A Richmond home builder has been reimagining the concept of prefabricated homes in an industrial area by the Fraser River near No. 7 Road.
While the units are technically modular homes, Gregory Palamarz is hesitant to use this term as it is often associated with “poorly built” housing.
Palamarz’s prototype of a modular home is luxurious and designed to last.
His pride in his work was apparent as he stood inside his first unit, which is just mere weeks away from completion. Its blue and grey exteriors are embellished with a glass panel resembling fish scales, while the white interiors are highlighted by wooden panels.
To ensure the units don’t devalue over time, Palamarz has chosen to use aluminum and steel for most of the structure with “very little wood.” The windows are also installed in a curtain wall style to ensure they don’t shatter during transportation.
The air-conditioned unit already has some furniture installed, including a black leather couch, a TV and a fireplace. In the coming weeks, Palamarz and his Panelex Industries crew will be installing a Murphy bed designed just for the unit.
“This is designed for difficult-to-develop properties, like (when) conventional construction methods will be sometimes impossible and sometimes too expensive,” Palamarz explained.
The self-contained units, marketed under the name Befama Homes, are designed to be installed with minimal environmental impact in places such as rocky bluffs, where drill blasting would be expensive and intrusive. The units would also be suspended from the ground, supported by a six-point system (or more depending on the size of the unit).
“It doesn’t really change the hydrology of the environment, so it can be developed in sensitive areas, watersheds, and places like that,” said Palamarz.
The units are stackable and can be built around an elevator shaft to ensure accessibility. According to the Befama Homes website, customers living in a variety of climates and terrains can customize their units.
In the long run, Palamarz envisions owners being able to move their homes wherever they go.
Testing it out on the Sunshine Coast
Sechelt, a coastal town on the Sunshine Coast, is the first stop to test out this concept. In just three to four weeks, the first unit will be installed on a steep, rocky hill, with the potential to stack more units on top of it. The 550-square-foot unit will be priced at around $650,000, including the strata title.
Palamarz began designing the units three years ago when he saw how difficult it was to develop “dream properties” on challenging terrains such as on the Sunshine Coast. He hopes his creation simplifies this process.
Palamarz foresees the units will most likely appeal to singles and couples.
But since the concept is still relatively new in the market, the future of the project will depend on the success and feedback of the first unit.
“Before we even start serious marketing, we want to actually put one in place that people can see. And then we can get some input and then we can see what market demographic we’re going to actually service,” said Palamarz.
