If you’ve started to look into adding onto or remodeling an existing worship building, using prefabricated church designs and floor plans can be a tempting way to save time, money, and man-hours that go into a more traditional approach to renovation. While they’re a great place to start, you have to take into account the unique needs of your congregation. Working with an architect at Vanman Architects and Builders can help you decide what the best route is for the needs of your church.
One of the first problems with prefabricated church designs and floor plans is that it can be difficult to make it aesthetically appropriate for a worship space. Most modular buildings have the same industrial look inside and out, which does little to encourage worshippers to come in and join your service in a comfortable, cozy space. Encouraging new membership in a church has a lot to do with the image that you project and those that are looking for something with more amenities and family-style worship are going to have a hard time finding it in a cold, steel building.
Another problem with prefabricated church designs and floor plans is that they’re not going to work well for worship centers that serve multiple purposes. We’ve discussed the importance of incorporating multipurpose rooms, whether it’s to respond to a natural disaster or to bring in community members for night classes. Prefabricated buildings, especially commercial ones, usually have the main center with a few smaller rooms branching off. Churches need the flexibility of partitions, moving walls, and storage spaces that may be difficult to find in a premade building. Starting from scratch is the best way to ensure that you’ve got all the necessities before you have to spend money making renovations.
Finally, prefabricated church designs and floor plans can be just as expensive as a custom made design, especially if you choose to work with a design/build firm. You can save major cash by working with a team that keeps an in-house construction company, plus you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for without searching for that one-in-a-million prefab that exactly fits your specifications and may or may not exist.
Don’t rely on premade designs for your worship space. You and your congregation deserve architectural excellence, and Vanman Architects and Builders want to deliver. If you want to learn more about building for your ministry, read more about our 21st annual Building for Ministry Seminar. Registration is open, but sign up fast! Spots are filling up for our April 14th date.
