If you’ve got a question for our modular home experts about any step of the modular home building or buying process, feel free to ask us using the “Ask the Experts” feature in the sidebar.

Paul M. asks: “How long does it take to build a modular home?”

Good question, Paul. It’s well known that a modular home can be built in about half the time it takes to build a standard home.

Compared to site-built homes, a modular home can be built, installed on a foundation and made ready for move-in only five or six weeks after the homeowner has secured financing and the building permit. This is, of course, the “fast end” of the modular home building scale. Larger, more customized modular options can take up to 20 weeks to complete, but this is still several months faster than it would be to erect a comparable site-built home.

The reasons for this efficiency are simple. First, the modular construction process is refined and streamlined thanks to a highly trained, specialized crew and advanced manufacturing processes. Second, while the modular crew is busy building the home, work on the site and foundation – a process that can take four weeks or more by itself – can occur simultaneously. Finally, because the modules are built indoors, there are no weather delays and workers can work more efficiently.  

I hope this answers your question!

Harry Odum
General Manager
Excel Homes Liverpool, PA plant

Not long ago, one of AvisAmerica’s modular homes was built in the small coastal town of Owl’s Head, Maine. The home, a 2,200-square-foot, six-room, two-story, cape/chalet combo, was built by Bay Point Homes of Rockland, Maine.

Maine and the rest of New England is a very active modular market, and one in which we expect to see growth. That’s one reason Excel Homes announced its intention to purchase modular home manufacturer Oxford Homes in Oxford, Maine earlier this year. The deal includes a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility capable of producing single-family, multi-family, and commercial building modules.

Here, we see half of the Owl’s Head home on its foundation and the roof raised. The roof is attached at the Excel plant by hinges, which allow it to lay flat during the transportation process before being raised and locked into place on-site. (A photo of the hinges can be seen here.)

In this photo, both halves of the home are in place as members of the builder’s crew put some finishing touches on the roof. This particular home will be even more energy efficient than most modular homes through its use of oil, propane and passive solar energy for heat.

The couple who will move into the home played a key role in customizing its environmentally-friendly features, including choosing superinsulated windows. They also make a few aesthetic changes to the original cape design, customizing their new home with a cathedral ceiling and a 36-foot farmer’s porch.

Last month, we talked about the second step in the modular home buying process, loan pre-qualification, which will let you know how much money you’re qualified to borrow and how much you can spend on your new home. Once you’ve got that magic number, it’s time to find a builder to discuss modular home options in your price range. 

SIDENOTE: We should clarify the relationship between Excel Homes and the types of modular home builders you’ll be meeting with. Excel manufactures the modules (essentially 90 percent of the home) in one of our factories and then ships the module to your home site, where the other 10 percent of the assembly process is completed by one of our builder partners (we work with over 600 builders throughout the northeast United States).  

Finding the right modular home builder is important, and it pays to shop around and ask questions. After all, you’re choosing the company who will build the home you’ll be living in for many, many years. Start with a list of several builders in your area. You can assemble this list in one of several ways:

• Consult the phonebook.
• Ask friends for suggestions.
• Contact Excel Homes. Feel free to email us at the “Ask the Experts” link in the right hand sidebar and we’ll be happy to send you a list of recommended builders in your area. 

With your list of builders in hand, it’s time to start checking references and asking questions. We’ll cover that step in the next installment of “The Modular Process” in about three weeks. If you can’t wait that long, feel free to e-mail us and we’ll fill you in on the details.

After Hurricane Andrew struck Florida in 1992, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) studied the performance and strength of various buildings and found that modular homes stood up to hurricane-force winds much better than standard site-built homes.

The secret to modular homes’ strength lies in the manufacturing process. To help the modules withstand the demands of the transportation process, modular homes are built with an average of 20 percent more materials than regular homes (and often at less cost!). These materials include bigger, stronger wall studs and floor joists, which means a sturdier frame overall.

The stricter inspection process behind each home also contributes to modular’s superior staying power. Not only is each module is inspected prior to leaving the factory, but the home is inspected again by independent local inspectors after it arrives and is placed on the foundation at its final destination.