Here are some interesting excerpts from an article posted on Businessweek.com

“Thanks to style-conscious architects, today’s manufactured houses prove you can combine low cost and high design — and they’re selling well.

Is the phrase “affordable, stylish house” an oxymoron? It may seem so, given a still-heated real estate market. The median price of an existing American home in September was $212,000 — up 13.4% from the same period last year, according to the latest figures released by the National Association of Realtors.”

“While figures from the Manufactured Housing Institute show that sales of manufactured homes in general (defined as factory-produced single-family houses) are down — representing 9.8% of new single-family housing starts in the U.S. in 2004, compared to 14.8% in 2002 — the market for modernist prefab seems to be experiencing brisk sales.”

The article continues…

“Prefab was long associated with bad design,” says Jill Herbers, author of Prefab Modern. “It got into the hands of the government and other institutions as a way to put up shelter quickly and cheaply, and as a result, design was downgraded. Now we’re seeing the polar opposite.”

For full article:
www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2005/id20051026_962297.htm

Modular homes and traditional homes. What are the differences?
Modular homes are built using a method of producing buildings or building components in an efficient and cost effective manner. The home is built in a factory and then transferred by sections to the site where it is assembled by a local builder.
Modular homes are built to the same building code required by your state, county, and specific locality and are not restricted by building or zoning regulations. The quality control process provides one-hundred percent assurance that your home has been inspected for compliance with code and workmanship. Your new modular home is inspected at the plant during each stage of construction.

What are the benefits to a modular home?The modular home building system is a fast-growing form of construction gaining a growing recognition of its increased efficiency and ability to apply updated technology to the needs of the market.

You benefit from the assembly line production process since modular homes are built in factories. Maximum efficiency is used with the labor, with skilled craftsman working between workstations on the floor of the factory. Excellent quality control, reduced waste, and quicker completion (30-90 days vs. 5-12 months for site-built construction) are the main benefits.

The factories buy large amounts of lumber, sheet rock, carpet, paint, and other building supplies. For this reason, they pay much less for each, and you get the savings.

When you take into consideration all the labor, material and time savings that comes with the modular home building process, you will find that the cost of your home is generally less than a traditionally built home.

The better efficiency of construction results in greater value for the homeowner. Work is not delayed by weather, subcontractor not showing up, or missing materials. Bad weather never touches the inside of your house.


What kind of options do I have with a modular home?
Today’s modular home covers the entire spectrum of the housing market from the affordable single-family and multifamily housing to expensive luxury homes.

Computers have enabled modular home producers to take a mass customization approach and design all models to meet a homeowner’s particular needs. The options are never ending!


Is a modular home a better value for my money?
Modular housing is growing at almost 10% rate over the last six years. Forecasters see modular housing increasing its market share by 13% annually well into the next millennium.

You will keep saving money year after year, as your energy efficient home keeps your heating and cooling bills low.

Repair bills can really add up quick. A modular home is a home that is easier and less costly to maintain. Additional factory insulation and precision building techniques make the modular house an efficient energy conservation home. And of course this cost saving lasts every year you’re living in the house. And it increases your resale value, too!

Modular homes are precision built at the factory, and they’re built to last. Your modular home requires less maintenance and your energy bills are lower than your neighbors. When it’s time to sell your home, you’ll be glad it’s a modular.


Don’t all modular homes look alike?
Not at all. Unless you were there to see the house delivered and assembled, you might not guess it’s a modular home. Modular home manufacturers can take any home plan and use computer software that will enable them to make a modular home from it. They can take your specifications and turn your ideas into reality.


It is true that some modular homes resemble mobile homes but the two are built in two entirely different ways.

Be sure to ask questions about flexibility if you would like to design your own home since each manufacturer is different.


Do banks provide financing for a modular built home?
Yes. For most banks, appraisers, and insurance companies, there is no difference and they treat modular homes the same way they do site built homes–a house that’s constructed entirely on your property. Be sure consult with the mortgage brokers and banks in your area to explain how they finance modular homes.


Will I save money by building a modular home?
Sometimes. Construction costs for a modular home are sometimes less per square foot than for a similar site-built home. And there are other cost-saving features:
Many modular homes are very energy efficient, which helps reduce your heating and cooling costs.

Because of the speed of the modular home building process, your home will probably be ready to move into much quicker than if you wait for a builder to construct the house on-site.
As published on:
http://www.modularhomesnetwork.com/ModularHomes/modular-home-faqs.asp#7