Sears' prefabricated 'kit homes' 1908-1940 : America's former largest retailer

In the early 20th century, purchasing a home kit through a mail-order catalog was as easy as flipping through pages of options and choosing the perfect design. Imagine the thrill of ordering an entire house, delivered straight to a nearby train station. From 1908 to 1942, Sears, Roebuck & Co. offered exactly this experience through its “Modern Homes” catalog, pioneering an era of accessible, efficient, and affordable homebuilding.

The Legacy of Sears Catalog Homes

The Sears Modern Homes program offered over 370 designs in a range of architectural styles, from quaint cottages to more stately two-story homes, similar to the 1916 design featured here. For as little as $938 (a modest sum even back then), a family could order a house kit complete with pre-cut lumber, flooring, doors, windows, nails, and even detailed instructions. It was like ordering a flat-pack home—an idea well before its time and strikingly similar to today’s furniture kits from IKEA.

Primarily shipped via railroad boxcars, these kits included nearly everything needed to build a house. The missing items were usually local materials like cement and brick, which were more practical to source locally. When the kit arrived, homeowners, along with their friends and neighbors, would gather for a “house-raising,” a community event that was as much about socializing as it was about building. In this sense, Sears didn’t just sell houses—it brought communities together, enabling families to build affordable homes with the help of their local support network.

How TinyMod® Brings This Concept Into the 21st Century

Fast forward to today, and TinyMod® is reviving the spirit of the Sears kit home with a modern twist. While we no longer ship houses via railroad boxcars, TinyMod’s prefab homes capture the same essence of accessible, customizable, and community-friendly homebuilding. Here’s how TinyMod® redefines the home-building experience:

1. Panelized and SIPs Construction: TinyMod® homes come in a range of prefabrication options, including panelized and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). These systems create energy-efficient homes with faster assembly times and minimal waste. Panelized systems, where walls and roof structures come pre-built, significantly cut down on-site construction time. This aspect reflects the pre-cut convenience Sears provided, updated with eco-friendly materials and modern engineering.

2. Off-Site Modular Construction: TinyMod® offers full modular units constructed off-site in a controlled environment. This method minimizes weather-related delays and ensures higher quality control. Like Sears, we focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness, ensuring that every piece is built to precise standards before it reaches your location.

3. Customization and Flexibility: Similar to how Sears offered various floor plans to suit different needs and styles, TinyMod® homes offer customizable layouts and design elements. Today’s buyers can choose from a range of styles, interior finishes, and energy-efficient options to create a home that’s truly personalized.

4. Sustainable Living: TinyMod® homes prioritize sustainability, an area Sears couldn’t have foreseen. With energy-efficient designs, renewable materials, and the option to integrate solar power and other eco-friendly technologies, TinyMod® homes are built with the future in mind. This focus on green building is ideal for modern homeowners looking to reduce their environmental footprint.

5. Community Building in a New Era: Much like the community-centered assembly of Sears homes, TinyMod® encourages a collaborative approach to home ownership. Today’s homeowners may not need a literal barn-raising, but they do find value in supporting local contractors who can assist with assembly or customization. TinyMod® partners with local contractors for setup and site preparation, ensuring that the community still plays a role in making each house a home.

A New Era of Homebuilding Convenience

While Sears stopped selling its Modern Homes in the 1940s, the concept of factory-built houses that can be customized and assembled with minimal hassle lives on. Modern prefab and modular homes, like those offered by TinyMod®, are not only more convenient but are also designed to meet today’s demands for sustainability, energy efficiency, and customization.

With TinyMod®, homeowners can still experience the excitement of a home delivered almost ready to live in. It’s an evolution of the American dream—just like Sears once made home ownership accessible and customizable, TinyMod® makes owning a high-quality, sustainable home achievable in today’s world.