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The Volstrukt Blog

Building smarter, explained.

Practical guidance on cold-formed steel framing, ADUs, and the shift from custom projects to build-ready housing systems — written for homeowners, builders, and developers.

Side-by-side of a backyard ADU as a bare galvanized steel frame on its slab and the same ADU finished with siding and windowsFeatured
ADU

ADU Kit vs. Prefab: Why the Right Product Matters

Most expensive ADU mistakes start with a product designed for a different job. What an ADU kit is, what it solves, and what it deliberately doesn't.
Read the article →
Tiny house on wheels with a covered porch, string lights, and a fire pit in a landscaped backyard at dusk
ADU

Can I Put a Tiny House in My Backyard and Call It an ADU?

A tiny house can look like a home without being a legal dwelling or ADU. Towing, renting, Airbnb, foundations, used units and DIY builds — answered.
Jayson Reese Read →
Tiny home on wheels at golden hour on a gravel lot, with a second black tiny home behind it
tiny homes

Why Does a Tiny House Cost So Much?

Small doesn't mean cheap. Why cost per square foot rises as a house shrinks, where price expectations came from, and how to compare tiny homes.
Jayson Reese Read →
Aerial view of a cold-formed steel home frame on Texas Hill Country acreage with open pasture and cedar trees
tiny homes

Could Your Texas Land Work for a Tiny Home Community?

The homes are the easy part. Before you buy a single unit, your Texas land must answer harder questions on jurisdiction, water, wastewater and access.
Jayson Reese Read →
FrameCAD roll-former producing a steel roof truss in the Volstrukt shop, beside the headline Too few builders.
housing industry

The Construction Labor Shortage: Why America Can't Build Enough Homes

America isn't just short on housing — it's short on builders. Why the labor shortage is structural, and how productized building helps close the gap.
Jayson Reese Read →
Illustration of a one-off custom steel house frame turning into a row of identical, repeatable steel frames
productized housing

From Projects to Products: The Future of Productized Housing

Housing is shifting from one-off projects to repeatable products. What DfMA and digital steel framing mean for builders and developers.
Jayson Reese Read →
Owner-built two-story rental home under construction on a wooded Texas lot, beside the headline The citizen developer.
citizen developer

What Is a Citizen Developer? (And How to Start)

A citizen developer is a homeowner or lot owner who adds housing in their community — an ADU, a rental, or infill. Here's what it means and how to start.
Jayson Reese Read →
Two-story cold-formed steel frame assembled from pre-built wall panels, seen from below against a blue sky
steel framing

What Is Panelized Steel Framing? A Builder's Guide

How panelized steel framing works, why it's faster and more predictable than stick framing, and where it fits ADUs, infill homes, and small developments.
Jayson Reese Read →
Volstrukt shipping crate beside a rack of pre-assembled galvanized steel wall panels ready for delivery
build-ready

What Does Build-Ready Actually Mean in Construction?

Build-ready means resolving engineering, procurement, and manufacturing before the jobsite. Here's what a build-ready package actually includes.
Jayson Reese Read →
ADU

Which States Allow ADUs? (2024)

Explore the top states and cities in the U.S. where building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is easiest.
Sarah Dickey Read →