A tech-driven startup in Pittsburgh will break ground on its first expandable factory-built home next month. Module’s Nook model will be built on a vacant lot in the city and upon completion the home will house the owners’ parents.
The 800-square-foot home is a one-bedroom, single-bath house that’s designed to fit onto a narrow lot, in this case located directly behind the customer’s primary home. Module’s patent pending wall system and design platform allow it to be expanded into a three-bedroom home as space is required and the budget allows.
The house, which features passive solar design to reduce energy costs, will be built in a semi-automated factory and then assembled on site. The company offers four home designs ranging in price from $150,000 to $300,000 excluding land and site costs.
Module was founded in 2016 by partners Brian Gaudio, Hallie Dumont and Drew Brisley to design and build houses that homeowners can stay in even when their family grows or an aging family member needs to move in. Its modular homes are made from flexible floor plans that can be expanded months or even years after move in.
Module’s app guides prospective homeowners through the process of finding a lot, making design decisions, getting a loan, and navigating permitting and construction. Customers can view the home designs online and start the home building process with a refundable $1,000 reservation fee.
Other team members on the initial project include Pittsburgh-based general contractor Nelson Inc., Bensonwood, a builder based in New Hampshire, and Pittsburgh-based nk Architects.
“Delivering our first home to a customer will be a significant milestone for our young company. We cannot wait to hand over the keys to a happy customer early next year,” says CEO Gaudio,
The company has a second project approved that will be built on spec.
