| Tweet |
Local architects Joe Hall & Jeff Hull are considered pioneers of the prefabricated homes movement.
If someone asked you ‘where’ you bought your house, you’d probably think you misheard him or her – since most homes (save for standard mobile homes) typically remain at one address from construction start to finish.
But, as the prefabricated homes trend comes out of the woodwork (so to speak), the relevance of this query may be on the rise. It certainly will be if local architects Joe Hall and Rob Hull, of Hall & Hull Architects and Architectural Building Systems (ABS), have a say in it.
Award winning architects, involved with highend architectural design for more than 30 years, Hall & Hull ventured into the pre-fab homes sector in 1999 and have come to be known as pioneers within the unorthodox movement that calls for homes to be built entirely off-site in a factory, then transported and assembled at the home site – much like a life-size jigsaw puzzle. The actual on-site portion of the home building process is usually completed in just a few days.
“We’re the Ikea of architecture,” Hall quipped. The impetus for prefabricated homes stemmed from the notion that off-site-built concepts could actually result in a better product, built within a faster time frame.
The architects saw an industry being dominated by manufacturers and engineers and wanted to develop a system that put architects at the forefront of the process.
“Architects have walked away from designing for the everyday person,” Hall said. “They have become the lap dog of the rich and that’s not right. All people deserve great architecture.”
Hall, an islander since 1971, and Hull, who partnered with Hall in 1986, found their first prefab opportunity in 2000, on Daufuskie Island.
Since all of the building materials were required to be shipped by boat, Hall & Hull turned to modular construction for the home and pre-built it prior to its arrival on the island. The resulting structure was the Rosebud Cottage.
Since then, Hall and Hull’s work has not gone unnoticed. Architectural Building Systems has built prefabricated homes in the Lowcountry on Hilton Head, Bluffton and Tybee Island as well as in neighborhoods up and down the east coast.
The pre-fab trend has even woven its way into Savannah’s highly regulated historic district, with a Hall and Hull prefabricated home that fits in seamlessly with the historic aesthetic. “It looks like it’s always been there,” Hall said. “We expect people to say, ‘I had forgotten that house was there.’”
Their work has been featured in various national publications. Their “historic” Bluffton home – Oysterman’s Cottage – was featured in Delta Sky magazine.
Along with recognition of the craftsmanship and premium features of their homes, Hall and Hull are also recognized for the “green” benefits of their process, which include less material waste and environmental impact to a home site. The pre-fabricated home process also decreases time and labor costs.
Hull estimates time savings of 35-50 percent compared to a traditional home building process. “We really are a one-stop shop for homeowners and developers, even going as far as to offer marketing services,” said Hull’s wife, Debbie, who joined as Director of Business Development & Marketing. “We do it all.”
And the benefits of prefabricated homes are catching on. As leaders in the industry, they are seeing more homebuilders leaning toward the trend.
“We’re still leading,” Mr. Hull said, “but many people are chasing.” Hall added, “We hope other architects come aboard.”
With more than 50 prefabricated homes under their belts and several ongoing developments, Hall and Hull love what they do and continue seeking innovative home building solutions. “Rob is my best critic and I am his,” Hall said. “We are not easy on each other.”
For more information about Hall & Hull Architects and Architectural Building Systems, call (843) 815-2929 or visit absdesigns.net.
Fresh from the Factory
A burgeoning technique in design & construction.
Author and home design expert Sheri Koones explores the impressive craft of prefabricated home construction in her book, Prefabulous: The house of your dreams, delivered fresh from the factory (The Taunton Press, 2006).
Filled with lavish photos that illustrate the range of styles available, Prefabulous explains the process and history of modular home creation, and highlights many properties on Daufuskie Island. For more information or to order a copy of the book, please visit taunton.com.
