Advantages of Building a Modular Home, By Stu Silverman

If you're thinking of building a new home, a modular home is worth considering. First, the main difference between a site-built home and a modular home is that the former is built entirely on the location where the home will stand, and the modular home is designed, engineered and constructed in sections in a factory - often with the interior finished right down to the carpeting and wall coverings - and shipped to the location for assembly on the foundation.

Photo courtesy of Builder’s Network Inc.

Inspectors ensure it's up to code

Modular homes are constructed according to the building code required by your state, county and municipality, and are not restricted by building or zoning regulations. Modular home building plants often have state inspectors and independent inspection agencies that inspect the home during each phase of construction for code compliance and workmanship. Then during assembly, local building inspectors ensure that the structure meets requirements and that finish work is done properly.

Myth: All modular homes look alike

In most cases, modular home construction gives the customer complete design flexibility for their home. You can have virtually any style of home, any size, designed to your specifications. Most companies use state of the art computer aided design programs to customize floor plans, produce drawings and provide a list of required materials. Then the parts are constructed in a factory to meet design specifications and building code. Of course, you can choose from a variety of existing floor plans, but you have the flexibility to make modifications.

Modular home construction gives you complete design flexibility...you can have virtually any style of home, any size, designed to your specifications.

So why build a modular home rather than a traditional site-built home?

• Quality - With a modular home, the modules are produced in a controlled factory environment, which reduces errors and avoids the danger of having the partially-constructed home damaged by the elements or by vandalism. The modules are produced using modern assembly line techniques, with all the building trades involved in a streamlined process.

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  Time - One of the main benefits of modular homes is the short time it takes from design to delivery to assembly to move-in. Depending on your design and the particular manufacturer, some modular homes can be built in the factory in as little as one to two weeks. There are no weather delays, missing materials or missing subcontractors. Then once delivered, it usually takes only two to three weeks for your local builder to complete the home and connect utilities.




• Money - Construction costs for a modular home may be less per square foot than for a similar site-built home when you account for labor, material and time savings. And the quality engineering and modular construction techniques increase the energy efficiency of modular homes, which will help save you money on your heating and cooling costs. Also, most banks, appraisers, and insurance companies don't distinguish between modular homes and site-built homes, so there's nothing to worry about in those areas.

When buying a modular home, you need to hire a local builder for site preparation, including building the foundation and preparing for the utility hookups - and to assemble the modules, hook up the utilities and do the finishing once the modules have arrived. It is recommended to get the builder involved as early in the process as possible, to help with site selection and design.