Overview
For over 30 years Sears Roebuck was the most prolific designer and manufacturer of prefabricated homes in the United States. From 1908 to 1940 they sold over 100,000 homes in their “Modern Homes” mail order catalogue. Over the course of operations 447 different models were offered through the catalogue. The models ranged from one room structures to multifamily multistory units. Sears success was through their ability to offer popular home designs affording the customer various upgrades of their home including appliances, finishes, and floor plans.
After the customer selected a design from the Sears Modern Home Catalog, they would send in a deposit and receive a bill of material list and full blueprints much the same as HIAB does today. Once the official order was placed the customer would receive 30,000 pieces and an instruction manual delivered to the nearest train depot. The items included in the 30,000 piece kit were 750 pounds of nails, 22 gallons of paint, and 20,000 shingles for the roof and side. Thus, the name “House In A Box” became commonly applied to the ready to assemble homes and part of building history.
