smaller home--or who just decided to build small in the first place. Some of the houses are new (site-built or prefab), others are remodels. All are 2,000 sq. ft. or less. The featured houses show how to use space efficiently through such strategies as:

• creative storage space
• multi-purpose rooms
• pocket and barn doors
• integrating smaller appliances

These exceptional houses show how small can be comfortable, practical, energy efficient--and beautiful.

This is the only book that gives homeowners who are dreaming about building or planning to build a new home the good and the bad on all types of prefabricated houses. Shows that prefabricated can be mainstream traditional design and does not have to look like a mobile home or a modular Dwell box.
Prefabulous describes the many systems available for prefabricating all or parts of a new home, including timber frame and log, as well as modular, panelized, structural insulated panels, steel framing and concrete systems, which are relatively new. Prefabulous describes these systems, compares their advantages and disadvantages, and shows beautiful examples of houses built using these techniques. Although all of these prefabricated houses look very different, all of them were manufactured partially or almost completely in a controlled factory environment and transported to the home site to be erected. As a group these systems offer a faster, more energy-efficient, and sometimes more cost-efficient method of building.
Includes a foreword by Not So Big House author Sarah Susanka, who writes: For homeowners who want to know the options, the advantages and disadvantages of those options, and to see how those prefabricated parts come together into a good, attractive home, read this book.