You might see some unique-looking homes pop up as Chattanooga-headquartered manufacturer MDLR Brands brings its line of customizable modular homes to the area — Boxvana.

CEO Harrison Langley said MDLR was built on the premise of filling the need for residential dwellings at a time when single-family homes are becoming limited.

"ADUs and tiny homes became popular, and we saw that as a great way to get into the market with ADU legislation opening up and the ability to build a lot more homes on single-family lots," he said.

All Boxvana homes are built at MDLR's headquarters before being moved and assembled on site. | Photo provided by MDLR Brands

These homes are built with MDLR's LiteSIP fiberglass panels, which are designed to sustain threatening climates + promote temperature controllability and net-zero energy efficiency. The panels are made from recycled materials, on average, 60 PET bottles are used for each square meter of the modular walls.

With these materials, each model features high ceilings + modern touches, like butcher blocks in the kitchens and marble accents in the bathrooms. Customers also work with the team to customize their homes from exterior options to appliances.

Bonus: MDLR uses a giant roller printer to print designs on the panels, offering more unique touches for each home.

This LME-2 home is designed with the LiteSIP paneling + will be one of the units built in Hixson. | Rendering provided by MDLR Brands

Let's talk about costs. Langley said that the prefabricated style of the homes helps cut costs down overall, during and after the construction process. The company has a collection of 15 different models currently and ranges in price from $16,500 to $1.2 million.

He also spoke on long-term maintenance costs being lower, like spending the minimum on energy bills with the temperature-controlled design. He added that MDLR will also work with insurance companies to get the best rates based on the durability of the homes, for even more affordability.

"We're just trying to bring a better product to the everyday consumer really," said Langley.

While residents can begin the process of building a Boxvana home at any time, MDLR Brands will also be developing its designs on seven lots at Cave Lane in nearby Hixson.