Merry Christmas from the Wolf Team!

What a tremendously fulfilling year it has been for our team! From Washington all the way down to California, Wolf Industries permitted, constructed and delivered over 50 homes – That’s more then 1 per week! As expected, the 400 square foot Model C continues to be the most popular solution for those looking for a modular prefab ADU or backyard cottage, although there has been a huge increase in demand for the 615 square foot Model E (and alternative E2). Though not typically considered quite as small as a tiny home, they are getting a large amount of attention as a tiny mansion! As both the ‘cottage code’ and accessory dwelling unit regulations continue to be relaxed by local governments, it’s very likely that we’ll see more small homes used as accessory dwelling units, as well as primary dwellings.

One common obstacle faced when placing a tiny home in an urban environment are the potential homeowners associations. Small footprints such as that of the Model B, C and E may be prohibited due to minimum square-footage requirements, disallowing use as a main home in shared developments. As a secondary structure, many HOAs do not allow guest houses, additional dwellings or even RVs; and even in cases where they are acceptable, the local jurisdiction may have strict requirements in terms of accessory dwelling unit setbacks and maximum impervious surface areas. Looking forward to 2020, many of these rules are are being relaxed in places like Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles.

Doubling Our Production to Meet Demand

With an expected deficit of over 150,000 homes in Oregon alone, there is an overwhelming demand for affordable housing. The housing crisis has placed more pressure than ever on Wolf Industries and other modular builders to continue to produce high-quality, low-cost homes. Because of this demand, we are excited to take our manufacturing process to the next level by doubling our production ability and moving from our current 10,000 square foot factory to a new 20,000 square foot facility.

The new factory is just 2 miles from our existing location and is expected to be completed by Q2 of 2020. Besides just in increase in production output, Wolf expects to grow its workforce to nearly double in the coming year, staying true to its community-first values. Check out Wolf Industries new location and a comparison of progress using the slider below.

There’s Always More to Learn

It’s important to keep perspective, especially in periods of growth when humility is so easily lost in the excitement. One of the ways that we at Wolf keep expectations front-and-center is by visiting other builders that outside our service area. These partnerships allow both organizations to learn from and grow with one another while not in direct competition. This year, the leadership team opted to visit with Signature Building Systems, a modular home builder in Scranton Pennsylvania, as well as tour New York City.

Here’s a video of some of our favorite homes, the construction progress of our new factory, our east coast trip and other highlights from 2019. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the team at Wolf!