Specializing in backyard studios If you?re in the market for a prefab dwelling?either as a full-time home or backyard unit?options are aplenty. What L.A.-based startup Cover wants to add to the equation is a tech-driven efficiency that makes the whole design and building process a total breeze for the customer.
As detailed in a new profile on the company over on Co.Design, Cover sees itself as more of a tech company than a prefab builder. Indeed, whereas a typical prefab buying process would begin with choosing one of a few model plans and maybe then consulting with architects to tweak the design for specific needs, Cover turns the whole design process over to computer algorithms. Co.Design explains:
Once customers begin the design process, Cover sends them a survey of about 50 to 100 questions to inform the design. It asks about lifestyle?how many people typically cook a meal and what appliances are must-haves"?and structural needs, like should they optimize one view and block another one" The company also use computer modeling to optimize window placement, cross-ventilation, and natural light, making use of zoning, sun-path, and geospatial data. All of these parameters are then sent to a proprietary computer program that spits out hundreds of designs that satisfy the requirements supplied.

Here are a couple of key things to know about Cover?s prefabs:

The company is specializing in the accessory dwelling unit, which is a secondary str...