DIY Network

Five Oaks Custom Prefab Home From "Assembly Required" episode DASR-208

A 4,400 square foot home in Colorado looks almost ready for move in. However, a crew from Five Oaks Homes is about to take it apart and send it on a road trip.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Five Oaks' Prefab Process

Five Oaks custom modular homes are all one-of-a-kind designs. They're all built on a seven acre lot next to the company's design offices. The homes are built to 85% completion (figure A) and then taken apart and shipped to the homeowner's site (figure B). Five Oaks is the only modular company known for this approach.

Before the house is taken apart, the crew disconnects the roof caps, detaches the plumbing and wiring and unbolts each section from the temporary steel undercarriage. After the house is disconnected, the crew starts at the top. They feed 50 foot straps through slots inside the roof. Then, a crane lifts the first cap off, while crew members guide the cap onto wooden crates called cribs. The three caps come off easily, and then the crew starts moving the big stuff...five 15 ton boxes!

The top box is removed carefully with only an inch of clearance on each side. The second box is a little heavier and the crew installs bracing at each opening before moving it. Box three comes off easily, leaving only two boxes left to be separated. The crew starts lifting the fourth box and realizes the last two sections are still attached. Two tiny bolts are still attached, and the crew rushes to saw them off before any major damage is done.

Finally, the house is in pieces. The crew then shrink wraps the sections, loads them on flatbeds and ships them down the road to its new family of four.

Prefab Delivery and Assembly

Elaine and Mike Sanders moved out west six months ago onto a breathtaking 35-acre site in Gardner, Colorado. Since then, they've been living in close quarters with their two teenage boys, two dogs, two birds and even a few fish. Now, they're all more than ready to move out of the RV and into their new, roomier home.

The Sanders weren’t originally planning to go prefab. However, they also weren't planning on living in the RV for a year until builders could come look at their site. In his desperate search for a builder, Mike discovered Five Oaks Homes and was lured by the short build time and custom designs. Elaine was skeptical, but agreed to check it out.

Figure C

Jay Anderson from Five Oaks gave the couple a tour of a modular-style home in mid-construction (figure C). Mike was sold, but Elaine still needed more convincing. Jay assured her that a modular home could still be custom designed to fit their needs...including 4,400 square feet, three levels and 90 windows. And the best part? The family could move into their home less than three months after delivery.

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