StudioBuilt purchased its Cuero facility in early 2021 to build its first housing studio. In just its first year under Amherst’s ownership, StudioBuilt hired over 50 workers, making StudioBuilt one of the five largest employers in Cuero. As the facility ramps up to full capacity this year, StudioBuilt’s investment will have created over 250 manufacturing jobs, making StudioBuilt the third largest employer in the area. StudioBuilt also expanded our operation in Cuero by adding a cabinet studio. This adds 15 more jobs and is a testament to how this initiative will continue to influence and expand the community.
As part of StudioBuilt’s commitment to the Cuero community, StudioBuilt is in the process of investing in two lots in the neighborhood and placing two StudioBuilt homes on the property, with the intent of showing the city and surrounding communities the potential of this studio and its impact on current and surrounding residents of Cuero.
Yes. StudioBuilt homes meet all building and code requirements that onsite constructed homes are required to meet. In fact, they are constructed with even better-quality controls than onsite construction. The product design also meets all certifications required by the state. StudioBuilt homes meet all the codes below:
No. StudioBuilt Homes have even better-quality controls than those built onsite since they are built in a closed, controlled environment at a studio. There are over 140 inspection points during the StudioBuilt home construction process in the studio, which is 10 times more inspection points than onsite home construction.
StudioBuilt homes are placed on vacant lots that are not producing tax revenue or lots with abandoned properties in need of demolition. StudioBuilt homes can be constructed on any flat lot and are each built for the particular lot where they will be installed. This means that the solution is especially good for odd-shaped lots and blending in aesthetically to the neighborhood.
Once a vacant lot or blighted property is identified, a StudioBuilt home can be designed, produced, and installed onsite in less than 6 months, which is 50% faster than traditional onsite construction. StudioBuilt homes are about 80% complete when they leave the studio, the remaining 20% is completed onsite and takes only a matter of weeks to complete. The StudioBuilt home offsite construction process also enables adding supply at scale as multiple homes can be produced in the studio and installed onsite in parallel.
StudioBuilt homes can be built as a studio or one-bedroom all the way up to a four-bedroom home ranging from 700 to 2,000 square feet. StudioBuilt homes also come in duplex and triplex models that allow neighborhoods to thoughtfully increase density without disturbing the neighborhood aesthetic.
The StudioBuilt home construction process produces half as much waste as regular home construction. The consolidated delivery of both the construction materials to the studio and the delivery of the home 80% completed to the lot significantly reduce carbon emissions. The installation process is considerably faster than onsite constructed homes, which reduces neighborhood traffic, noise pollution, and dust. Since these are newly constructed homes, smart tech features and energy efficiency certifications can also be incorporated into the product. We currently install keyless doors and energy saving thermostats and are working to expand these environmentally friendly offerings.
The Cuero studio, at full capacity, will enable StudioBuilt to produce over 600 new affordable housing units every year. As part of StudioBuilt’s commitment to solving this nation’s housing supply crisis, StudioBuilt will place hundreds of units produced at this studio annually in Opportunity Zones across Texas and neighboring states.
StudioBuilt is currently seeking development partners that are interested in purchasing StudioBuilt homes for our studio. If interested, please reach out to studiobuiltcuero@amherst.com.
Yes. StudioBuilt accepts housing choice vouchers and Amherst’s property management affiliate, Main Street Renewal, has a dedicated team that works directly with housing authorities in the communities it serves.