From about 1908 to 1940, Sears Roebuck sold home plans and several lines of ready-to-build kits. They offered a line called Simplex Sectional Portable Buildings that were prefabricated sections (“Quickly Bolted Together … No Sawing — No Nailing”) The Honor Bilt “Already Cut and Fitted” was more upscale, and Standard Bilt was cheaper.
Homes in a box, delivered to the local train depot from regional manufacturers, gave buyers a reasonably priced quality house. Styles ranged from the Craftsman-style bungalow of the 1910s and 20s to the English Cottage and Spanish Revival as well as the popular Colonial Revival.
Sears offered kit homes for just over 30 years, selling 70-75,000 according to the Sears Archives.
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