Modular housing is set to take off in the UK with experts saying that the ‘revolution’ in building could slash the usual 40 weeks it takes to build a home to just 10 days.
Secretary of State for Housing James Brokenshire has acknowledged that the change will help the housing crisis by utilising precision engineering techniques to reducing not just building time but costs.
He was speaking at the opening of a factory in Yorkshire where eight houses fitted with kitchens and bathrooms will roll off the production line every day, with prices for the homes starting at just £65,000.
British company Ilke Homes aims to build 2,000 new homes a year within the next 24 months, and plans are already in place to scale up the operations to produce 5,000 homes per year in the next five years.
The state of the art factory uses innovative, modern methods of construction and the latest off-site manufacturing techniques. The high quality, energy efficient homes are transported to developments across the country and once on site, can be installed at a rate of six homes per day.
Björn Conway, chief executive officer of ilke Homes, the firm is working in partnership with housing associations, local authorities and developers to ensure there is a steady supply of affordable housing for those who need it most.
‘Innovation in house building is a key part of scaling up delivery, which is why I am keen to support increased modular build. Ilke Home’s new factory will play an important role in the delivery of high quality affordable homes both here in Yorkshire and across the country,’ said Brokenshire.
‘I want to see an increasing number of these house production facilities to improve standards and increase output, to help meet our intent of building 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s,’ he added.
The precision engineered homes are assembled on a highly efficient flow line that cuts build time in half and eradicates common delays experienced in traditional builds. Homes are fully mortgageable and tenure blind, being fully adaptable to both private market and housing association requirements for all forms of sale and rent.
Homes will have flexible layouts with over 100 possible variations, from two storey terraced houses to three storey semi-detached properties, and blocks of flats of up to four storeys.