The growing popularity of modular homes means that more and more people are talking about them. Unfortunately, not every one is as informed about modular homes as they should be, and not all the information one hears about modular homes is true. To sort out the facts and fiction, here’s a list of the most-heard comments about modular homes – and whether they are, in fact, fact or fiction.
Modular homes are the same thing as mobile homes. This is fiction. While both modular homes and mobile homes get their start in the factory, that’s where the similarity ends. Mobile homes are required by law to rest on a steel chassis, which greatly restricts the design options available to mobile homes. Modular homes do not have a steel chassis, and cannot be hooked to a truck and moved after construction. Furthermore, mobile homes are nowhere near as sturdy as modular homes, which have been used in hurricane-prone areas due to their ability to withstand high winds.
Modular homes are built much more quickly than traditionally built homes. This is fact . Because the work on the home site and the work on the modular home are being done simultaneously, a great deal of time is saved automatically. And, because the modular home is constructed in a factory, with work being completed on several sections at once, the construction process is not slowed by weather delays or vandalism, cutting construction time down even more.
All modular homes look the same. This is fiction. There may be modular homes in your neighborhood that you have mistaken for traditionally built homes – like traditionally built homes, modular homes can be built to any design or style imaginable. There is none of the cookie-cutter construction that some associate with mobile homes. Modular homes are as individual and interesting as those who live in them.
Modular homes are not a good investment, because they depreciate over time. This is fiction. Just like traditional homes, modular homes both retain their value, and in most cases, appreciate in value over time, making them an excellent investment. Unlike mobile homes, that in most cases depreciate over time, modular homes will typically retain their value, if not appreciate considerably in time.
Modular homes are very energy-efficient. This can be fact. While the fact that modular homes are constructed to make the trip to the home site with no water or wind damage, something that makes them inherently air- and water-tight, the rest of the energy-efficient factors of a modular home depend on the choices the homeowner makes for insulation, home wrapping material, and other aspects of the home. So yes, a modular home can be very energy-efficient – if the homeowner desires.
Modular homes are only available in a few areas of the United States. This is fiction. The growing popularity of modular homes has resulted in many modular home manufacturers expanding their service areas to include more and more regions of the United States. For a directory of modular home manufacturers by state, see Modular Today’s Modular Home Manufacturer Directory. Chances are, your contiguous United State has a modular home manufacturer serving the area.
You have to put a modular home together yourself. This is fiction. A modular home manufacturer will work with its own crew and the general contractor you hire to oversee the project to put the home together. No knowledge of home construction, carpentry, plumbing, or anything else is required on your part.
A modular home offers little selection as to interior aspects such as cabinets, flooring, and fixtures. This is fiction . Most modular home manufacturers work with a wide array of home interior materials suppliers, allowing you to have a very wide selection of the things you need to finish the interior of your home, from the cabinets to the paint colors.
A modular home is cheaper to build than a traditionally built home. This can be fact . Nowadays, the average traditionally built home will cost around $100 per square foot to construct. Most modular homes, on the other hand, cost between $60-$90 per square foot. Keep in mind, however, that customizing a modular home to very personal specifications will raise the price, as will selecting home finishes, such as hardwood floors, spa-type baths, gourmet kitchens, stone or brick siding, and other high-end items, that cost more to install. However, modular homes are generally less expensive to build than traditionally built homes.
When you separate the facts from the fictions about modular homes, you may be surprised to find that modular homes come out a winner – and that’s a fact!
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