Clever Homes

What Clever Homes does

Clever Homes (operating as ch x tld / CleverHomes, under founder Toby Long, AIA NCARB and the tobylongdesign entity) is a privately held architecture, planning, and design firm headquartered in Oakland, California, founded in 2001. The firm specializes in prefabricated and modular construction, integrating four interchangeable building methods — factory-built modular, panelized structural insulated panels (SIPs), bolted steel frame, and advanced wood framing — to deliver custom residential, multi-family, mixed-use, and educational projects. Across approximately two decades of operation, it has completed 70+ projects with concentrations in California and additional deliveries in Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and internationally (Russia).

The firm's product offering combines fixed-fee initial engagements ($3,000 Feasibility Analysis over 4-6 weeks) with full design and project coordination services billed at approximately 12% of total construction budget. Reference project economics run $500-$700/sqft all-in (prefab portion $300-$400/sqft), with green building design capability across USGBC LEED, Build-It-Green, Greenpoint Rated, and CHPS certification frameworks. A distinctive operating feature is coordination of direct purchases from a nationwide factory supplier network without reselling or markup, so revenue accrues from design, engineering, permitting, and project management rather than construction margin.

Clever Homes serves three customer segments: individual homeowners (primary, including mountain retreat and infill replacement clients), property developers building multi-unit residential or mixed-use projects, and educational institutions requiring modular classroom or school expansions. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and sales-led, with founder-level engagement via phone (415-905-9030) and website inquiry, supplemented by a website portfolio and 12+ years of Houzz presence. The firm is a small, owner-operated practice (1-10 employees) with no external institutional investment.

Name

Clever Homes

Legal name

Clever Homes (tobylongdesign and Toby Long, AIA)

Website

https://cleverhomes.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clever Homes is a privately held Oakland-based architecture firm that designs custom prefab and modular homes for individual homeowners, developers, and educational institutions across the US, using four interchangeable construction methods and a direct-purchase supplier model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prefab Architecture and Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Residential Building Construction (23611), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115), Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components (3448)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction (IMAFABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC), Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

Keywords

• Prefab architecture services
• Modular home design
• Sustainable building design
• Custom residential architecture
• Green building consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Design and Architecture Fees: Fees are usually 12% of the total construction budget for average-sized projects. Includes design, structural/mechanical/plumbing/electrical engineering, energy calculations, solar panel and radiant floor design, interior design, permitting coordination, and weekly project meetings. Fixed fees with no charges for revisions during the project.
2. Feasibility Analysis: Initial analysis phase priced at $3,000. Includes custom design adaptation, specifications list, complete budget analysis, supplier introductions, and permitting process report. Takes 4-6 weeks.
3. Direct Purchase Coordination: The firm coordinates direct purchases from factories and suppliers without marking up or reselling buildings. Clients buy direct from factories, builders, and suppliers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Clever Homes is an architecture, planning and design firm that guides all phases of design and construction for unique prefabricated and modular buildings. The firm offers custom prefab home design, multi-family developer projects, and educational facility builds using four interchangeable construction methods (modular, panelized/SIPs, steel frame, advanced framing). Clients engage through a $3,000 Feasibility Analysis and then retain the firm for end-to-end design, engineering, and construction coordination at 12% of total construction budget.

Product overview

CleverHomes is a prefab architecture and design firm offering an integrated system of design, prefabrication, and construction services. The core offering encompasses custom prefab building design and project management, with four distinct construction methods available: Modular Construction (factory-built with cranes), Panelized/SIPs (structural insulated panels), Steel Frame Construction (bolted steel framing), and Advanced Framing (progressive wood framing techniques). The company also provides a structured service process including Feasibility Analysis ($3,000), Design Adaptation, Prefabrication Coordination, and access to their Supplier Network. Their 12% service fee model covers design through construction coordination, and projects range from $500-$700/sqft total development cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CleverHomes Prefab Architecture and Design Services End-to-end architecture, planning, and design services for unique prefab buildings, guiding all phases of design and construction using prefabricated and modular building strategies. Targeted at individual homeowners, developers, and educational institutions. Fees are 12% of total construction budget.
• Feasibility Analysis Initial project assessment priced at a fixed $3,000 fee, typically delivered in 4-6 weeks. Includes custom design adaptation, specifications list, complete budget analysis, supplier introductions, and permitting process report. Entry-point engagement for prospective clients.
• Design Adaptation
• Prefabrication Coordination
• Supplier Network / Direct Purchase Coordination
• Specifications and Material Selection
• Cost Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects certifiable as green buildings through USGBC LEED, Build-It-Green, Greenpoint Rated, and other programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boxabl: Boxabl manufactures foldable, factory-built prefab houses focused on rapid deployment and standardized quality. Comparable in factory-built residential construction though more standardized than Clever Homes' custom-designed approach.
• Dvele: Dvele designs and manufactures smart, net-zero modular homes in California. Direct overlap in custom sustainable prefab residential design with smart-home integration.
• Connect Homes: Connect Homes is a Los Angeles-based prefab modular home company building custom steel-frame residential and multifamily projects. Comparable in using modular construction methods for design-forward custom builds.
• Plant Prefab: Plant Prefab is a California-based prefabricated home design and manufacturing company focused on sustainable, custom residential and multifamily projects. Direct competitor in custom prefab design with a factory-backed delivery model.
• Method Homes: Method Homes is a Seattle-based prefabricated home builder producing modular custom residences and multifamily projects. Comparable in delivering sustainable, design-forward prefab homes to a similar customer base.
• Rocio Romero: Rocio Romero designs and sells LV Series prefabricated modern homes as kit-of-parts delivered to site. Comparable in providing architect-designed prefab homes with a focus on simplicity and sustainability.
• Cover: Cover is a software-enabled prefabricated home builder offering custom-designed backyard studios, ADUs, and homes. Comparable in delivering custom prefab design with a tech-forward, modular construction approach.
• Empyrean International: Empyrean designs and constructs prefabricated residential projects using modular methods. Comparable in offering architect-designed prefab homes with multi-method construction capabilities.

Emerging players

• LivingHomes: LivingHomes was a Steve Glenn-founded prefab home company focused on sustainable, LEED-certified modular homes. Comparable in green prefab residential design though has operated intermittently.

Broad incumbents

• KMD Architects: KMD Architects is a larger architectural firm with residential, multifamily, and education practices. Comparable in providing full-service architectural design but at much larger scale and without prefab specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleverhomes-presented-by-tobylongdesign

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clever Homes