What is a Modular Home?

What is a Modular Home?

We are often asked, “What makes a home modular?”

So what is a modular home? In short, it is a conventionally built house that a factory assembles about 80% complete, in modules or sections. In other words, modular is a way of building. A finished modular home is no different than a conventionally built home. But in most cases, modular home construction offers significant advantages over a conventional building.

According to research from the Manufactured Housing Institute, approximately 22 million homes in the U.S. are modular and a notable 90% of respondents are very satisfied with their homes. With that result, it is worth understanding modular construction when you consider building a home.

So, let’s look further into what makes a home modular.

Modular Homes Are Built Better

As noted above, we build modular homes in a factory. The factory setting is key because it allows for superior building conditions. We build modular homes indoors in temperature-controlled settings. The elements never touch the home building materials, so the prospective homeowner does not need to worry about issues such as warping or climate-related damages. A temperature controlled environment also means the walls are always straight and fit together perfectly (not always the case with site-built conventional construction!)

Once all the sections of a modular home are complete, trucks carry the modules to the building site, and crews assemble them on a poured foundation. After that step, crews install and connect the utilities. Then they fit the home with the remaining appliances, flooring, fixtures, carpentry, and all of the remaining finishing touches. Modular homes meet the same state, local or regional building codes as site-built conventional construction.

Modular home building leverages the latest technology advancements. As a result, the homes are often more efficient, which means they use less energy to operate. This ultimately lowers heating and cooling costs for the homeowner.

Modular Homes Are Built Faster

Building indoors also translates into faster completion, with homes built in a matter of weeks as opposed to months. In addition, weather-related disruptions that frequently delay a conventionally built home do not affect the building process.

Every Modular Home Can Be a Custom Home

How would you know a home is modular? Unless you saw the crew build it, it is likely you would not know it is modular. Modular homes come in a wide array of styles and plans. At Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp., we have a massive archive of plans from previous projects.

Our home buyers also customize each plan to make it their own using our 3-D design software. Modular styles include colonials, contemporary, farmhouse, ranch, split-level, multi-family and more. As we like to say, “If you can dream it, we can build it!”

Modular Homes Are More Cost Effective

When compared to traditional or “stick-built” homes, in many cases, modular homes are less expensive to build. Why? Modular builders can purchase building materials in large volumes and use replicable, efficient processes, and all of this creates cost savings. Modular homes also take less time to build. That means shorter construction loan terms and less time paying for housing during construction. Note, however, that a newly built home is always more expensive than an existing home resale.

Financing for a Modular Home

Just like a stick-built home, financing is available for your modular home build. We work with several local banks that would be happy to assist you.

Learn More About Building a Modular Home Firsthand

In summary, modular homes are really the same as conventional homes. However, the superior building process is likely to give you better construction, especially if you use a reputable, experienced builder.

Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp. has built thousands of modular homes for the last thirty-plus years.

If you would like to learn more and see exactly how we build our homes, we offer complimentary tours of our factory so that you can see for yourself the modular advantage. Sign up today or contact us to speak to a team member.

We are happy to answer any of your questions and share even more detail on what goes into building your modular home.