have you built a modular home in BC?

5 years ago

I want to build a house on my lot on the sunshine coast of BC and I'm looking for advice about modular companies. I only have $200k to build a small 1200-1400 sf cabin. I will need about 20k for the septic as its a steep site. The land is paid for so that's not part of the budget. Can I get a finished house for that money? I want to go with modular because the location is a little far out. Has anyone else done this is BC?

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GN Builders L.L.C
4 years ago
Tara you still have to build a foundation for the modular unit so you need to account for that also.

I'm not sure what the construction costs are in BC area or what they charge for the modular homes... The size of the home you plan on building is not a very big house, I would get some prices from local builders what would cost to build in comparison to what will cost to go with a Modular home.

That said, IMO if you build a home by a local builder you would have a much better home, because I've seen a few Modular homes being done here in the past and I wasn't to crazy about the quality of construction and materials that were used.

Good luck
Tara Barker thanked GN Builders L.L.C
tangerinedoor
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I'm building a modular home right now, but not in BC. It's in New England. It's being built locally.

From my experience around here, $200k is not enough budget for a home of the size you're thinking, especially when you include the septic.

I would take next steps by doing a whole bunch of research.

-Find local modular home builders and check out the houses they've built.

-Figure out the cost of piers or foundation.

-Cost of excavating the lot, cutting trees, etc.

-water runoff management

-the driveway ("steep" sounds expensive to me)

-Utility hookup, e.g. electric and water

-cost of permits and inspections

-attorney fees for reviewing the construction contract

-design fees for the build, even if "design" means "drawing they can use for constructing".

Etc. etc.

However.......

It might be smarter—and more budget-wise— to think of your living needs "big picture" and not just a house in isolation.

For instance, would you save $200 a month (and climbing) in electric bills if you did solar? If yes, cost out the solar. And you may be able to get a grant, too.

Might it be more expensive to begin with, but way cheaper as a lifestyle, to build with hyper-efficient materials, thick walls, etc.?

Do you have allergies and might save on medical bills if you selected materials that are formaldehyde-free?

So, think of the project as a whole package. You might find that you have budget allocated elsewhere that you can free up just by re-imagining what you need for living.
Tara Barker thanked tangerinedoor
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badabing2
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Did you notice Amazon sells prefab houses? For example here's a 1336 sq ft cabin for $65k delivered. Of course there's a lot unsaid (like insulation) but an interesting thought. There's quite a few models there. Note that you usually need to assemble these.

Allwood Eagle Vista | 1336 SQF Cabin Kit

have you built a modular home in BC?

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GN Builders L.L.C

tangerinedoor

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