Outlet: Builder Magazine
Published on July 21, 2023
Texas-basedOnx Homes“believes the world demands that we build different and build better” and has set out to fulfill that mission.
Founded only two years ago, the builder is developing 30 communities and more than 5,000 new homes in key markets throughout Florida andTexas. To learn more about the emerging company, BUILDER spoke with Ravi Bhat, Onx Homes chief operating officer. Below learn more about Onx Homes’ technology-focused construction process, its resilient single-family designs, and its trajectory for the future.
BUILDER:For those who may not be familiar, what is the history of Onx Homes?
Bhat:Onx was founded in 2021 to accelerate a new era of homes and neighborhoods. The founders are construction experts, design thinkers, and technology leaders committed to tech-first construction solutions for building the resilient single-family homes and vibrant communities of the future. To make this vision a reality, it uses its proprietary X+ Construction, a fully integrated system allowing for a more precise, holistic building process whereby resilient homes can be built in a fraction of the time required by traditional means. We can scale up to build entire communities while passing on efficiencies and value to homeowners through our customer-centric approach. We are a diverse team totaling more than 400 members across Miami; Austin, Texas; Dubai; and Bengaluru, India.
BUILDER:Who are the company executives, and what motivated them to start Onx?
Bhat:The executive team at Onx brings together decades of combined experience in technology, real estate, construction, and finance. Each team member is team-driven and motivated by a desire to set a new standard for home building in innovation, speed, scalability, quality, and sustainability. We share a belief in and commitment to tech-driven solutions to construction challenges.
BUILDER:Does Onx stand for anything in particular?
Bhat:The Onx word mark is made up of the three pillars that speak to what we are all about: Lifestyle is represented by the “O,” homes are represented by the “n,” and technology is represented by the “x.” Also, the Onx logo mark, the stand-alone “X” taken from the Onx word mark, represents collaboration. It reflects the idea of creating something new, and it speaks to the connection between concepts such as technology and people, speed and scale, sustainability and beauty, while inherently suggesting collaboration between two ideas, two companies, and so on.
BUILDER:What sets you apart from other modular builders?
Bhat:Onx Homes’ proprietary X+ Construction provides a holistic construction process from start to finish, which we leverage to conceive and build entire communities, unlike modular builders. We combine proprietary methods and robotics and work with community stakeholders, using state-of-the-art technology to design and develop critical components in-house, eliminating inventory waste, and facilitating a smooth, always precise, and efficient process whole communities can benefit from.
BUILDER:Explain your construction process and how you’re able to build a home in 60 days or less.
Bhat:By integrating and leveraging 14 intellectual property patents and deploying its X+ Construction methodology, each property is built within a single, coordinated, streamlined, holistic process, compared to traditional home builders who, on average, employ 22 subcontractors prone to inefficiencies, delays, and fluctuations in quality. From the foundation to the finishes, our components are prefabricated in factories and pieced together on-site to deliver homes in 60 days or less, compared to six to nine months by traditional means.
BUILDER:What type of single-family products do you specialize in?
Bhat:We specialize in concrete and steel construction single-family homes and townhomes ranging from three to five bedrooms, two to four-and-a-half baths, and one- to two-car garages. These homes come with unique design features, including high ceilings, tall impact-proof windows, and high-end finishes that come together to create an elevated design aesthetic, even as our building process avoids shortcuts and disappointments faced in traditional construction. This all accrues to added value for our customers.
BUILDER:How does an Onx home differ from a traditional stick-built home?
Bhat:Onx homes are built with a focus on technology, precision, and sustainability. Each home is built with resilience in mind and features the following components:
- Core Foundation+: Reinforced concrete foundations with damp-proofing to protect against hurricanes.
- Bathroom Pod+: Advanced engineered pods combining mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems with fixtures and smart design features.
- Core Walls+: Built to withstand 175 mph wind loads providing specialized insulation that absorbs sound and creates a quiet environment.
- Staircase+: Concrete reinforced staircases built with prestressed beams, providing greater separation of sound and space between floors.
Also, each home is built with specifications that are aligned with Energy Star ratings and an EV charging station. And because precision technology underlies the entire construction process, our homes don’t suffer from the lack of uniformity in quality as we scale up to build entire communities that traditional homes present. This is a critical advantage when it comes to conceiving and building entire communities.
BUILDER:What markets are you currently building in? Any additional markets coming in the near future?
Bhat:Onx is currently building communities inMiamiand Punta Gorda, Florida, with additional communities coming to Mascotte, Florida, near Orlando, as well as Manor and Georgetown, Texas, near Austin. We continue to be on the lookout for other areas in the country where we can fill an urgent need for housing.
BUILDER:How many homes will the company construct this year? Do you expect that number to grow next year?
Bhat:Onx expects to build more than 400 homes in 2023 and double the number in 2024.
BUILDER:Any upcoming company announcements you’re able to share?
Bhat:Onx is breaking ground inOrlandoon a 200-home community, On Villa Pass, in August. It is also breaking ground in Punta Gorda on its On Burnt Store Lakes community the same month.
Onx is also launching its ONX X+ Realtor program and app in September and launching its Onx X+ Systems factory in Pompano Beach, Florida, in January 2024.
