In an effort to increase the supply of affordable homes, Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity has started building modular houses in some neighborhoods.
The organization finished its first two-story modular home in the city of Rochester last week. It's located on Cedarwood Terrace in the Beechwood neighborhood.
Prefabricated homes cost less to build, and the construction timeline is less than half of what it would be for a conventionally constructed home, according to Clayton Cloen, Habitat's interim executive director.
But this approach does require detailed planning.
"This home came in two sections," Cloen said. "A crane had to come in and lift each section in place. So we had to block off the street, the sidewalk, trim trees, watch the light poles."
Habitat for Humanity likes having the option of modular homes when a home needs to be constructed quickly. But Cloen stressed that the organization will continue to build most of its new properties the traditional way, because their volunteers get satisfaction out of framing and putting the finishing touches on a house.
"There'll plenty of opportunity to swing a hammer or a paintbrush for us for forever and ever," he said.
