In this photo taken at our Liverpool, PA, production facility, we see two modules ready to hit the road enroute to their final destination.

The red markings on the wrapper provide valuable information about each module. The five-digit number is a serial number unique to each and every home which links the module to the builder and homeowner. The same number is also posted in the cabinet under the kitchen sink in all homes to make it easier for the homeowner to do home repairs or order replacement parts in the future. For example, if the home buyer wants to replace a shutter or find out the exact color and make of the kitchen counter tops, they can contact their builder and reference this number, which will allow the builder to access the necessary information quickly and easily.

The letter below the number – B on the left and A on the right – indicates the order in which the modules should be placed on the foundation. The “CT” and “ME” markings denote the state each modular will be delivered to. In this case, both modules are bound for New England – Connecticut on the left, and Maine on the right.

In July, we wrote that the Pantone Color Institute had named Honeysuckle as its 2011 “Color of the Year.” Those of you who hope to incorporate the hottest colors into your home (but would prefer something a little less pink) will be happy to learn that the Paint Quality Institute has issued a statement identifying earth tones as the inspiration behind the 2012 paint palette.

The Paint Quality Institute expects various shades of blues, greens and violets to star as predominant interior design colors in the coming year, but PQI also makes some predictions for exterior hues. The following is an excerpt from the Institute’s report:

Shutter colors will begin to shift away from the traditional look of high-contrast green, red, or black to a more monochromatic palette. “You’ll see more shutters that are painted just a shade darker than the siding,” says (Paint Quality Institute color expert Debbie) Zimmer. “Owners of homes with stone exteriors can get in on things by matching the shutter color to the dominant color of the stone.”

Despite all the new colors and trends, Zimmer says some things in the paint world will remain the same in 2012: “Top quality 100% acrylic latex paint will continue to provide the best performance and the best value to budget-conscious homeowners,” she says.

With Thanksgiving just six days away (it might be time to take that 25-pound turkey out of the freezer), we felt an entry about kitchen design was in order. But with the holidays around the corner, we also thought people might not want to spend $15,000 (or even $5,000) to give their kitchen a makeover.

A recent article in the Vancouver Sun offered several tips for updating your kitchen without spending a fortune. Among the dozen budget-friendly suggestions by the newspaper:

• COLOR YOUR WORLD – Bright, colorful accessories on countertops “instantly add that wow factor.” For inspiration, check out our recent blog entry on 2012 color trends.

• BRIGHT IDEA – Installing dimmer switches to control overhead lighting not only allows you to adjust brightness to match your mood, but it also saves electricity.

• COMPARE AND CONTRAST – Painting your walls is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to breathe new life into an old space. For the kitchen, the walls should contrast with the cabinets.

• ATTENTION TO DETAIL – Adding new handles and knobs to your cabinet doors is a simple way to make a big difference in the overall look and feel of the kitchen.

The complete list of kitchen design ideas can be found on the Vancouver Sun website. As for that 25-pound turkey, we’d be more than happy to offer some roasting tips, but we’re much better at building kitchens than we are at using them.

The most stressful part of the new-home building process isn’t choosing the floor plan. It isn’t selecting a builder or choosing which countertop to install in the kitchen. It isn’t even finding the land on which to build (although that’s up there on the stress meter). No, the part of the home-building process that would-be home owners lose the most sleep over is figuring out how to finance their dream.

We’ve attempted to help buyers overcome that hurdle (or at least give them a boost) with a series of “Ask the Financial Experts” entries here on Modular Musings, but gathering information and knowledge is only the first step in a long and stressful mortgage process.

Excel Homes is now proud to announce that we’ve taken our assistance a step further by partnering with Premier Home Mortgage, Inc., to offer Express Financing – a unique financial tool that actually simplifies the home-buying process. Express Financing offers combined construction and FHA permanent financing for modular homes – with one qualification for the entire amount required to build your new house.

Our brochure explains the benefits of the Express Financing program:

• Down payment as low as 3.5%
• Land equity or gifted down payments accepted
• No payment during construction
• One-time approval, no additional documentation
• Credit score as low as 620 accepted
• Flexible qualifying options
• Pre-approval in 48 hours

More information about Excel’s Express Financing program, including the aforementioned brochure, can be found on our website.

For home buyers, the benefits speak for themselves, but the program also benefits our builder partners by making the modular home-buying decision a whole lot easier for prospective customers. And when it comes to the already-stressful process of building and financing a home, anything you can do to make it easier is a good thing.

Our monthly Second Saturday Factory Tours started in May and we’re happy to announce that in the six months since it began, the program has exceeded our expectations.

To recap, the Second Saturday program is basically an open house for both builders and prospective home buyers. On the second Saturday of each month, we open our doors for tours of our 200,000-square-foot facility and walk-throughs of our model home. Each prospective home buyer who attends the tour also receives $1,000 in complimentary credit toward the purchase of any new home options available in our custom-home product catalog.

Our next Second Saturday tour will take place on November 12th and is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our Liverpool facility (10642 S. Susquehanna Trail, Liverpool, PA). No appointment is necessary. Whether you’re a builder or a soon-to-be home owner, we hope to see you there!