The 11,000-plus-square-foot facility, created to house the girls of Boys Hope Girls Hope Baltimore, was the largest project ever completed on the hit TV show. Below are some interior shots of the home, which we think speak for themselves. For more interior photos, check out the project website. And if you did miss the episode, you’re in luck because you can watch it here.

All photos courtesy of Larry Canner Photography.

A recent article in Builder Online profiled Excel Homes and our readiness for the change. The article takes a look at Excel’s partnership with fire-protection firm F.E. Moran, with whom we’ve teamed up to stay ahead of the new requirement by installing sprinkler systems in new modular homes months before the new legislation kicks in.

The Builder Online article discusses how the Excel sprinkler systems are installed (“mostly installed at Excel’s factory, with Moran providing the finishing touches to the system and ensuring it’s installed and working properly once Excel’s modules are positioned on the jobsite”). It also reviews the benefits of the program (“no additional cost to the builder, and the installation itself is simplified because much of the plumbing is already done in the factory”).

Overall, the article is a good look at the changes heading our way, and a must-read for anyone involved in he construction of single-family homes. For more information on Excel’s turn key sprinkler option, check out the “Programs” listed on Excel’s website.

The Avis plant was reopened due to increased demand for the company’s commercial buildings and single-family homes. More than 100 men and women were hired to restaff the plant, about 90 percent of whom were previously employed there.  In the long run, the Avis plant will become Excel Homes’ hub for commercial production, a growing sector in the modular industry.

Ralph Smeal is the manager at the Avis plant and, like the rest of the Excel team, is optimistic about what the future holds for the crew in Avis. “I think we are going to be a good 100 people strong,” said Smeal in an article in the Sun-Gazette in Williamsport, PA. “I would like to see us 150 or 160 strong.”

That’s why Excel is extremely excited to announce that we have been asked to provide a home for one very deserving recipient on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” We’re sworn to secrecy regarding specific details of the home and the recipient (several families are being considered), but we can tell you that the project is taking place in the Baltimore area from July 10-16, and the episode will air on ABC in the fall (Sundays at 8 pm/7 pm Central).

We should take some time to recognize our very important project partners – the Maryland Community Builders Foundation (the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Maryland) and Artisan Fine Homes (the local builder and Excel Homes partner who will be helping to complete the project).

The modules for the home will be built in Excel’s manufacturing plant in Avis, PA. We recently reopened the Avis plant and hired more than 100 team members to staff it, which makes this project a nice way to get the plant firing on all cylinders again. Excel will then deliver the modules to the site and supervise the assembly while Ty Pennington and the “Extreme Makeover” team work feverishly to complete and customize the home.

It’s not the first time “Extreme Makeover” has used modular construction to make a family’s dreams come true. They used modular homes last season, and because the modular method fits so well with their hectic construction schedule, they decided to call on modular construction once again. There’s no doubt that modular construction is quicker, but the best part is that it frees up more time for the “Extreme Makeover” team to work its magic with some custom features.

Stay tuned for updates – we’ll have lots of them throughout the summer.

Today’s entry on the Excel Drawing Board takes a page out of the Frank Lloyd Wright playbook and his prairie style designs. It’s one of the homes in our Starting Line Up series, a collection of smaller homes with all the style of what is typically found in a larger floor plan designed specifically with the first-time home buyer in mind.

The Excel Drawing Board is a blog showcasing some of Excel’s more forward-thinking designs, which readers are encouraged to comment on. Check out today’s entry for yourself and let us know what you think.

All renderings are for illustration purposes only. See engineering documentation for specific configuration.

Inspired by the prairie style designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Prairie View is an open plan with spaces defined by the manipulation of the floor and ceiling rather than walls in most cases. This modern design gives the impression that the lower unit is connected to the upper unit by only a ribbon of glass. When combined with builder constructed leveled decks, the lines between indoors and outside are blurred, creating larger space that makes the home a part of nature. This home is perfect for locations such as waterfront property or sites with grand views.

The Prairie View uses large windows and lots of glass to bring the outdoors inside. Murphy beds and hideaways could sleep six to eight adults comfortably.

SPECIFICATIONS:

SQ FOOTAGE: 945 sq. ft.
# BEDROOMS: 1
# BATHROOMS: 1
SPECIAL FEATURES: Designed to accommodate one to eight adults; modern design with long, low features help it blend with the natural environment, weather-tight set service included in standard cost
MISC: Inspired by the prairie style designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. Home is shipped ENERGY STAR and green ready.

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Please feel free to comment on this design by leaving a comment below.

The old product guide was simply a collection of brochures in a binder. There were brochures for Merrilat and Wellborn cabinets, Corian and Silestone countertops, Kohler bath fixtures, Armstrong flooring, and KitchenAid appliances, as well as dozens of brochures for various windows, doors, lighting and fireplace options.

Just like your grandfather’s table saw, the old product guide got the job done, but it was time for an upgrade.

Enter the new product guide. The updated guide also showcases our many interior and exterior options – from Anderson to Pella to Whirlpool – but it also fits within the new look and direction of Excel Homes. The table of contents was revised, an ENERGY STAR section was added, and the paper quality was improved to give the guide a longer shelf life. Images were updated, options were clearly labeled as “standard” or “upgrade,” and the “About Us” page for each supplier was enhanced.

Overall, it’s simply a much better guide and it’s yet another example of Excel’s commitment to continuous improvement. To view our suppliers’ updated product guide pages, visit the Products & Programs page of the Excel website.

Thanks, Coach! It’s always nice when people take notice of the things you’re doing to improve your company and your product. And to return the favor, to anyone interested in modular construction we’d recommend adding Coach’s blog to your reading list.

Today’s entry on the Excel Drawing Board is a small bungalow that draws its inspiration from the kit homes of the 1940s. It’s one of the homes in our Starting Line Up series, a collection of smaller homes with all the style of what is typically found in a larger floor plan, designed specifically with the first-time home buyer in mind.

The Excel Drawing Board is a blog showcasing some of Excel’s more forward-thinking designs, which readers are encouraged to comment on. Check out today’s entry for yourself and let us know what you think.

All renderings are for illustration purposes only. See engineering documentation for specific configuration.

The Craftsman Bungalow harkens to the simple designs of the Sears kit homes from the 1930s and ‘40s. These proven plans were widely built more than half a century ago but are still widely sought after and treasured by homeowners today. The Craftsman Bungalow of this series makes se of the basic plan and characteristics of that beloved style, but opens the kitchen, living room and dining areas for a more modern open living space.

The Craftsman Bungalow is designed as a starter home or a simple guest cottage and offers high quality amenities at an economical cost point. The standard home comes complete with many upgrade options as standard features, including hardwood floors, hard surface countertops, mission style trim and a whole house fan.

SPECIFICATIONS:

SQ FOOTAGE: 771 sq. ft.
# BEDROOMS: 2
# BATHROOMS: 1
SPECIAL FEATURES: Designed to be simple and easily set to reduce cost, weather-tight set service included in standard cost
MISC: Great narrow lot design and starter home; can used for disaster housing or Habitat projects. Home is shipped ENERGY STAR and green ready.

Like it? Don’t like it? Think something should be changed or added?
Please feel free to comment on this design by leaving a comment below.