Modular Homes and more...

What's the difference between a modular home, a manufactured home, and a mobile home. How do they compare to convention stick built homes?

Modular homes are built in sections or modules and 80% to 95% of the home is built in a factory. The sections are then transferred to the building site where they are placed on foundations. Then construction is completed on the site. Many people often confuse modular homes with manufactured homes.

The following should help clear up some misunderstandings.

1. Modular homes can be any style of home. Manufactured homes have formerly been called mobile homes or trailers, but there are more styles to choose from than in the past.

2. Sections of a modular home are transferred on a flatbed truck and lifted onto the foundation with a crane. Sections of a manufactured home are transferred on their own wheels.

3. Modular homes conform to the building codes of their destinations, whereas manufactured homes are built in a factory and they must conform to the federal code or HUD code.

4. Modular homes are placed on a permanent foundation and bolted or strapped down. Manufactured homes are built on a non-removable steel chassis, not a permanent foundation.

5. Modular homes are generally cheaper per square foot than site built homes and manufactured homes are less expensive than both site built and modular homes.

6. Depending on the location of where it is built, the value of a modular home will increase, as the value of a manufactured home may decrease.

What are the benefits of going with a modular home?

Time and Money
A modular home can be assembled and constructed in 90 days, compared to an on-site built home which could take 6 months to a year to complete. The more time it takes to build a home, the more money you are going to be paying for the tradesmen's time. In the factory, the homes can be built much faster as more than one stage of the building process can be in motion at the same time. You also don't have the trouble of the weather slowing up the process.

Quality and Customization
The quality of a modular home is often better than stick-built homes because of weather conditions and the amount of supervision. Because modular homes are built in the factory, they are protected against the environment and against vandalism. The workers are more efficient as they don't have to work in adverse conditions such as unbearable heat or the bone chilling cold.

The other reason that modular homes are better quality is because of the amount of supervision. Modular homes have quality control programs enforced by the manufacturers. Few on site builders have a quality control program that they enforce while building. Modular homes are inspected once on the assembly line, again by a 3rd party inspector sent by the state in which the home is being built, and finally by the local building inspector. This is what should happen with an on-site built home, but it doesn't always happen.

Because the materials are transported, modular homes are constructed with 2 by 6 walls so that they can withstand the rigors of being transported hundreds of miles.

You can customize your modular home to be exactly what you would like and can even have a walk out basement, spiral staircase, or whatever else you would like. It is up to you and the designer to decide just how custom you would like to make your home. Essentially, you have the same allowances for customization with a modular home as you do with a home built on-site.

You won't be able to tell the difference between a modular home and a site-built home as they use the same materials. If anything, the modular home will be perfectly square as the manufacturers can square up the home in the factory. You won't see any seams or lines unless you have a mediocre builder.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several reasons why you should look into building a modular home. You can have it done quickly and efficiently and you can place it on your favorite piece of property. Many people have some misunderstandings about modular homes because so often they confuse them with manufactured, or mobile homes. Or, they may not know the incredible advances that have been made in modular home building. Whether you are building a 150,000 dollar home or a million dollar home, modular home building could be the ticket to getting into a beautiful home for you and your family.

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