Modular vs Container vs Prefab vs Manufactured Housing: What’s the Real Difference?

The world of factory-built housing can feel like a maze of overlapping terms, conflicting claims, and wildly different price tags. You’ve probably seen “modular,” “prefab,” “container,” and “manufactured” thrown around interchangeably—but they’re not the same thing. Here’s a straight forward breakdown of each type, how they’re built, priced, and what you're actually buying.

1. Prefab (Prefabricated) Housing

The Umbrella Term “Prefab” simply means “built off-site in pieces and assembled on-site.” Everything on this list except site-built (stick-built) homes is technically prefab. It’s like saying “vehicle”—it tells you the broad category, not the specific model.

• Can be panels, modules, kits, containers, etc.

• Homes can be made in sections, delivered to site and assembled.

• Can follow provincial building codes (BC) or federal manufactured-home codes (CSA).

• Can look traditional, modern, or anything in between.

Think of “prefab” as the big tent everyone else lives under.

2. Modular Housing

The “Almost Site-Built” Option:

• Built in large sections (modules) in a factory—often 70-95% complete (drywall, plumbing, electrical, cabinets already in).

• Modules are transported on flatbed trucks and craned onto a permanent foundation (basement, crawl space, or slab).

• Must comply with the same provincial and local building codes (BC) as traditional site-built homes.

• Allows for multi-family and multi-story build options.

• 30-50% faster than site-built traditional builds.

• Inspected both in the factory and on-site by local building officials (CSA).

• Can be financed with conventional mortgages (conventional 30-year loans).

Pros: Highest resale value, no “manufactured home” stigma, can be multi-family and multi-story, extremely customizable.

3. Manufactured Housing (Mobile Homes)

Manufactured, mobile homes or trailers:

• Formerly called “mobile homes,” the industry rebranded to “manufactured” after 1976.

• Built entirely in a factory on a permanent steel chassis (the steel frame stays with the house forever).

• Governed by a federal building code administered by CSA (not local codes).

• Transported in one or two pieces on a truck and assembled or positioned on site.

• Can be placed on private land with permanent foundation (and often de-titled to real property) or in mobile-home parks.

• Historically financed with chattel (personal property) loans at higher interest rates, though permanent-foundation versions can sometimes get real-estate loans.

Pros: Lowest cost per square foot, very fast build and delivery.

Cons: Lower resale value in many markets, stricter financing, perceived lower build quality.

4. Shipping Container Housing

The Instagram Darling:

• Built using repurposed (or new) steel ISO shipping containers (10 ft, 20 ft or 40 ft most common).

• Can be DIY, architect-designed, or mass-produced by a container-home company.

• Structurally very strong side-to-side, but cutting large openings requires significant (and expensive) reinforcement.

• Insulation is a major challenge—steel conducts heat and cold extremely well.

• Single wide units end up very small inside after insulation, walls and materials are added.

• Usually classified as modular or cargo-container homes and must meet local building codes.

• Financing can be tricky—many lenders treat them like “alternative” construction.

Pros: Cool industrial aesthetic, fast structural shell, perceived eco-friendliness (when using used containers).

Cons: Expensive per square foot once insulated and finished properly (often $200–$400+/sq ft), condensation issues if not insulated correctly, limited widths (7 ft interior).

Which One Should You Choose?

• Want a house that looks and appraises exactly like a site-built home, with normal financing? → Modular/Prefab

• Need the absolute cheapest and fastest option and don’t mind the mobile home stigma? → Modern manufactured

• Love the industrial look and are willing to pay a premium for it? → Container (or a modular that looks like a container)

• Just want something faster and greener than site-built? → Any of the above can work—pick based on budget and local regulations.

The lines are blurring. Many container companies now build modular homes that merely look like stacked containers. Luxury manufactured-home builders are producing houses that rival modular quality. And high-end modular factories can deliver homes that cost more than site-built.

Bottom line: Don’t get hung up on the label. Ask:

1. Does it meet local building codes or CSA code?

2. Is it on a permanent foundation and financed like real estate?

3. Does the finished product and resale value match my goals?

Answer those three questions and you’ll instantly know which “prefab” category actually fits your life. Still unsure about which direction, schedule a discovery call with our team.