Connect Homes' modern green prefabs have been popping up in the Bay Area. At half the cost of building a new home and saving much of the hassle and expense of a remodel, these homes have proven to be an easy, eco-friendly, and high-style way to upgrade your lifestyle.

We've all seen it happen: A young couple buys a starter house in a neighborhood they love, and a few years later, they need a bigger place for their growing family. But if they live in a high-cost region and are on a budget—the upgrade options are scarce. A larger house in an appealing neighborhood is too expensive, and hiring an architect to do a custom renovation will cost twice as much money and take three times longer than expected. Typically, the only choice is to settle for something in a less expensive suburb, further away from urban amenities.

Connect Homes offers a new, better way for people to stay in desirable neighborhoods while also upgrading to a beautiful modern, green home. And what's more, the entire building and installation can take less than six months.

Connect 6, located in Palo Alto.

Connect builds in a controlled factory environment where homes are designed to satisfy local building agencies. With a revolutionary prefab system, Connect Homes can serve the entire country from a single SoCal factory, a first for the industry. By building with a more efficient system and aggregating national demand for high-end contemporary homes, Connect can sell for far less than other prefab competitors and local, custom-built alternatives. They do this while also taking the headache out of construction.

Connect Homes has a menu of about 15 designs, and their architects will help you customize a home to your site and needs. There are plenty of opportunities for personal expression, too, from interior and exterior finishes to professional kitchen appliances for something extra special.

Inspired by mid-century modern style, Connect Homes all have ample floor-to-ceiling windows that spatially bridge the indoors with the outside, making for homes that feel larger than they are. The latest in green, smart specifications will keep your Connect Home performing well into the next century. // connect-homes.com

Connect 8, located in Orinda.