Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
City

No. 12: Because prefab is fab

This guy makes really cool all-season backyard office pods for the WFH set—himself included

By Toronto Life| Photography by Daniel Neuhaus
Copy link
No. 12: Because prefab is fab

Lockdown pushed families into home-expansion panic mode, with parents forced to turn every forgotten corner into usable space: unfinished basements became makeshift offices, kids’ bedrooms became ad hoc dance studios and bathrooms became the only place to find a quiet escape for conference calls.

No. 12: Because prefab is fab

To the rescue came prefabricated construction, a practical, affordable and quick way for cramped residents to squeeze every last inch out of their square footage. When the pandemic hit, Trevor Gilbert had just launched his own prefab construction company, Modeco, focusing on modular bathrooms for apartment developments. But once he and his wife were both stuck inside their Etobicoke home struggling to work and care for their toddler, he decided to pivot, using his existing machinery to manufacture all-season backyard office pods instead. His own jazzed-up version features a climbing wall for his son and a pullout bed for potential guests or quarantiners. Families can score their own basic, fully finished 10-by-10 studio for less than $10,000—freeing up much-needed space inside the main house.

No. 12: Because prefab is fab

For houses with an adjoining laneway, R-Hauz Solutions designed a prefab garage with a bedroom suite above, all of it costing less than building from scratch (they start at $225,000), and the entire process from design to assembly can be completed in five months. It’s a speedy solution for maxed-out households looking to keep extended family close—but not too close.

More Reasons to Love Toronto…

21 reasons to love (and not leave) Toronto
City

21 reasons to love (and not leave) Toronto

To people fleeing the city for more square footage and less density, we say pffft. Pandemic or not, Toronto is thriving. Let us count the ways

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Inside the Latest Issue

The February issue of Toronto Life features Scottie Barnes, the new face of the Raptors—and the team’s best chance of salvation. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.