A customizable bungalow model named The Woodgrove is Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities’ latest addition to its catalogue of homes geared for land-lease neighbourhoods.

The model is being debuted at Parkbridge's Huron Haven Village project in Goderich, Ont.

Starting at $357,900 as a two-bedroom unit with approximately 1,100 square feet of floor space, it can be upgraded with anything from an exterior porch to a second storey and additional bedroom during construction. The units will be made either in a factory and shipped, employing modular construction techniques, or assembled panel-by-panel on site.

Huron Haven, located by the shore of Lake Huron, is a retirement community development of approximately 190 homes. Parkbridge, a Collingwood, Ont.-based developer, owner, operator and investor of land-lease communities, has a Canadian portfolio of approximately 25,000 land-lease homes and 10,000 resort lots that consists of mostly modular housing.

Delivering affordably priced single-family housing with the ideal blend of features, amenities and finishes is a challenge, so the mission was to create housing that is “more comprehensive in its appeal and approach,” Anthony Lanni, president of Parkbridge, said in an interview with RENX Homes.

“This is one of those housing options that we think, not only is it that there is a significant amount of market appeal because of the price, but for us as a developer and a constructor, their appeal is also the market wants the product, the market appreciates the product, and we can get it to market quickly.”

Customizable, efficient modular housing

Customizable modular homes are not typical, Lanni explained, often locking buyers into the built form as it is originally designed. But Parkbridge will give customers options for the design if desired, including increasing the number of bedrooms.

Or, based on focus groups and market research, the company could adjust the size, finish and aesthetics that carry over to all the Woodgrove units in a particular neighbourhood or release. A suburban market may express more interest in a 1.5- to two-storey product, Lanni said as an example.

He estimates Woodgrove can stay under $500,000 per unit even if expanded to three to four bedrooms, depending on location and the type of construction. The land-lease model contributes to price accessibility, Lanni said, as the home is purchased, but not the land on which it sits.

The decision to have Woodgrove units made in a factory or assembled on site using panelization will depend on the location, price and market expectations.

“We have relationships with manufacturers across the continent who develop and build homes for us. If the labour forces are present in a market, and supplies are present in a market, we can price competitively building panelized construction . . . it could also be within factories where we’re buying a completed home and ship to site and install,” Lanni said.

Construction will take three to six months, depending on the type of foundation.

An additional selling point of Woodgrove is the design's energy efficiency. The windows and wall assemblies are fitted to be air tight and efficient,  applying “the most rigorous standards in the country” for energy performance, Lanni said. The relatively small footprint also helps with energy consumption.

Woodgrove at Huron Haven, and beyond

The concept for Woodgrove emerged from upheavals caused by the COVID pandemic. Disruptions to supply chains, labour and transportation impacted Parkbridge’s ability to deliver housing.

Achieving greater stability across delivery and construction were the main goals of the company, with Woodgrove as a result.

To date, 15 Woodgrove units have been built at Huron Haven, and early sales have been "encouraging", a Parkbridge spokesperson said in an email exchange.

The Huron Haven retirement community is nearing the end of one development cycle, with Parkbridge preparing to go to market with new products and phases in 2025.

Woodgrove will not be alone in the neighbourhood. Two other two-bedroom modular homes around 1,000 square feet will be available: Ridgehaven and Brookside.

As the largest model available at Huron Haven, Lanni said Woodgrove has the value proposition of including enough space to match a buyer’s lifestyle. The modifiable design has already led to interest for 1,400- and 1,600-square-foot units, he said.

Though designed for older customers, the flexibility and rapid construction speed of Woodgrove are valuable qualities the company seeks to bring to family-oriented communities, Lanni said. New products are being designed for land-lease and freehold developments that will carry over the ethos of Woodgrove.

Parkbridge will continue to develop and search for more development sites, particularly on properties in population centres.