Wheelhaus Review and Interview with Founder Jamie Mackay
Prefab and modular homes come in all shapes and sizes and Wheelhaus has been a very innovative company, particularly with respect to smaller square footage housing. The Jackson Hole company evolved out of the needs of the owner who was trying to create small square footage affordable housing. They now make a range of models, with standard models ranging from 160 sqft to 1500 sqft, with particular traction in the tiny home community.
These attractive environmentally sustainable homes can be built, delivered, and installed in as little as three to four months. They also come with a standard 1 year warranty.
Wheelhaus also makes RPTs (Recreational Park Trailers) for temporary living at campgrounds and RV parks
Strengths:
Speed of construction
Nationwide delivery
Great in snow and inclement weather
Aesthetics
Reasons they might not be for you
Limited selection over 1,000 sf
You are in an area of the country where the price per sqft is relatively high
Check out our Q&A interview with their founder Jamie Mackay below as well as the specs including Wheelhaus reviews on other popular sites.
Interview:
PR (Prefab Review): Why did you decide to start your company?
JM (Jamie Mackay): I bought an RV campground with the intention of building affordable homes on some of the sites. When my application was rejected by the city, I had to find another solution. The solution was to use Park Model RVs but I couldn’t find any up to my standards for durability and sustainability and design, so I designed and built my own. We rent these cabins on a nightly basis and some of the guests started asking us if we could build a cabin for them. So, we started building these ‘cabins on wheels’ and delivering them around the country and Wheelhaus was born. Some wanted us to put multiple of these cabins together to make a larger house, so the company evolved into a modular construction company. Now, modular construction is the largest segment of our business. We’re building homes from 400 square feet to 2500 square feet and are certified in 47 states.
PR: What makes your houses different than others on the market?
JM: At Wheelhaus, our priorities are durability, efficient use of space, and sustainability and we provide all of that along with modern and innovative design. We focus on energy efficiency, progressive space management, and top of the line building materials. Our modules exceed the requirements for the Gold standard with the U.S. Green Building Council.
PR: How much does a typical house cost in price per sq ft (totally built) assuming a normal flat lot?
JM: We have a Cabin Builder tool on our website – https://wheelhaus.com/cabin-builder. This tool will tell you for instance that you can buy a Wheelhaus Wedge for $89,500. The Wedge is 400 square feet so that works out to $225 per square foot with optional add-ons for HVAC upgrades, decking, and more.
PR: Where do you build / deliver houses?
JM: We build the modules at an indoor facility in Idaho and delivery from coast-to-coast
PR: How many houses have you built so far?
JM: We’ve built several hundred to-date and with the orders already in place, 2018 will be our biggest year yet.
PR: What model or plan that you make is most popular?
JM: The Wheelhaus Wedge is our most popular base design with a lot of way to configure multiple units to make it work for the individual site and the owner’s desires.
PR: What else if anything do you think potential buyers should know about your homes?
JM: We started in Jackson Hole, Wyoming so we know how to design and build for extreme weather and exacting clients.
Below is information about Wheelhaus reviews from popular sites, Wheelhaus cost and price information, and other facts about the company.
| Company | Wheelhaus |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Website | https://wheelhaus.com/ |
| # of Models | 4 |
| Areas Served | Nationwide |
| Homes Built | 200+ |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Pricing | $375 - $500+ |
| Reviews | |
| Yelp (for Fireside Resort) | 4.5 stars |
| Houzz | No reviews |
| Creates Custom Plans | No |
