Building a home will probably be the biggest investment most homeowners will ever make. For that reason, most homeowners take their time with the process, making sure that every detail is considered and every option is explored. A home is an investment that is literally built to last a lifetime, and it’s not an undertaking to rush into.
However, there are situations when housing is needed immediately, without the time or opportunity to belabor the process. Whether housing is needed due to a natural disaster, such as a flood or hurricane, fire or severe water damage, or for other reasons, such as additions to the family or relocation, there are times when the need to build a home is urgent.
If you are considering building a home, but need one right away, then you probably think your options are limited to mobile homes. Think again. A modular home can be constructed in much less time than a traditionally built home – often in a matter of weeks – while providing all the benefits of traditionally built homes, including initial quality and appreciation over time.
Like mobile homes, modular homes begin in a factory setting, but that’s where their paths diverge. While a mobile home is constructed start to finish on the assembly line, a modular home is erected at the building site, as a traditionally built home would be.
In fact, the major difference between a traditionally built home and a modular home is simply that the modular home is constructed in parts in a factory setting, rather than one piece at a time on the site. This means that many different components of the modular home are being manufactured simultaneously – cutting the time for completion down drastically.
When a traditionally built home is constructed on-site, no work can begin on the actual home until the site prep is complete. Depending on the complexity of the site work, this process alone can take weeks or even months. On the other hand, a modular home will begin construction in the factory while the site prep is being completed. This can literally halve the amount of time it takes to complete a modular home.
The time-savings inherent to the modular home do not end with the site prep. In traditional home building, the structure must be framed and under-roof before any work on the interior can begin. If the process of constructing the basic framework of the home is delayed by inclement weather or other impediments, then the entire construction project is often halted completely until it is judicious to begin work again.
Modular homes are impervious to these kinds of delays. Because the sections of the modular home are constructed within a factory setting, it is highly unlikely that anything less than major catastrophe would delay the completion of the modular home. And again, it’s useful to note that work on different sections of the modular home is done simultaneously; while a traditionally built home must be framed and sided before any major work can be undertaken inside, for modular homes, this is not an issue. All the sections of the home are being completed in tandem. The work is therefore completed in a much shorter time span.
Of course, it is helpful to note that the speed of construction of a modular home is affected most by the homeowners. Any modifications or customization of the modular home plan will delay the construction; although it is unlikely to affect the construction so radically that the home is completed more along the timeframe of a traditionally built home, these changes to the design will delay the process.
For those who need to construct a home, but do not have the several months to a year that it can take to build a traditional home, there is no need to resort to mobile homes. A modular home can be built in a fraction of the time it takes to construct a traditionally built home, while still giving the homeowner the peace of mind that comes with knowing he or she has invested in a home that will not only last for many years to come, but that will also continue to accrue equity. What’s more, a modular home, just like a traditional home, can be modified and remodeled in the future, if the need arises.
When time is of the essence, think modular. Building a modular home will allow you to have a home you can be proud of, in a timeframe you can live with.
Tags: emergency housing, fast home construction, quick home, quick houses, time savings