Due to today’s rates of over 7% for a 30-year fixed mortgage, homeowners may now seriously consider a large-scale addition and renovation rather than trading up to a larger home. This is because 85% of current homeowners (Redfin) have fixed-rate mortgages of under 5% and the thought of leaving a safe fixed rate behind for a much higher interest payment, and ultimately being able to afford less, is not very attractive.
If done thoughtfully, this could present an opportunity here on Philadelphia’s main line. A large majority of the housing stock is a century old, have stone or brick exteriors, and are in walkable, eclectic neighborhoods. Homes that fit this description represent excellent opportunities to create modern additions that create a dichotomy between design periods that complement each other. There are very few instances where an addition has been completed that keep with the original style of the home and doesn’t look like an addition.
Inspiration for what could be done in the suburbs of Philadelphia can come from just across the pond in London and other walkable towns throughout the UK. Strict historical zoning overlays that prohibit most aesthetic changes to the street-facing side of buildings, have forced architects and builders to work inside of those parameters to create a beautiful result: creative and modern additions to centuries-old townhomes, twins, and single families.
Why is a modular homebuilding company writing about this?
Offsite construction is an ideal option for building an addition to your home while you continue to occupy it. With modular construction, you don’t have to live within feet of a full-fledged construction site for six months to a year. With modular, up to 85 to 90% of the construction happens in a climate-controlled manufacturing facility, away from your daily lives. Prior to setting the modules in place, excavation & foundation will be completed. The schedule is developed backward from the date of the set, so you don’t have an open excavation in your yard for an extended period. The modules are trucked to the site and set in place with a crane, all in one day. Once set, the utilities, siding, and other button-up activities take place. This drastically reduces the impact of construction on you and your family, as well as your neighbors, as it reduces construction traffic, construction waste, and noise and minimizes the time the ground is disturbed, reducing the potential for run-off.
Dessau is a modular builder focused on architect-led, modern designs here in eastern PA.
Please reach out to us if you would like to learn more.
