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For years the term "modular home" was a thinly disguised marketing
euphemism for a double-wide trailer with the wheels pried off.
The modular home has both grown
up and cleaned up.
The whole reason and attraction behind the regular trailer home was
always that it was a significantly more economical way to create a
shelter than standard "stick frame" construction. By constructing
primary components of a home in a factory setting where material waste,
weather conditions, and quality could all be tightly controlled, then
transporting the components to the final building site for assembly, a
structure can be completed faster and more economically.
Problems associated with this building approach were almost always
associated with poor design, substandard materials, poor site assembly
which made the homes susceptible to severe weather, and the limitations
of creating plans based on a standard highway lane width. Often the
lower-end building materials used in trailer homes were also associated
with unhealthful off-gassing of volatile organic compounds as well.
Newer sustainability-oriented modular homes have addressed each of the
shortcomings associated with the industry, while taking full advantage
of the positive aspects of creating homes in a factory
setting. It's now possible to get modular built homes
designed by some of the most talented architects in the nation, built
of green materials, and with fit and finish that would rival the finest
luxury automobile.
Look at this recent video segment by the Sundance Channel on modular
homes company Living Homes. Living Homes creates some truly remarkable
structures at a fraction of the cost of a like stick-built home.
Advantages of a modular home over
conventional "stick-built" construction:
Speed -
A modular home can be built very quickly in a factory setting since
workers do not need to contend with weather delays. In addition, the
all tools and materials are readily at hand, the lighting is always
good, and site safety can be controlled to some extent. Site assembly
of the resulting building components can take place in as little as a
couple of days.
Material
Efficiency - When a building is being constructed in a
factory, waste is greatly reduced as material excess can easily be used
in other buildings.
Quality
Control - A modular home factory can control the level of
workmanship that goes into their products more effectively than a
typical general contractor who may have multiple construction sites
spread over a wide geographic area.
Energy
Efficiency - The factory construction process can take
advantage of energy efficient practices that are not possible on site
built construction projects.
The downsides of a modular home:
Some Design
Limitations - The remarkable architectural talents
associated with the modular industry have greatly reduced the problem
of limited design choices, though there are still some building design
elements that simply do not fit into the modular construction model.
Probably Not
For the Do-It-Yourselfer - For the home owner that wants
to be integrally involved in building their own home, modular
construction probably would not be the best choice. Most of the heavy
lifting of construction occurs in a plant. Final assembly is apt to be
completed by a tight crew of building professionals with a crane. There
might be some opportunity for a homeowner to be involved in the final
finish work, depending on the design and the amount of finish work
required after component assembly.
Site
Limitations - While a modular home design can be adapted
to most building sites, access still may be a problem. Any modular home
building site will need to be accessible to the large transport trucks
required to move building components.
Green business opportunities in
modular homes:
Real estate developers who are willing to take a chance on green modular home projects
Architects who specialize in this growing construction arena
Moving companies who specialize in relocating and
assembling completed home modules
Local contractors who represent and sell the services of
larger modular building companies
