Modular- What you wish you knew...

C T

4 years ago

Before getting your modular, what do you wish you knew but didn't at the time? Lessons learned?

We are beginning the process and would love feedback.

Featured Answer

tangerinedoor

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Before you do anything else, make sure you understand the distinction between modular homes and manufactured homes. Huge difference! Some of the recommendations above seem to apply to manufactured homes.

Modular homes are considered the same as "stick" build homes after they're on site. Often, you can't even tell they're modular. They're simply a different way of assembling a home than creating it on site.

There are huge advantages to doing modular vs. stick, not least that the home doesn't get wet while being built, so moisture issues are reduced.

There are some gigantic modular buildings out there: this building method is not just for homes.

A HUGE advantage of modular is that the lot can get prepared at the SAME time as the build. This shortens construction time by ALOT.

I have a brand new modular. It's netZero, 100% solar, hyper efficient. My home and lot cost me substantially less per month than an equivalent-size apartment. The home is all electric: bills are said (by other owners) to be $150 per year. In northern New England, where it gets 20 below.

One of the best days of my life was the day they "delivered" the house.

Habitat for Humanity is having homes built like this, so they are by no means expensive to build!

Also, my home is built on helical piers. They're used for lighthouses and bridges; nice solution for our global warming situation with unpredictable storms. We don't have a history of earthquakes here, but helical piers are said to perform well in earthquake zones.

You can let me know on here what questions you'd like answering. Otherwise, I have no way to know where to begin.

There is pretty much nothing I wished I knew ahead of time. However, I had plenty of time to learn and make decisions. By the time I found a suitable lot, organized the design, had site visits (the builder came to the site maybe 15 times...), organized the financing (lots of options here), went through appraisal rigamorole, dealt with rude lot sellers....over a year went by. Then I signed the contract. Then the lender had to approve it. Then the build! I'm thinking construction took 10 weeks from start to complete installation. (But they build 5 homes at once in that shop, so not all that time was allocated to mine.)

On site finish-up took less than a week; this included the solar panel installation, steps for front and back, lender-required skirting, internet and cable, town inspections etc..

My build has some custom features (e.g. ADA elements and layout), and some based on other homes constructed by the builder.

Almost everything is modularized (contrary to the statement of the builder above).

The home cost WAY less than stick built. However, my builder also builds very upscale designs.

My builder and his team LOVED this project, by the way. They were showing it to 3 different sets of customers the day it got delivered. And I get random passersby dropping by to have a look!

The biggest surprises were stuff like how much my Town wanted to charge for sewer hookup fees. I thought I knew these ahead of time, but evidently not.

Another big surprise? I had it in me to participate in the design process. Who knew I could design a house??????? I had to learn massive amounts of stuff, but I have extreme ownership of the whole enterprise. I even got to participate in marking out the foundation corners on the lot. Yep, running around with the measuring tape with the builder barking orders! I chose the exact orientation in the moment.

The process: www.mylittlehouselife.com ....This blog is still under construction.

Let me know what you'd like info on...I can talk about this stuff ALL DAY. I'm that excited about it.

*********

This is my builder. Also photos. https://vermodhomes.com https://www.facebook.com/vermodhomes/

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Comments (13)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years ago
Define "modular".
C T thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
C T
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you both for your comments!

Mark, we are looking at a company called Bill Lake and his modulars.
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User
4 years ago
And how many decades have they been in business? Also, how do they justify the higher costs for the end results to their customers?
C T thanked User
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years ago
"Bill Lake and his modulars" sounds like a big band group.

It is hard to determine what exactly their "modular" construction consists of. I think they assemble wall sections in a factory and ship them, and other building parts, to the site where they are assembled; which is what I would call "modular construction". A "modular home" would be where the home is totally assembled in a factory and shipped to the site and placed on a foundation as a whole. The former would have greater design flexibility.

The only "modular" project I have been involved is is where they shipped wall sections made solely of 2x wood structural members with the remaining construction preformed as traditional stick construction.

Online reviews of the company from a third party may help you.
C T thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
katinparadise
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I sold modular homes for 8 years. If you're anywhere near a Ritz-Craft dealer, look at their models. Their quality is amazing and there is plenty of design flexibility. I don't think I ever built a home that didn't make changes to the floor plans. I see that, if my Google search is correct, Bill Lake is in the 518 area code. You should be able to find a dealer near you. The factory is in Mifflinburg, PA and is probably within driving distance for you. They give factory tours and have models and a large design center on site.
C T thanked katinparadise
PRO
User
4 years ago
I've never believed the time savings claimed for modular homes. The best-known modular home builder in my area claims "additions in three days" but that is just for a bare-bones framed shell that my own framer (with just one helper) could complete in five or six days. Over the entire duration of an addition or new home project, that's an inconsequential difference. So much that goes into residential construction is not, or can not, be modularized: excavation, footings, foundation, drains, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, insulation, trim work, cabinetry, painting, exterior finishes, etc. etc. etc. So what are you actually gaining by going modular?
C T thanked User
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
The builder has been in business for 45 yrs he must be doing something right.
C T thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
C T
Original Author
4 years ago
Tangerinedoor, thank you. Your post was incredibly helpful and I look forward to looking at your site. Did you do one contract only with your company? We may do that ...or at this time we’re getting a few more opinions on the septic/leach field. So more than one contract may be necessary depending on what we find out.
tangerinedoor
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
CT click on my name and send me your questions via email, because I don't want to get hassled on this thread.

My home had a lot purchase and home construction all in one package. The lender organized it for me, did all the inspections, engineering inspection, ALL. AFAIK my builder decides how much of a project he wants to do, and the rest goes to subcontractors or organized by the buyer. My home has town sewer/water; a subcontractor for my builder did the pipes and hookups.

I had one contract with the builder (but other buyers have different arrangements) and one with the lot seller. But neither was viable without lender approval.

Perhaps your builder can tell you how to organize the septic so it's compatible with one of his/her homes? Check with your lender, too, if you have one. The lender has to approve of every little thing: it's their money.
C T thanked tangerinedoor
tangerinedoor
4 years ago
CT.. Check out the thread at https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5835874/help-design-800-square-feet#24958480 . I talk about how my house is designed for age-in-place, but other features as well.
C T thanked tangerinedoor
tangerinedoor
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
One thing that surprised me ALOT. In my state, modular homes are taxed as a "thing", not a property. Yep, sales tax! They only become property when they're installed. Property taxes, here I come.

So, you might have to pay sales tax.... Here, it's not the full 6%, but some other formula. Still, it was quite the annoying surprise!
chispa
4 years ago
tangerinedoor, but you are also paying sales tax for all the parts that go into a stick built house. You get charged sales tax on the lumber, tiles, plumbing, etc. that go into the build, so not that different.

Modular- What you wish you knew...

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Mark Bischak, Architect

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Modular- What you wish you knew...

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