Assembly Line House
via Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail: Megabuilder Mattamy Homes is constructing a subdivision of houses in Milton, Ont., that are, for the most part, assembled on the factory floor and then transported by truck.
The main advantages for the builder are the protection of raw materials from theft and inclement weather, and the safety of the workers. Roof trusses, for example, are built by workers standing and walking around on the factory floor.
At the same time, the assembly plant’s 100 workers are well-trained employees of Mattamy, paid on an hourly basis. That gives the company more comfort and control compared with dealing with subcontractors and their trades…
…about 25 per cent fewer trees need to be cut down for each house because the smaller pieces of wood can be gathered up from the factory floor and incorporated into the house.
And, when the subdivision is finished, the bolts will be removed from the factory walls and it will be trucked to another location.
“Ultimately, we recycle the plant itself,” says Ron Cauchi, president of Mattamy’s Stelumar operation.
