With a variety of prefab and modular Saltbox style homes to choose from - selecting the perfect home for your project may be a difficult decision. To help buyers figure out which options exist for their new home build, we have put together a list of some of the best prefab and modular Saltbox-style homes. Additionally, we have answered some of the most common questions around choosing the right home for your project, such as: how much does a prefab Saltbox home cost? What is the difference between a prefab and a modular home? And how long will it take to build a prefab home? If you would like assistance building your own prefab Saltbox, speak with a member of our prefab concierge team.

Understanding Prefab and Modular Saltbox Style Homes

What is a prefab saltbox-style home house? What is a modular saltbox-style home? And what’s the difference between the two?

A saltbox style home is characterized by characteristics such as two stories in the front of the home and one in the rear, a long, asymmetrical roof, and plain facades. From a technical standpoint, a prefab saltbox home refers to any saltbox style home that is built using prefabricated construction techniques. This includes modular construction, kit home building, panelized home construction, and manufactured construction.

Modular saltbox style homes are a subset of prefab construction where box-like module(s) are built off-site, shipped, then set, and finished at the final build site. So, there is very little difference between the two as both will have the design elements of a saltbox-style home.

How much does a prefab saltbox style home cost?

The saltbox-style homes included in our list have turn-key costs ranging from $612,000 to $1,080,000. These estimates are based on the all-in costs to build each home, not including land. It is worth noting that there are both more affordable and higher-end, fully-custom prefab saltbox style homes beyond those that are included on our list, depending on your budget and preferences.

To determine what it will cost for your own prefab saltbox home, there are a number of factors to consider:

Land
Permitting fees
Site preparation - site assessment, excavation, utilities, foundation
Home cost - modules, panels, kit components from the builder
Delivery - many prefab companies serve large areas of the U.S., if not the whole country. It is worth inquiring if they have regional manufacturing facilities or if they ship materials from their headquarters, in which case, long-distance shipping costs can add-up
Installation/set - setting modules on a foundation & tying them together, or the assembly of the materials kit or panels
Finishes - depending on the company and your project’s needs, some modular homes can be delivered in a highly-finished state (around 90% complete). This means homes can arrive on-site complete with flooring, cabinetry, electrical, and plumbing; this requires little on-site work for the home to be move-in ready. Kit homes and panelized homes require significantly more on-site work to assemble and finish, increasing the local cost section of your budget

How long does it take to build a prefab or modular saltbox home?

Like other styles of prefab and modular homes, a prefab saltbox style home can often be built quicker than a site-built home. While the exact timeline of your project will be determined by the length of the design/engineering process, permitting approvals, off-site build times, and on-site assembly & finishing, it is our experience that a prefab saltbox style home can be move-in ready anywhere between 9-16 months. If you are in a hurry, however, there are some companies (particularly for tiny homes and ADUs) that list build times as short as 3 - 4 months.

Prefab and Modular Saltbox Style Homes For Sale

ModCab by FabCab

The ModCab by FabCab is a 1,366 square foot cottage that is built using a Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) kit. With 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the ModCab is a modern, ranch-inspired saltbox home. FabCab’s home has interesting features such as two different floor plans, each one with floor-to-ceiling windows and a high ceiling with a sloping roofline.

FabCab is based in Seattle, Washington, and can work with buyers throughout the Pacific Northwestern U.S. Although regional cost differences will affect the cost of building a ModCab, we estimate that buyers in mid to high-cost areas can expect to pay $612,000 to build the ModCab saltbox style home by FabCab, not including land.

Tradd by Unity Homes

The Tradd by Unity Homes is a 2,064 square foot cottage that is built using structural panel system. With 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, the Tradd has a flexible floor plan that can be scaled up in size to up to 4 bedrooms and 2,700+ square feet of living space. Unity Homes’ pre-designed floor plan has interesting features such as an exterior that combines cape and saltbox aesthetics and a rustic interior with exposed beams.

Unity Homes is based in Walpole, New Hampshire, and can work with buyers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. Although regional cost differences will affect the cost of building a Tradd, we estimate that buyers in mid to high-cost areas can expect to pay $545,000+ to build the Tradd saltbox style home by Unity Homes, not including land.

Open Home by Lake Flato

The Open Home by Lake Flato by Lake Flato is s a 2,160 square foot cottage that is built using a custom design with varying prefab construction techinques. With 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, the Open Home by Lake Flato is a designer, saltbox inspired custom home. Lake Flato’s home has interesting features such as two floors, a master suite, and large, picture windows.

Lake Flato is based in San Antonio, Texas and can work with buyers throughout the U.S. Although regional cost differences will affect the cost of building an Open Home by Lake Flato, we estimate that buyers in mid to high-cost areas can expect to pay $1,080,000 to build the Open Home by Lake Flato, not including land.

Key Takeaways of Building a Prefab or Modular Saltbox Style Home

Just like site-built saltbox style homes, prefab and modular saltbox homes are characterized by two-stories in the front of the home and one in the rear, a long, asymmetrical roof, and plain facades
As with most types of residential construction, the turn-key cost of your saltbox style home will be heavily influenced by several factors: location & local labor cost, standard vs. custom, site work costs, and degree of finishes. That being said, buyers with mid to high-end costs can expect turn-key pricing from $400 - $600 per square foot, while low-end costs can range from $200 - $400 per square foot
Similar to cost, the timeframe to build your saltbox home will be largely determined by factors like permitting time, standard vs. custom, and whether or not your selected company has a backlog of orders. While some modular homes can be constructed in as little as a few weeks, the entire process: from the time you put your deposit down until your saltbox style home is move-in ready is often between 9 - 16 months
There are a number of builders that sell prefab and modular saltbox homes including FabCab, Unity Homes, Lake Flato