minimum viable eco-friendly prefabs on land in maryland

Baltimore, Maryland
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minimum viable eco-friendly prefabs on land in maryland

Andrew Shofer
Member since 2020 · 24 posts · 4 votes
Hello! I am curious what your thoughts are on the cheapest prefab home you legally put on a property somewhere in Central Maryland or up in Frederick County where you could buy a piece of land for 50 to 75k then plop a turnkey prefab and also pay for a well and other site prep. What do you think is a realistic price if you are going for minimalism? I was trying to look up zoning laws but the websites don't seem intuitive to me so sorry for asking a potentially obvious question! Lastly if anyone in the area has experience building affordable eco friendly dwellings I am interested to connect or hear your stories!
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Kurt West
Architect · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2021 · 51 posts · 12 votes
3y

@Andrew Shofer

1. You can definitely build eco-friendly in Maryland.   
2. Prefab is not always cheaper. 

I'm an architect in DC and can help you navigate if you're looking for some guidance. I have a lot of questions for you!

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Andrew Shofer:
    Hello! I am curious what your thoughts are on the cheapest prefab home you legally put on a property somewhere in Central Maryland or up in Frederick County where you could buy a piece of land for 50 to 75k then plop a turnkey prefab and also pay for a well and other site prep. What do you think is a realistic price if you are going for minimalism? I was trying to look up zoning laws but the websites don't seem intuitive to me so sorry for asking a potentially obvious question! Lastly if anyone in the area has experience building affordable eco friendly dwellings I am interested to connect or hear your stories!

     Maryland it will be very difficult because most of maryland has very strict building requirements that exceed most building standards, especially regarding energy efficiency. You can install a prefabricated home but its probably going to be as much as stick built or very close to it.

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  • Rob Schou
    Real Estate Agent · Southern Maryland · Member since 2021 · 22 posts · 14 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Andrew Shofer:
    Hello! I am curious what your thoughts are on the cheapest prefab home you legally put on a property somewhere in Central Maryland or up in Frederick County where you could buy a piece of land for 50 to 75k then plop a turnkey prefab and also pay for a well and other site prep. What do you think is a realistic price if you are going for minimalism? I was trying to look up zoning laws but the websites don't seem intuitive to me so sorry for asking a potentially obvious question! Lastly if anyone in the area has experience building affordable eco friendly dwellings I am interested to connect or hear your stories!
     I think most prefab homes would meet building codes BUT costs add up quickly when dealing with raw land in MD. Impact fees, clearing, driveway, well and septic can really run up the budget quickly. Be sure to account for those costs as well. I’ll talk to a builder I know in Northern Maryland and see what these costs are running these days and report back.
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  • Andrew Shofer
    OP
    Member since 2020 · 24 posts · 4 votes
    3y

    @Rob Schou

    Thanks! Yeah I don't really see much of the cool eco lodgings you can find in abundance out west here in maryland. Sad because it makes minimalist and earth friendly lodgings unaffordable

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  • Kurt West
    Architect · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2021 · 51 posts · 12 votes
    3y

    @Andrew Shofer

    1. You can definitely build eco-friendly in Maryland.   
    2. Prefab is not always cheaper. 

    I'm an architect in DC and can help you navigate if you're looking for some guidance. I have a lot of questions for you!

    1Reply
  • Andrew Shofer
    OP
    Member since 2020 · 24 posts · 4 votes
    3y

    @Kurt West Thanks for the insight! Curious to know what your questions are! At some point my goal is to buy a small farm but in the meantime I am curious to see how cheap I could possibly put a small home on a plot of land ideally with woods or an acre in size in central Maryland.

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  • Joe Norman
    Property Manager · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y

    This doesn't really answer your question, but a word of advice: avoid anything that may be considered a mobile home. The purchase/install price can be attractive, but financing is a huge PIA - especially when you go to sell it.

    Good luck!

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