Dec 4, 2025
The "Ghosting" Epidemic
If you have been researching ADUs or prefab homes in Northern California lately, you’ve likely seen the headlines. High-flying startups that promised "tech-enabled" homes and "revolutionary" timelines have suddenly gone silent. Phones are disconnected. Websites are dark. And worst of all, homeowners are left with half-dug foundations and missing deposits.
The collapse of companies like Anchored Tiny Homes (ATH) and Abodu, and the retreat of others like Connect Homes has revealed a terrifying truth about the construction industry: Flashy renderings do not equal financial stability.
In 2026, the most important feature of your home builder isn't their Instagram feed—it’s their solvency.
At MyPrefabHomes, we operate differently. We are not a venture-capital-backed startup racing to "disrupt" the industry. We are an Authorized Dealer for Silvercrest/Champion Homes, and may more dealers.
Here is why that structural difference is the only thing that protects your deposit.
1. The "Ponzi" Risk vs. Publicly Traded Power
Many ADU startups operate on a "cash flow" basis. They use your deposit to pay for the materials on the previous client’s house. When sales slow down (as they did in late 2025), the music stops. There is no money left to build your home because it was already spent.
The Dealer Model Difference: We are a factory-direct dealer for Silvercrest, which is owned by Champion Home Builders (NYSE: SKY).
The Reality: Champion is a publicly traded giant with over $2.5 Billion in annual revenue and a massive balance sheet.
The Safety: When you order a home through us, you aren't betting on a startup's next funding round. You are tapping into a supply chain that has been operating since the 1970s. The factory isn't going to "run out of money" halfway through your wall panel.
2. "Future Promises" vs. "Physical Assets"
In the recent bankruptcy scandals, stories emerged of homeowners paying $100,000+ upfront for "plans and materials" that never arrived. The contractor had nothing to show for it but a promise.
The Dealer Model Difference: When we build your home, it is constructed in the Silvercrest factory in Corona, CA, often before we even break ground on your site.
Proof of Life: You aren't paying for a "concept." You are paying for a physical structure that exists under a roof.
The "Draw" Protection: For the site work (foundation, utilities), we bill in progress draws. You pay for completed milestones (e.g., "Foundation Poured"). You never write a check for work that hasn't been done.
3. Regulatory "Wild West" vs. Dual Oversight
Many "tech-prefab" companies tried to skirt California's strict construction laws by claiming they were just selling a "product." When things went wrong, homeowners found they had little legal recourse.
The Dealer Model Difference: We operate under a "Dual Shield" of regulation:
HCD (Dept. of Housing & Community Development): Regulates the home itself. As a licensed dealer, we are bonded and held to strict state standards regarding the sale of the unit.
CSLB (Contractors State License Board): Regulates the site work. As licensed General Contractors (B-License), we are bound by California law regarding down payments (capped at $1,000 or 10% for home improvement contracts) and workmanship.
4. 36 Years vs. 36 Months
The average lifespan of a "disruptive" construction startup is less than 5 years. They often burn bright and burn out.
We have been building in Northern California for 36 years.
We have survived the Dot-Com crash, the 2008 Housing Crisis, and the Pandemic.
We are firefighter-owned. In our previous careers, our job was to show up when people were in trouble. In this career, our job is to ensure you never get into trouble in the first place.
The Bottom Line: Boring is Beautiful
We don't have a "Chief Visionary Officer." We don't have a ping-pong table in our office. We have trucks, cranes, and a direct line to the biggest factory in the West.
If you are looking for an alternative to the "high-risk" builders, we invite you to do your due diligence on us. Check our license. Call our references. Drive by our active job sites in Walnut Creek or Napa.
You’ll find the same thing we’ve offered since 1989: A finished home.
