If you’re like me, and you’re interested in building a new home, the experience can seem overwhelming. As if finding the perfect house plan that provides the both the exterior and interior style that’s just right is not a daunting enough task, finding the contractor who can realize the final product can be even more difficult. Add in financing, interior design decisions, and planning an investment that will last for years to come, and the entire project seems enormous.
Modular homes are top on my list of home designs that I am considering for many reasons. I’m intrigued by the prospect of building a quality home that can be move in ready in a fraction of the time of a traditionally built home, while also saving me money. I’m also drawn to the idea of building a home that is both energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly, both of which are possible in a modular home.
My home building options are limited by the fact that I live in a rural area that is several hundred miles away from a metropolitan area. Skilled contractors and construction companies are few and are often committed to other projects for months or even years. Not only does this severely impede the process of even planning a home building project, it also means that it could be quite some time before my home would be completed. Due to these factors, many in my area choose to purchase mobile homes. However, I have not been impressed by the style, quality, long-term investment aspect, energy-efficiency or environmental impact aspects of mobile homes, and have therefore decided that I will not go this route.
As I have researched my options, modular homes, however, have become more and more attractive to me. Most important to me is design. I am interested in contemporary, modern designs that most of the contractors in my area are unfamiliar with. I have found several modular home manufacturers who serve my area that offer contemporary home designs, and have even found a surprising number of contemporary home plans that I like. I also like the idea that most of these modular home manufacturers will allow me to customize the home that I choose, giving me the ability to make changes to the floor plan, interior and exterior finishes, and even door and window styles. It’s reassuring to know that I will not have to compromise when it comes to the style of a home that I will be living in for years to come.
After design, I am most interested in building a home that is cost-efficient both during construction and afterward. The modular home manufacturers that I have researched offer plans that cost considerably less per square foot to construct than comparable traditionally-built homes, while also offering options such as premium insulation, low-e windows, tankless water heaters and even geothermal heating/air conditioning systems.
An important aspect of building a home cost-effectively is the construction itself; because modular homes are mostly constructed in a factory setting, I don’t have to worry about my home being damaged by severe weather or vandalism during construction, damages that are expensive both in terms of the cost to repair the damage and the delays that ensue. It is also reassuring to me to know that my home is being constructed in a controlled environment by skilled craftsmen; living in a rural area often means that skilled labor is difficult to find and expensive. By building a modular home, I will not have to pay extra for what I should be able to expect from a home construction team.
Building my home in a reasonable amount of time is also something I require. The area I live in experiences unpredictable weather from October through April; this means that if I want my home built with a minimum of weather delays, I must be ready to start construction by the beginning of May and be finished by the end of September. I probably don’t need to point out that this is the busiest construction season of the year, making it difficult to find a construction team willing to work on a residential project during this time. Many of the construction companies in my area save residential work for the off-season; this often results in long construction times and periodic weather-related delays.
Building a modular home will allow me to use local contractors for minimal work, mostly on site prep and during the delivery and site construction of the home. This will make the home construction project much quicker, and much less dependent on the weather and on the schedules of local contractors, who may be more willing to take on a smaller project like a modular home during the busy season, or, if need be, during the off-season.
While I have not made my final decision, I am strongly considering building a modular home. For someone who lives in a rural area, like I do, it is a very attractive option.
Tags: modular homes, modular house, modular houses, modular housing