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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.

The Eddy ADU model shown in three exterior finishes: farmhouse, transitional, and modernFeatured
ADU

How Much Does an ADU Cost? Why Productized ADUs Change the Math

The same ADU's cost varies wildly by city because construction is local. How productized building makes the house's price predictable everywhere.
Read the article →
Side-by-side of a backyard ADU as a bare galvanized steel frame on its slab and the same ADU finished with siding and windows
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.
Jayson Reese Read →
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 →